I began teaching dance classes at the age of 13, and the students naturally gravitated towards me. I also volunteered at the Baltimore Sports Academy as a dance teacher for their after-school program. As a member of the school dance company, I have choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos. Having taught children of various ages over the past few years, it felt like a natural progression for me to pursue a career in education. I enrolled in the Child Development Completer program offered through the Teachers Academy of Maryland (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I earned my paraprofessional certification. Additionally, I serve as the Vice President of Educators Rising, a program aimed at introducing aspiring educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th-grade intern at Bear Creek Elementary School, where my responsibilities include lesson planning, student assessments, and grading. My goal is to obtain a four-year degree in education, complemented by a minor in fine arts, from an HBCU starting in Fall 2025. Upon graduation, I intend to enter the classroom directly, aiming to create a positive learning environment and provide support to students facing challenges. My leadership abilities, along with my talent for fostering positivity and enhancing the self-confidence of both my students and peers, will be instrumental as I pursue my degree. Since my freshman year, I have transferred schools twice due to my living circumstances. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. However, my current school has not provided adequate support for our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school offers the bare minimum and does not do enough to encourage post-secondary education. I possess the potential and leadership skills to be a successful educator. However, we all know the cost of education can be astronomical. I have applied to and received acceptances for multiple in state and out of state schools. I plan to assess all financial aid packages before making any decision because I don’t want an overwhelming amount of loan debt. My dream school is located outside of my home state. As such, I’ll be assessed a higher tuition rate should I elect to attend that institution. Coming from a single-parent home, I know I have to seek out scholarships which offset those costs. I have tasked myself with applying for at least three scholarships per week and have already secured recommendation letters to make the submission process easier. The goal is to lessen or zero out the necessity for student loans altogether. Additionally, I am looking towards securing an RA position to alleviate the cost of housing. I have been saving money from my part-time job. However, I’ll have to establish a tighter spending budget since my current job may not transfer and I’m unsure at this time if I’m eligible for work-study. Winning this scholarship would help alleviate some of the financial burden for obtaining my college degree and enable me to further invest in the youth, cultivating the educational environment I envision within the school setting. This includes emphasizing compassion, empathy toward peers, and reinforcing equality for everyone, regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

Warren, Ohio is a small, former steel mill town located southeast of Cleveland. Some of the more notable people that hail from Warren are Foo Fighters’ drummer, Dave Grohl, and former Ohio State standout and Minnesota Vikings football player, Korey Stringer. One of Warren's lesser-known superstars is my great uncle, (Ret.) Master Sergeant Charles Emerson Williams, Jr. My mother has always spoken highly of her favorite uncle. Coincidentally, I first met him at age 8, the same age she’d last seen him in person. Uncle Charles joined the U. S. Marine Corps shortly after graduating high school. He's the first one in our family that "made it" out of Warren. From everyone's recollection, he most notably served in Beirut and Operation Desert Storm. He was stationed at Camp LeJeune, NC. During his time at Camp LeJeune, my grandma and two of her other siblings, Mario and Pierre, relocated to North Carolina with their families. My Uncle Charles and Uncle Mario were always into martial arts and both had earned their black belts in karate. In their free time, they would utilize their neighboring trailers as "war zones." I vividly recall my mother describing how Uncle Charles would cut the power to their trailer and move around like a ninja in the night, sometimes throwing smoke bombs and flares in the darkness to snuff out Uncle Mario's position. Once either of them were caught, they'd utilize their martial arts skills to "fight" their way out of "enemy" territory. My grandma didn't enjoy their shenanigans much, but it certainly kept Uncle Charles' mind occupied on something other than his military duties. In 1990, Uncle Charles received orders that his Marine battalion would be deploying to Iraq to fight alongside fellow soldiers in Operation Desert Storm. My mother was in 4th grade at the time. She recalls singing "We Shall Overcome" in class while everybody watched, almost daily, on national TV as soldiers deployed to join the fight against Saddam Hussein. He had two back-to-back deployments after that. Upon his return to the U.S., Uncle Charles was re-stationed to Quantico, VA, but it was clear the person who deployed was not the same person who returned home. He was diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome and suffered immensely from untreated PTSD. This caused him to begin disassociating with the family. He'd give his siblings his contact information, then abruptly change it, insinuating they were spies. He stopped coming to family gatherings. He abandoned his wife and kids. He lived mostly isolated from us. As the eldest child, my grandma was heartbroken, but she let him have his space. In 2014, my grandma unexpectedly died. The news of her death brought Uncle Charles back to us. I met him for the first time at her funeral, then a few years later at Thanksgiving dinner. If there's one thing that I've been taught from Uncle Charles' circumstances, it's that everyone deserves grace. Uncle Charles sacrificed his life during more than 20 years of service with the U.S. Marine Corps. We don't know what he witnessed on the battlefield or how he's suffered over the years. It's natural to be upset at his actions, but he's seen things I can't even fathom. This allows me to show patience and understanding to a man that could've been a war casualty or ended his own life due to bearing the weight of a former combat soldier's life. As Thanksgiving nears, Uncle Charles is expected to be in attendance at dinner. As I reflect on what he's overcome to this point, I am grateful for his life and his service.