As a student at Mott Community College, I am actively involved in the Elite Culinary Club, the official culinary club for our college. As the social media manager and a regular member, I help organize and promote food-related events, working closely with the President, Secretary, and Vice President. Our club's primary mission is to support our college through catering and setting up events, often in collaboration with our culinary instructors. This experience is both unpredictable and rewarding, reflecting the dynamic nature of the culinary world. My commitment to volunteering began long before college. Since middle school, I have been actively involved in various community service activities in Flint. My initial foray into volunteering included tutoring students in remedial classes and assisting with the setup of volleyball games. These experiences were part of an after-school program called YouthQuest, where field trips often involved community service activities, such as volunteering at the local food bank. Ms. Priscilla Shireen Luke's legacy of service resonates deeply with me. We need more people like her in the world, and I am grateful for the opportunities and inspiration provided by the YouthQuest program and the community of Flint. My passion for helping others was nurtured by these experiences, and I aspire to continue this legacy of service. Flint has faced numerous challenges over the years, and my mother often reminded me of the importance of giving back to our community. Unlike many celebrities who have left Flint without looking back, everyday citizens strive to build a better community. I want to be one of those individuals who give back to Flint in meaningful ways. One of my primary goals is to address the issue of homelessness in Flint. The literacy rate in our city is declining, and I believe there should be more educational programs for adult residents, particularly those in poverty. My vision includes creating free schooling programs for homeless adults and establishing rehabilitation services to help them get back on their feet. These programs would provide education, life skills, and job training, empowering individuals to build a sustainable future. My motivation to help others stems from the understanding that everyone faces their own struggles, and a small act of kindness can make a significant difference in someone's life. You never know what someone is going through or what their breaking point might be. By offering even the smallest assistance, we can ease their burdens and bring hope into their lives. You don't have to make a life-changing impact to make an impact on someone's life. In conclusion, my commitment to service is deeply rooted in my experiences and values. I aspire to continue giving back to my community and addressing critical issues such as homelessness and education. By doing so, I hope to honor the legacy of Priscilla Shireen Luke and contribute to creating a better world for future generations.

Growing up in Flint during the water crisis really changed the way I thought about food. Since we couldn't use the water, my family had to rely on canned foods, cereals, and lots of processed, packaged stuff from the grocery store. Watching TV, I would see what typical American families ate and dream about trying those homemade meals instead of what I was eating every day. Curious and eager to try new things, I turned to YouTube to learn how to make foods from scratch that required water, like bread, soups, cakes, and pasta. That's where my passion for cooking and baking started. The more I learned, the more I wanted to create these foods myself and taste something different from the canned and processed foods I was used to. Now, I'm a culinary arts and baking student at Mott Community College. My favorite things to make are lemon meringue tarts and duck sausages from scratch – I absolutely love duck sausage! It's been amazing to learn the whole process of making things from start to finish rather than just buying pre-made ingredients from the store. I'm really grateful for my enthusiastic chef instructors who make learning so exciting. I see myself as a cake decorator working at a reputable bakery in Frankenmuth, Michigan. I have a real passion for baking, and I'm already a member of the American Culinary Federation, where I network with executive chefs to build my reputation. I plan on taking additional classes at Crust, a renowned bakery in Fenton, Michigan that has won the "Michigan's Best Bakery" award. They offer monthly classes on a variety of baked goods, from danishes to pies, and I'm eager to learn from them. Being a member of the Elite Culinary Club at Mott Community College has also been a fantastic experience. As the social media marketer for the club, I've helped organize volunteer events where we cater for college functions. Additionally, I've volunteered at the North End Soup Kitchen in Flint, where we prepare and serve meals for the homeless and underprivileged. These experiences have deepened my interest in culinary arts and shown me the impact food can have on a community. Right now, I'm already giving back through the Elite Culinary Club and the North End Soup Kitchen. My chef instructor at Mott is passionate about students contributing to the community, and he inspired me to consider teaching in the future. Once I've gained enough experience, I would love to become a culinary instructor and pass on my knowledge and passion for cooking and baking to future generations. Receiving the Martha Brooks Culinary Arts Scholarship would be a tremendous help in affording my tuition at Mott Community College. It would relieve the financial stress and allow me to focus entirely on my education. This scholarship would bring me one step closer to my dream of becoming a cake decorator and, eventually, a culinary arts instructor. Thank you for considering my application. I'm excited about the possibility of continuing my education and giving back to my community through the culinary arts.