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was stolen. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back, giving us crappy costumes, and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." However, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My mental health has waned due to this treatment, leading to a mild depression and anxiety diagnosis. The weight of the situation grew so intense that I wanted to commit suicide. I immediately reached out to my school guidance counselor and, honestly, thought I'd be admitted to the hospital that day. She immediately called my mother to explain the situation. My mother instantly jumped into action and contacted my therapist for an emergency appointment. I now see my therapist on a regular basis and will take advantage of virtual appointments while I'm away at college. Moreover, these instances have fueled my desire to become an educator. I want to be a better educator than what I've experienced. I began volunteering as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed pieces for in-school shows and showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. With the help of my therapist, I've been able to hone in on my leadership abilities to combat some of the bullying I've experienced over the past four years. I will also continue to utilize dance as an outlet to express my frustrations through my artistic lens. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

Realizing The Dream Dreamgirls is a movie adapted from a broadway show of the same name. It was released prior to the year I was born, but it remains a favorite in our household. The film features Effie, Deena, and Lorrell. It chronicles their lives as The Dreamettes, a girl group looking to make it big in the music industry. Originally, Effie was the group's lead singer. It was apparent from the start that Effie was very talented and strong-willed. The group was managed by Curtis, who became Effie's love interest. After signing their first major record deal, Curtis didn't feel Effie's plus-sized look or talent would help sell the group as a major act. As a result, he swapped Effie for Deena on the lead vocals. Effie began acting out, particularly after realizing Curtis' apparent affection towards her slimmer sized counter part. This behavior eventually led to Effie being extricated from the group altogether. Effie believed in her talent and was intent on following her dream to be a successful artist. She was unapologetic about her talent or failure to display the industry's standard "look." When I reflect on how Effie fought to prove herself worthy, I think of my own experiences with racism and bullying as a black, queer dancer. I began dancing at age 10. I've always been long and slender, so my mom enrolled me into a ballet class. The studio director pulled her aside and asked that I come to competitive team auditions a short time thereafter. I auditioned and was placed in tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, and contemporary solo and group routines. I competed up until high school. Entering freshman year, I had obtained the highest audition score for the dance magnet. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I've transferred high schools twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. When lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked the fact that I was actually an experienced dancer. They were used to the black dancers lacking talent and not receiving favor from the instructor. They just assumed all the "good" parts would go to non-black dancers. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back of routines, giving us crappy costumes, and all the black kids were excluded from the year end breakfast last year. Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff. In fact, the school has, somewhat, been implicit in these behaviors, particularly where 'queer' kids are involved. As a result, my self-esteem has suffered immensely because I've felt unsupported and less than due to my skin color. However, I would not let those students dim my light. Those experiences helped me realize my dream of teaching. I have already earned my paraprofessional certification through the Teachers Academy of Maryland and plan to enter the classroom directlty after matriculating from college. My goal is to foster the learning environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes emphasizing compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Another reason I chose to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools twice since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." However, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My mental health has waned due to this treatment, leading to a depression diagnosis. However, these instances have fueled my desire to become an educator. I want to be a better educator than what I've experienced. I began volunteering as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed pieces for in-school shows and showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. With the help of my therapist, I've been able to hone in on my leadership abilities to combat some of the bullying I've experienced over the past four years. Dancing has also served as a platform for me to express some of my frustrations through art. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree, but will also plant the seed for me to sew back into the youth. I foresee cultivating the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." However, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My mental health has waned due to this treatment, leading to a depression diagnosis. However, these instances have fueled my desire to become an educator. I want to be a better educator than what I've experienced. I began volunteering as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed pieces for in-school shows and showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. With the help of my therapist, I've been able to hone in on my leadership abilities to combat some of the bullying I've experienced over the past four years. Dancing has also served as a platform for me to express some of my frustrations through art. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids, feigning victimization, at times. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." However, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My mental health has waned due to this treatment, leading to a depression diagnosis. However, these instances have fueled my desire to become an educator. This desire directly stems from wanting to be a better educator than my educators have been for me. I began my journey volunteering as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows and dance showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. With the help of my therapist, I've been able to hone in on my leadership abilities to combat some of the bullying I've experienced over the past four years. Dancing has also served as a platform for me to express some of my frustrations through art. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids, feigning victimization, at times. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." However, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My mental health has waned due to this treatment, leading to a depression diagnosis. However, these instances have fueled my desire to become an educator. This desire directly stems from wanting to be a better educator than my educators have been for me. I began my journey volunteering as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows and dance showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. With the help of my therapist, I've been able to hone in on my leadership abilities to combat some of the bullying I've experienced over the past four years. Dancing has also served as a platform for me to express some of my frustrations through art. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids, feigning victimization, at times. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." However, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My mental health has waned due to this treatment, leading to a depression diagnosis. However, these instances have fueled my desire to become an educator. This desire directly stems from wanting to be a better educator than my educators have been for me. I began my journey volunteering as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows and dance showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. My leadership and ability to boost the self-confidence of my students or fellow peers has aided in combating some of the bullying I've experienced over the past four years. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high schools twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled over into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids, feigning victimization, at times. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." In fact, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where 'queer' kids are involved. My self-esteem has waned due to this treatment because I've felt unsupported. However, these instances have fueled my desire to be an educator. My other desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator many educators have not been for me. I have volunteered as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows and dance showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. My leadership and ability to boost the self-confidence of my students or fellow peers has aided in combating some of the bullying experienced within my school. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

I arose on the morning of December 1, 2014 excited to start my school day. It was my mother's daily ritual to drop me off before starting her work day. My favorite part of the ride was swinging by McDonald's. I'd always get a sausage McGriddle and large sweet tea. However, something was awry that morning. As I walked into the living room, my mother's face was pale and it looked as if she'd seen a ghost. I inquired if she was doing alright and she immediately burst into tears. Up until that point, I'd never seen my mother display any form of emotion. She was always a poised, loving woman who maintained a hard exterior. She attributed her demeanor with having lived a tough life, so to see her crying automatically meant something devastating had occurred. In early November 2014, my grandma suffered a massive stroke. She'd become paralyzed on her dominant side and rendered unable to speak. We'd relocated to Maryland from Ohio the year prior, so we rushed home to be by her side. When we entered the ICU at The Cleveland Clinic her eyes instantly lit up. We discerned the palpable relief on her face when realizing her memory was at least partially in tact. My mother began hurling a flurry of questions to her doctors and specialists. What was the probability of a full or partial recovery? How long would she be hospitalized? Would she be transferred to a rehabilitation facility or continue to remain in the hospital for physical and occupational therapy? Everyone seemed hopeful for her recovery. Soon after, she was transferred to a rehabilitation facility to recooperate. Although my mother remained optimistic, she carried some major concern with her back to Maryland. This stemmed from an ominous conversation she'd had with my grandma regarding the state of her heart health some years prior. The heart issues initially began somewhere around 2003. By 2011-12, her doctors warned that her heart was declining and advised if she ever suffered an incident, it may be catastrophic. As a result, her retirement from The Cleveland Clinic was accelerated to January 2014. I'm not sure what happened between January and November, but I'm certain that stroke is the catastrophic event her doctors had warned her about. That year, we didn't go home for Thanksgiving, but I remember us calling my grandma on the phone at the rehabilitation facility and my mother kept reassuring her that she'd fed us a proper holiday dinner and not pizza. Everyone erupted in laughter. A week later she was gone. To date, her death has been the most devastating thing our family has ever experienced. She'd relocated to Cleveland to assist my mother with childcare while she attended night school. She was all we ever knew. An immortal. I only had her for 7 years, but one thing her death taught me is that you can be here today and gone tomorrow in a blink. She always