The key to help society while also ensuring your own success is to learn how to schedule your time. On top of that, prioritizing your personal success first will guarantee that you will have time, resources, and the money to help your community. That’s exactly what I plan to do when I get older. Once I have enough money to sustain myself and a possible family, I want to invest at least 10% of my income in Flint, Michigan. I grew up in this city all my life, including during the Flint Water Crisis. I was fortunate enough to move out after 4 years, but I’m well aware that this isn’t the case for everyone else. I remember my psychology teacher talking about how severe poverty and low literacy rates are the main issues that Flint face. So I decided that I would find ways to combat these issues. I want to build a resource center to help low-income and homeless get a job. The program will include free-to-use computers with a program that only allows users on appropriate websites. We will also offer free donated food along with teaching programs that help participants’ reading and comprehension skills. Lastly, I would also like to include a program that teaches about personal finances. I was fortunate enough to take a personal finance class in my 10th-grade year. School teaches us that you earn money through a career that you choose after college. In my personal finance class, I learned that having a career isn’t the only way to make money. You can earn money investing in stocks, a ROTH/Traditional IRA, a Universal Index Life, owning a business, and real estate. That’s exactly what I would like to teach Flint residents that apply to my resource center program. The overall purpose of this program is to help Flint residents succeed financially and distribute their knowledge back to the community. I am planning to obtain a psychology degree and a Bachelor's in Social Work. I want to learn more about how a city can fail and how communities are able to prosper once more after failing. We will also offer free donated food along with teaching programs that help participants’ reading and comprehension skills. As I said before, the literacy rate is a huge problem for Flint, so I would love to team up with others to combat this issue as well. I will apply the knowledge I learned from college to myself, my family, and my future resource center program.

I am a part of the small business owner community, and I sell hair products for people who want to grow their hair. At the beginning of 2020, I planned on creating an LLC and becoming an entrepreneur, but I officially started in June 2020. I had two notebooks completely filled with my plans and dreams of becoming a future entrepreneur. I wanted to sell many natural, homemade products like deodorant, hair products, and hand sanitizer. I’ve learned so much by myself in this short amount of time! Little did I know how much time, money, and patience I had to invest to launch. Due to many mistakes and some miscommunication, I paid double the amount I intended to pay for starting. The stickers I bought were not the right material for my containers, some ingredients weren’t the right color, and I had a typo on my business cards. Unfortunately, I had to pay for these errors to get fixed. Even though this was a huge setback, I’m happy that these mistakes happened. I learned to turn it into a lesson and figure out what I did wrong. I can’t thank my family enough for giving me a loan to completely rebrand my business. To this day, I am still working to repay them. They support me financially and emotionally. Even before I had my first sale, my mom would constantly give me applause for starting my own business at 17 years old. It boosted my drive and encouraged me to continue to pursue my dreams, despite seeing progress. I am extremely grateful for their encouragement. After this, I began to plan my future actions with more detail and evaluation. One of the plans was my goal for people interested in my business. Instead of setting goals for followers and sales, I’ve learned to focus on creating a community with my supporters. “It’s one thing to get a random follower, but it’s another thing to have people who genuinely enjoy the content you create,” my Mom told me. That’s why I try to stay consistent, stick within my niche, and interact with my followers. It’s a little discouraging to not see growth as much as I want, but it takes lots of time and patience for success. I try to remind myself that not many businesses are successful within a year of starting. Regardless, I’m going to keep my head up and continue to do what I enjoy. I even tell myself how all of the hard work will pay off when I reach my ultimate goal: making my own natural skin and hair care line. I’m confident that I’m able to reach these goals whether that be tomorrow or next year!

When the pandemic first started, I was devastated by the lack of compassion that this country had. Lots of Americans refused to wear masks or quarantine themselves at home, which is why we are still in this situation now. However, I am extremely thankful for this circumstance, because I found God and built a true relationship with Him. I used to claim myself as Christian before the pandemic, but I started to see how my life and actions didn’t reflect my religion at all. I started to read the Bible and started to understand that I needed to change my mindset and the way I present myself to others. Building my relationship with God has truly changed my life. I worry less about the future because every part of my life is in His control. All I have to do is give Him all of my problems and He will handle them and lead the way. I will encourage anyone else to do the same by reading the Bible and asking God to come into your life. It's worth it.

Before we graduate, we are expected to complete 25 hours of volunteer service also. Not many people complained about this requirement because we know the value of helping others out in our community - especially in Flint, Michigan. My psychology teacher told us that half of Flint poverty residents are illiterate, which is why it’s so difficult for them to earn a job. Most jobs are required to have some sort of basic reading, and the Flint Water Crisis is making the literacy rate drop even further. It’s becoming evident that frequent exposure to lead poisoning causes learning impairments and brain developmental issues. It’s completely understandable why the poverty rate is 38%. I volunteered at a school with low-income students and noticed that they were given a blue backpack to take home every day. Turns out, those blue backpacks were full of canned foods for the students and their families. Nearly all of the students in my classroom took one home every day. The Flint Water Crisis doesn’t make their situation better. Poverty was evident in the kindergarteners that I volunteered with. Some students needed psychiatric help and needed special attention in a classroom, but the parents couldn’t afford the medications and treatment nor did they have the time for the appointments. Schedules were so tight that parents sometimes picked their children up from school 3 hours after school. Me and my grandmother dedicated some of our time picking up and dropping off a student from school for a year. I started to understand how severe poverty is to students at school. Volunteering at Genesee STEM Academy, encouraged me to use more of my time for helping others. So I dedicated about 70 hours of volunteering services for this school and about 15 more at the North End Soup Kitchen. Working at the soup kitchen gave me a different perspective of poverty and low-income situations. Instead of seeing the effects on the students, I saw the effects on the parents. When preparing food, we always made sure to add enough food to everyone’s plates, so everyone would be full from the meals. The soup kitchen had a “No Seconds” rule because we wanted to make sure that everyone had a plate. However, there were plenty of people who would ask for seconds anyway or try to go back in line and hope we didn’t remember their faces. The soup kitchen only opened on Sundays, so it’s understandable why people would want seconds. Volunteering gives you a different perspective of your own city. Before the Flint Water Crisis came to light, Flint seemed just like any regular city in Michigan. Now, people are beginning to see how unfortunate the citizens here actually are. I’m very thankful that I donated lots of time volunteering at school and at the soup kitchen because it gives me the drive to help others in need. After this pandemic is over, I plan to dedicate more of my time to the Soup Kitchen on Sundays. I believe it’s necessary for students to volunteer before their graduation. It can teach them empathy and give them a new level of understanding of poverty in their hometown.

Before we graduate high school, we are expected to complete 25 hours of volunteer service also. Not many people complained about this requirement because we know the value of helping others out in our community - especially in Flint, Michigan. My psychology teacher told us that half of Flint poverty residents are illiterate, which is why it’s so difficult for them to earn a job. Most jobs are required to have some sort of basic reading, and the Flint Water Crisis is making the literacy rate drop even further. It’s becoming evident that frequent exposure to lead poisoning causes learning impairments and brain developmental issues. It’s completely understandable why the poverty rate is 38%. I volunteered at a school with low-income students and noticed that they were given a blue backpack to take home every day. Turns out, those blue backpacks were full of canned foods for the students and their families. Nearly all of the students in my classroom took one home every day. The Flint Water Crisis doesn’t make their situation better. Poverty was evident in the kindergarteners that I volunteered with. Some students needed psychiatric help and needed special attention in a classroom, but the parents couldn’t afford the medications and treatment nor did they have the time for the appointments. Schedules were so tight that parents sometimes picked their children up from school 3 hours after school. Me and my grandmother dedicated some of our time picking up and dropping off a student from school for a year. Volunteering at Genesee STEM Academy, encouraged me to use more of my time for helping others. So I dedicated about 70 hours of volunteering services for this school and about 15 more at the North End Soup Kitchen. Working at the soup kitchen gave me a different perspective of poverty and low-income situations. Instead of seeing the effects on the students, I saw the effects on the parents. When preparing food, we always made sure to add enough food to everyone’s plates, so everyone would be full from the meals. The soup kitchen had a “No Seconds” rule because we wanted to make sure that everyone had a plate. However, there were plenty of people who would ask for seconds anyway or try to go back in line and hope we didn’t remember their faces. It was very depressing to see, especially when you had to refuse food. From my understanding, the soup kitchen only opened on Sundays, so it’s understandable why people would want seconds. Volunteering gives you a different perspective of your own city. Before the Flint Water Crisis came to light, Flint seemed just like any regular city in Michigan. Now, people are beginning to see how unfortunate the citizens here actually are. I’m very thankful that I donated lots of time volunteering at school and at the soup kitchen because it gives me the drive to help others in need. I believe it’s necessary for students to have volunteer hours, because it can teach them empathy and give them a new level of understanding of poverty in Flint, Michigan.