emphasized that I needed to be a leader and not accept "anyone else's mess." My self-esteem has waned, at times, due to accepting other students' projections ("mess") when dealing with bullying based upon my confidence and skin color. However, I've leaned on her words to be my authentic self and use my voice in school when addressing inequalities I've experienced. I've also channeled those experiences as my inspiration to become an educator. I foresee cultivating the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on reinforcing equality amongst all students regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Another reason I chose to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree, but will also plant the financial seed for me to sew back into the youth. I foresee cultivating the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the black students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that my innocence was compromised. And while I’d been taught about bullying and racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high schools twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled over into my dance classes. The students disliked my vocalness and seemed threatened by my presence and intellect. They also expressed disdain when I defended more soft-spoken kids, feigning victimization, at times. As a result, they resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff due to "lack of evidence." In fact, the school has been implicit in these behaviors, especially where "queer' kids are involved. My self-esteem has waned due to this treatment because I've felt unsupported. However, these instances have fueled my desire to be an educator. My other desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator many educators have not been for me. I have volunteered as a dance teacher at Ballet Nouveau, ZD Dance Academy, and Baltimore Sports Academy's after school program. Moreover, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows and dance showcases as a member of the dance company. Thus, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM). As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. My goal is to earn my degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. My leadership and ability to boost the self-confidence of my students or fellow peers has aided in combating some of the bullying experienced within my school. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of obtaining my college degree with less financial obligation, but will also plant the seed for me to further sew into the youth and cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

1) My high school experience, in totality, has fueled my desire to be a servant leader. Specifically, I intend to become a classroom educator upon my matriculation from college. I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population.My leadership and ability to boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. I foresee cultivating the environment I want to see within the school setting. This includes an emphasis on compassion, empathy towards fellow peers, and reinforcing equality amongst everyone regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background. 2) I have always struggled with appropriately prioritizing and managing my time. No matter how organized I try to be, I, sometimes, have turned in assignments late or failed to meet known deadlines. I'm not sure if it's because I become so involved in things that I get too entertwined in the intracacies of my activities that I just lose sight or if I've grown used to people conducting business at the last minute leading me to adopt that habit. As I look towards college, I know there won't be anyone continuously tapping me on the shoulder to turn in my assignments or speak with my course advisor to plan out my class schedule. I have sought to improve the ways in which I'm managing my time, some of which include setting deadline reminders on my Google calendar and minimizing distractions. Previously, I danced competitively for over 8 years. At the end of junior year, I asked my mother to remove me from the competitive team so that I could truly focus on my grades and college applications. Additionally, I've limited my other extra-curricular activities, so that I'm not feeling stressed or overwhelmed with appropriately balancing out my senior year tasks, such as applying for scholarships. While I still find myself trying to define my purpose and seek out other ways to help at school, I know that I have to work smarter, not harder to complete my tasks and meet pending deadlines.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the African-American students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that racism had smacked me so blatantly in the face. And while I’d been taught about racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Surely this was a direct test of my faith. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high schools twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled over into my dance classes. The students dislike my vocalness and seem threatened by my presence and intellect. They have resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff. Additionally, I recently overheard one of the 5th graders at my internship call me a “nigger.” My self-esteem has waned due to this treatment because I’ve felt less than due to my skin color. It’s also caused me to lose my passion for dance and, as times, suffer from severe depression because I felt my innocence had been stolen from me. However, I’ve channeled my inner purpose as I mull my own future as an educator. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have not been for me. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of school. My frustrations and depression boldly set in. My mom immediately got me a tutor and a therapist. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. A few books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have inspired the trajectory of my life because I’ve been encouraged to: 1) Be my authentic self and 2) Use my voice to advocate for myself where I feel unsupported. I plan to instill these lessons into my students to cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. Everyone has the wherewithal to overcome their circumstances despite evilness rearing its head. Relying on my faith to promote positivity may just inspire the next generation of educators.