In middle school, lots of girls in my class suddenly started using lotions and perfumes. Every break period, they would go into their lockers, pull out a container of “Japanese Cherry Blossom,” and spray it on their clothes before going back to class. Eventually, I started doing the same. But, unlike the other girls, my skin would itch and turn red after each use. Vaseline and other natural, unscented lotions worked just fine for me, yet scented lotions caused me breakouts and inflammation. At first, I thought it was completely normal to have a rash from scented lotion. Plus, I smelled like a Lavender Breeze, so I disregarded the reaction as something minor. My neck, arms, and hands would be red and itchy for the entire day, yet everyone else’s skin looked fine. It was frustrating, but I eventually figured out that this wasn’t normal, so I told my mom about it. She suggested that I should either stop using scented lotion altogether or find out what the issue was and go from there. Eventually, I figured out that I was having an allergic reaction caused by some of the ingredients. I’ve met a good amount of people who also had allergic reactions to scented lotions and perfumes. Turns out, certain ingredients in cosmetics, such as imidazolidinyl urea and alpha-hydroxy acids, are potent enough for the skin to flare up, itch, and blister. Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy wearing and smelling amazing scents without having a harsh reaction. That’s exactly why I am in the works of opening my own lotion business very soon! My parents integrated the phrase “to make money while you sleep” ever since I wanted a job last year. They encouraged me to start an online small business, so I could earn money without leaving the house due to COVID-19. At first, I thought it would be ridiculous to start a business during a pandemic, but I soon found my passion for making scented lotions. I started off small by making lotions only for myself and testing how they would react with my skin. Then my family members tested it on their skin also. No allergic reactions! Every time I made scented lotions in the kitchen, the entire house would smell like the fragrance I made. That was my favorite part about the lotion-making process! So I decided that it was time to start planning a business with this. Knowing the ingredients that cause allergic reactions, I figured out a formula that only contains the necessary ingredients for scented lotions. Say goodbye to itchy and inflamed skin! I have no doubt in my mind that this lotion business will thrive. There is a problem with allergic reactions from cosmetics, and I have a solution for that issue by providing customers with a healthy alternative. Now all people are able to enjoy scents without the potential of an allergic reaction.

In middle school, lots of girls in my class suddenly started using lotions and perfumes. Every break period, they would go into their lockers, pull out a container of “Japanese Cherry Blossom,” and spray it on their clothes before going back to class. Eventually, I started doing the same. But, unlike the other girls, my skin would itch and turn red after each use. Vaseline and other natural, unscented lotions worked just fine for me, yet scented lotions caused me breakouts and inflammation. At first, I thought it was completely normal to have a rash from scented lotion. Plus, I smelled like a Lavender Breeze, so I disregarded the reaction as something minor. My neck, arms, and hands would be red and itchy for the entire day, yet everyone else’s skin looked fine. It was frustrating, but I eventually figured out that this wasn’t normal, so I told my mom about it. She suggested that I should either stop using scented lotion altogether or find out what the issue was and go from there. Eventually, I figured out that I was having an allergic reaction caused by some of the ingredients. I’ve met a good amount of people who also had allergic reactions to scented lotions and perfumes. Turns out, certain ingredients in cosmetics, such as imidazolidinyl urea and alpha-hydroxy acids, are potent enough for skin to flare up, itch, and blister. Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy wearing and smelling amazing scents without having a harsh reaction. That’s exactly why I am in the works of opening my own lotion business very soon! My parents integrated the phrase “to make money while you sleep” ever since I wanted a job last year. They encouraged me to start an online small business, so I could earn money without leaving the house due to COVID-19. At first, I thought it would be ridiculous to start a business during a pandemic, but I soon found my passion for making scented lotions. I started off small by making lotions only for myself and testing how it would react with my skin. Then my family members tested it on their skin also. No allergic reactions! Everytime I made scented lotions in the kitchen, the entire house would smell like the fragrance I made. That was my favorite part about the lotion-making process! So I decided that it was time to start planning a business with this. Knowing the ingredients that cause allergic reactions, I figured out a formula that only contains the necessary ingredients for scented lotions. Say goodbye to itchy and inflamed skin! I have no doubt in my mind that this lotion business will thrive. There is a problem with allergic reactions from cosmetics, and I have a solution for that issue by providing customers with a healthy alternative. Now all people are able to enjoy scents without the potential of an allergic reaction.

I am a part of the small business owner community, and I sell hair products for people who want to grow out their hair. At the beginning of this year, I planned on creating an LLC and becoming an entrepreneur, but I officially started in June 2020. I’ve learned so much by myself in this short amount of time! Little did I know how much time, money, and patience I had to invest to launch. Due to many mistakes and some miscommunication, I paid double the amount I intended to pay for starting. The stickers I bought were not the right material for my containers, some ingredients weren’t the right color, and I had a typo on my business cards. Unfortunately, I had to pay for these errors to get fixed. Even though this was a huge setback, I’m happy that these mistakes happened. I learned to turn it into a lesson and figure out what I did wrong. After this, I began to plan my future actions with more detail and evaluation. One of the plans was my goal for people interested in my business. Instead of setting goals for followers and sales, I’ve learned to focus on creating a community with my supporters. It’s one thing to get a random follower, but it’s another thing to have people who genuinely enjoy the content you create. That’s why I try to stay consistent, stick within my niche, and interact with my followers. It’s a little discouraging to not see growth as much as I want, but it takes lots of time and patience for success. I try to remind myself that not many businesses are successful within 6 months of starting. I’m going to keep my head up and continue to do what I enjoy. I even tell myself how all of the hard work will pay off when I reach my ultimate goal: making my own scented lotions for people with sensitive skin. I’m confident that I’m able to reach these goals whether that be tomorrow or next year!

1. Joann’s Fabrics’ Website - https://www.joann.com/ 2. Mercari - https://www.mercari.com/ 3. AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/

This is my favorite picture with my grandad. I am the girl with the purple coat, and I remember the moment this picture was taken. We were on our way back home after spending a few nights with my grandad. As always, we had a great time at his house. My grandad was the only father figure I had growing up. My actual father wasn’t a good one at all. My household was very chaotic when I was younger, so I would frequently ask to visit my grandad’s house and stay there for a few days. My grandad, his hobbies, and his house were a wonder to me. His entire presence gave me comfort and reassurance in my life. He would go fishing and always promised to let me go with him someday. He also collected coins and gave me some to keep. “Make sure you keep these,” he said, “so when you get older, these coins will be worth something.” Without hesitation, he made sure to provide generously for me, my brothers, and my mom without expecting anything in return. His house was huge and had an entire room dedicated to vases he’s accumulated in his life. He even gave me my favorite ones that I still have today! I can mention countless other things, but the main thing that sticks out for me is that he was present in my life. I’m truly thankful that he became a huge part of my life. All of the things he’s done were optional, yet he still went out of his way to help me and my family any way he could. Little did I know that he was depressed, and was looking for someone to make him happy again. The vases that he had were meant to be sold, but few people wanted to buy them. He spent more on those vases than he made a profit. Despite how he felt about his life, he would always make sure that I was satisfied with my own. He never mentioned to me how he wasn’t happy nor did he talk about the issues with his vase business. I hope to be as caring, generous, adventurous, and wonderful as my grandad is. I want to improve so many people’s lives just like he’s done. He now lives in Canada with a woman that makes him feel happy again. We can’t visit each other now, but I still appreciate the phone calls we have together. There will never be anyone who has made an impact on my life like my grandad has.

For 15 years, I didn’t have the luxury to relax. I was always on high alert and had to plan every action I did. Just one thing - anything at all - could cause my dad to get angry. If your spoon touches the bowl too many times while you eat, he’ll get angry. If you walk past him during a phone call, he’ll get angry. If he loses too many times on the Playstation, he’ll get angry. I could write an entire book of every small detail that he’d flip over. Me and my mom both were vulnerable to my dad. He wouldn’t be as hard with my brothers. My parents would get into heated arguments that would regularly turn violent. I remember a few instances that I had to call the police on my own dad. Having a dad like mine stripped me from many abilities. I had a very bad memory and was extremely anxious. The main things I would think about are ways to not get him upset. I would have to plan all of my actions carefully. Sometimes I would stay in my room to avoid my dad. Having to do the things I did, I rarely planned for my future and I didn’t pay much attention to my surroundings. I was too concerned for my mom and myself. The environment was too chaotic to think effectively. In August of 2017, my mom got kicked out of our house and she was gone for a few days. No one knew where she was. Turns out, she bought her own house and planned on divorcing my dad immediately! My siblings and I wanted to live with her, so we moved also. My mom never looked back and neither did I. After leaving that abusive household, I started noticing the small things of life. Apparently, our grass has dewdrops that reflect the sunlight beautifully in the mornings. Everything seems more appealing to look at. One of the most striking things I noticed was the sky. Every single day, the sky looks beautiful. Sometimes there’s huge clouds, and you can even spot a rare color once in a while. Even my brother started to notice the sky. One day at night, we watched the sky for hours because of how magnificent it looked. There was a full moon. Its light illuminated the clouds around it, which showed a white outline of all of the clouds in the sky. I loved that sight! I was never aware of these beauties until I finally had the time to notice them. I never had the luxury of relaxing or noticing the beauty of living until just 3 years ago. I’m still adjusting, but there’s always something great to look forward to now. Everything seems fun and beautiful! Now that I’m aware of how amazing things are, I want to spend lots of time appreciating it. I make sure my friends and family are aware that I deeply care for them. I’m also learning how to paint beautiful sceneries and landscapes. I’ve begun to open up more with people and I’m no longer self-conscious about my appearance. I’m looking forward to each and every day now. Most of my past decisions were to make my situation slightly better, yet now, I can do whatever I enjoy doing just for the heck of it!

For 15 years, I didn’t have the luxury to relax. I was always on high alert and had to plan every action I did. Just one thing - anything at all - could cause my dad to get angry. If your spoon touches the bowl too many times while you eat, he’ll get angry. If you walk past him during a phone call, he’ll get angry. If he loses too many times on the Playstation, he’ll get angry. I could write an entire book of every small detail that he’d flip over. Me and my mom both were vulnerable to my dad. He wouldn’t be as hard with my brothers. My parents would get into heated arguments that would regularly turn violent. I remember a few instances that I had to call the police on my own dad. Having a dad like mine stripped me from many abilities. I had a very bad memory and was extremely anxious. The main things I would think about are ways to not get him upset. I would have to plan all of my actions carefully. Sometimes I would stay in my room to avoid my dad. Having to do the things I did, I rarely planned for my future and I didn’t pay much attention to my surroundings. I was too concerned for my mom and myself. The environment was too chaotic to think effectively. In August of 2017, my mom got kicked out of our house and she was gone for a few days. No one knew where she was. Turns out, she bought her own house and planned on divorcing my dad immediately! My siblings and I wanted to live with her, so we moved also. My mom never looked back and neither did I. After leaving that abusive household, I started noticing the small things of life. Apparently, our grass has dewdrops that reflect the sunlight beautifully in the mornings. Everything seems more appealing to look at. One of the most striking things I noticed was the sky. Every single day, the sky looks beautiful. Sometimes there’s huge clouds, and you can even spot a rare color once in a while. Even my brother started to notice the sky. One day at night, we watched the sky for hours because of how magnificent it looked. There was a full moon. Its light illuminated the clouds around it, which showed a white outline of all of the clouds in the sky. I loved that sight! I was never aware of these beauties until I finally had the time to notice them. I never had the luxury of relaxing or noticing the beauty of living until just 3 years ago. I’m still adjusting, but there’s always something great to look forward to now. Everything seems fun and beautiful! Now that I’m aware of how amazing things are, I want to spend lots of time appreciating it. I now make sure my friends and family are aware that I deeply care for them. I’m also learning how to paint beautiful sceneries and landscapes. I’ve begun to open up more with people and I’m no longer self-conscious about my appearance. I’m looking forward to each and every day now. Most of my past decisions were to make my situation slightly better, yet now, I can do whatever I enjoy doing just for the heck of it!

My name is Angel Coulter and I am a senior at Genesee Early College. Throughout my life, I’ve tried many different things to find what I’m interested in. I played instruments, took on sports, read many books, applied for scholarships, and started a business. The main reason why I like all of these activities is because I had my own independence. I do not want to worry about how others perceive me in the future nor do I want to worry about getting fired and struggling to find another job quickly. I absolutely love the idea of working my own hours and doing my own thing. That’s why I realized that I want to pursue one of my dreams in entrepreneurship. Becoming an entrepreneur would be perfect for me due to my wish for independence. My family was the final push for me to become an entrepreneur. I learned that a few of my family members had to get their uteruses removed due to uterine fibroids. These growths were caused due to chemicals found in relaxer creams and other hair products. I plan on preventing other women from falling victim of the same thing, so I decided to open my own hair store that only has the necessary ingredients. If my business gets big enough, I want to own a factory and hire others to make my products, instead of me doing everything for the business. Depending on the profits, I plan on paying the workers more than minimum wage. If I ever become a CEO of a big company, I would never want to pay my employees less than what they deserve. In June of this year, I started a small hair business and I plan on continuing it. It isn’t big compared to other teenagers who’ve also started their own business, but I do not plan on giving up anytime soon. I believe that in the future, I can become big just like anyone else can. I’m going to work hard to get there. I plan on creating posters and marketing my business on Instagram when I gain enough money to do so. I believe that I can inspire many other aspiring entrepreneurs to work their hardest as well. I someday plan on providing young adults with mistakes that I’ve made throughout my journey so they will not make the same mistakes. I want to provide many people of color the necessary information they need to become successful entrepreneurs as well. As of now, I watch and read lots of positive and entrepreneurial content. I do not want to be discouraged and I am determined to keep a positive mindset for the future. I want to continue what I started and not quit like I used to do with things in the past. This time is different. I have a really great feeling about this business. I've learned so many things that I never thought I'd be interested in, such as web design, social media marketing, and becoming my own boss! I'm really looking forward to the future.

My name is Angel Coulter and I am a senior at Genesee Early College. Throughout my life, I’ve tried many different things to find what I’m interested in. I played instruments, took on sports, read many books, applied for scholarships, and started a business. The main reason why I like all of these activities is because I had my own independence. I do not want to worry about how others perceive me in the future nor do I want to worry about getting fired and struggling to find another job quickly. I absolutely love the idea of working my own hours and doing my own thing. That’s why I realized that I want to pursue one of my dreams in entrepreneurship. Becoming an entrepreneur would be perfect for me due to my wish for independence. My family was the final push for me to become an entrepreneur. I learned that a few of my family members had to get their uteruses removed due to uterine fibroids. These growths were caused due to chemicals found in relaxer creams and other hair products. I plan on preventing other women from falling victim of the same thing, so I decided to open my own hair store that only has the necessary ingredients. If my business gets big enough, I want to own a factory and hire others to make my products, instead of me doing everything for the business. Depending on the profits, I plan on paying the workers more than minimum wage. If I ever become a CEO of a big company, I would never want to pay my employees less than what they deserve. In June of this year, I started a small hair business and I plan on continuing it. It isn’t big compared to other teenagers who’ve also started their own business, but I do not plan on giving up anytime soon. I believe that in the future, I can become big just like anyone else can. I’m going to work hard to get there. I plan on creating posters and marketing my business on Instagram when I gain enough money to do so. I believe that I can inspire many other aspiring entrepreneurs to work their hardest as well. I someday plan on providing young adults with mistakes that I’ve made throughout my journey so they will not make the same mistakes. I want to provide many people of color the necessary information they need to become successful entrepreneurs as well. As of now, I watch and read lots of positive and entrepreneurial content. I do not want to be discouraged and I am determined to keep a positive mindset for the future. I want to continue what I started and not quit like I used to do with things in the past. This time is different. I try to post on social media daily and I plan on creating an advertisement of my business on Instagram. I have a really great feeling about this business. I've learned so many things that I never thought I'd be interested in, such as web design, social media marketing, and becoming my own boss! I'm really looking forward to the future.

On June 21st 2020, I started my own business on Shopify. This picture is one of the first designs I created by myself for my website. I am extremely proud that I gained the confidence to start taking pictures of myself and gain the courage to present my face and name to the world.

My name is Angel Coulter and I am a senior at Genesee Early College. Throughout my life, I’ve tried many different things to find what I’m interested in. I played instruments, took on sports, read many books, applied for scholarships, and started a business. The main reason why I like all of these activities is because I had my own independence. I do not want to worry about how others perceive me in the future nor do I want to worry about getting fired and struggling to find another job quickly. I absolutely love the idea of working my own hours and doing my own thing. That’s why I realized that I want to pursue one of my dreams in entrepreneurship. Becoming an entrepreneur would be perfect for me due to my wish for independence. My family was the final push for me to become an entrepreneur. I learned that a few of my family members had to get their uteruses removed due to uterine fibroids. These growths were caused due to chemicals found in relaxer creams and other hair products. I plan on preventing other women from falling victim of the same thing, so I decided to open my own hair store that only has the necessary ingredients. If my business gets big enough, I want to own a factory and hire others to make my products, instead of me doing everything for the business. Depending on the profits, I plan on paying the workers more than minimum wage. If I ever become a CEO of a big company, I would never want to pay my employees less than what they deserve. In June of this year, I started a small hair business and I plan on continuing it. It isn’t big compared to other teenagers who’ve also started their own business, but I do not plan on giving up anytime soon. I believe that in the future, I can become big just like anyone else can. I’m going to work hard to get there. I plan on creating posters and marketing my business on Instagram when I gain enough money to do so. I believe that I can inspire many other aspiring entrepreneurs to work their hardest as well. I someday plan on providing young adults with mistakes that I’ve made throughout my journey so they will not make the same mistakes. I want to provide many people of color the necessary information they need to become successful entrepreneurs as well. As of now, I watch and read lots of positive and entrepreneurial content. I do not want to be discouraged and I am determined to keep a positive mindset for the future. I want to continue what I started and not quit like I used to do with things in the past. This time is different. I have a really great feeling about this business. I've learned so many things that I never thought I'd be interested in, such as web design, social media marketing, and becoming my own boss! I'm really looking forward to the future.

My name is Angel Coulter and I am a senior at Genesee Early College. Throughout my life, I’ve tried many different things to find what I’m interested in. I played instruments, took on sports, read many books, applied for scholarships, and started a business. The main reason why I like all of these activities is because I had my own independence. I do not want to worry about how others perceive me in the future nor do I want to worry about my superiors. I absolutely love the idea of working my own hours and doing my own thing. That’s why I realized that I want to pursue one of my dreams in entrepreneurship. Becoming an entrepreneur would be perfect for me due to my wish for independence. If my business gets big enough, I want to own a factory and hire others to make my products, instead of me doing everything for the business. Depending on the profits, I plan on paying the workers more than minimum wage. If I ever become a CEO of a big company, I would never want to pay my employees less than what they deserve. If I ever earn more money than I need, I plan on hosting donations, fundraisers, and other events to bring awareness and further advance scientific knowledge of diseases. I would also like to create my own orphanages that provide quality education for each student attending. I want these students to have access to everything that they need in order to have the same experience as students who attend regular schools have. Hopefully I earn enough money to do philanthropic work. If I ever have too much, I’d definitely give it away to others who need it. Growing up in Flint gave me a huge heart for people in need. When I walked to buy lunch, there would always be homeless people sitting on the benches because they had no other place to go. I would also volunteer at a soup kitchen and there would be so many people standing in line just for us to give them their only meal for the day. It was sickening to see it and that there aren’t more people in this world who are willing to help - especially the people who have enough money to do so. What's more sickening is the fact that people in power aren't helping more than they are. It's always sending "thoughts and prayers," when it's time for action. Instead of giving "thoughts and prayers," do your job and pass a law that prevents these incidents from happening in the future. We need change in this world. I am one of those people who will provide change. I plan on pursuing multiple careers in order to have enough money to make a difference in this world. I want to create institutions for starving families and write to mayors and representatives to enforce a new group of community protectors to replace police officers. My education will help change the world because I am knowledgeable about the injustices and unfairness that is going on between people of color and the police. I plan on creating orphanages with an education system, provide affordable housing for low-income families, and write to politicians about enforcing policies that prevent people of color to be imprisoned longer than a white person would.

My name is Angel Coulter and I am a senior at Genesee Early College. Throughout my life, I’ve tried many different things to find what I’m interested in. I played instruments, took on sports, read many books, applied for scholarships, and started a business. The main reason why I like all of these activities is because I had my own independence. I do not want to worry about how others perceive me in the future nor do I want to worry about my superiors. I absolutely love the idea of working my own hours and doing my own thing. That’s why I realized that I want to pursue one of my dreams in entrepreneurship. Becoming an entrepreneur would be perfect for me due to my wish for independence. If my business gets big enough, I want to own a factory and hire others to make my products, instead of me doing everything for the business. Depending on the profits, I plan on paying the workers more than minimum wage. If I ever become a CEO of a big company, I would never want to pay my employees less than what they deserve. In June of this year, I started a small hair business and I plan on continuing it. It isn’t big compared to other teenagers who’ve also started their own business, but I do not plan on giving up anytime soon. I believe that in the future, I can become big just like anyone else can. I’m going to work hard to get there. I plan on creating posters and marketing my business on Instagram when I gain enough money to do so. I believe that I can inspire many other aspiring entrepreneurs to work their hardest as well. I someday plan on providing them with mistakes that I’ve made throughout my journey so they will not make the same mistakes. As of now, I watch and read lots of positive and entrepreneurial content. I do not want to be discouraged and I am determined to keep a positive mindset for the future. I want to continue what I started and not quit like I used to do with things in the past. This time is different. If I ever earn more money than I need, I plan on hosting donations, fundraisers, and other events to bring awareness and further advance scientific knowledge of diseases. I would also like to create my own orphanages that provide quality education for each student attending. I want these students to have access to everything that they need in order to have the same experience as students who attend regular schools have. Hopefully I earn enough money to do philanthropic work. If I ever have too much, I’d definitely give it away to others who need it. Growing up in Flint gave me a huge heart for people in need. When I walked to buy lunch, there would always be homeless people sitting on the benches because they had no other place to go. It was sickening to see it and that there aren’t more people in this world who are willing to help - especially the people who have enough money to do so. I do not go outside much due to COVID-19, but I occasionally talk to my friends on the phone. I am a fairly quiet person, so not many people text or call, but when they needed my help I was always willing to give them guidance.