The Olympics is the one time every four years that Americans unite like Voltron to cheer on Team USA. Within my family, it's a rite of passage to sit down, particularly during the summer Olympics, to watch every sport for the excitement of winning gold. At times, we don't even know the players or the intricacies of the sport (i.e. curling or fencing ), but we do recognize that shiny gold medal and remain ensconced with the overall medal count for the course of the games. My favorite athlete to cheer for on Team USA is none other than the King, Lebron Raymone James. I grew up in the small town of Warren, Ohio which is about 44 miles east of Akron. When LeBron was drafted to the Cleveland Cavaliers, my entire household instantly became fans. They knew the King would eventually bring the ultimate prize of a NBA championship to Northeast Ohio. Not only did he win a championship for our beloved Cavs, but he also has won 3 Golds and 1 Bronze on behalf of Team USA. However, it’s not just money and winning that builds character. It’s how you give back to your community once you’ve gained such stature. And this explains why LeBron is truly the epitome of ‘being the change you want to see.’ His mother raised him as a single parent and since gaining notoriety he’s done everything in his power to assist children in similar living predicaments by providing them with the tools for success. As a busy professional basketball player, husband, father, and entrepreneur, he has utilized his platform and money to build an entire school in his hometown that allows its students to receive fully paid college tuition upon their matriculation through high school. He recognized that not every student is athletic or will utilize athletic abilities as a means to pay for college. Removing the thought of that financial burden certainly reassures the success of students who may not otherwise be encouraged to pursue post-secondary education. While the school has faced some criticisms (because it wouldn’t be King James otherwise), he has been steadfast in his dreams of seeing kids from his hometown succeed. How can anyone hate that? I believe this is what has continued to drive him to play at the highest level and represent Team USA on the international stage. He has many people depending on him to uphold his crown and uplift his people. And despite what some basketball critics say, LeBron is undeniably going down in history as the greatest basketball player of all time. He holds many of the NBA’s all-time records and will continue to build as he goes into his 21st season of basketball. The man was breaking records before I was born and has now brought his son into the fold to carry the torch forward. We don’t know what the future holds for LeBron, but we do know he’s built a legacy both on and off the court that will be spoken about long after he hangs up his basketball shoes. Sure there’s the Steph Currys and Jayson Tatums, but there will only ever be one King James.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most  impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

My mother had two children before she turned 20. I was born in her 3rd year of law school. Though my father has always been absent, she's constantly emphasized the importance of obtaining my education, never giving up, and sewing back into others. I was oblivious to the level of struggle she withstood over the years. I was also unaware that our meals came from a food pantry she visited monthly. She always made things happen and ensured we had the tools to be successful. She is the blueprint for betting on yourself. She sometimes took us with her to class. Although she didn't have the necessary support and lost some friends along the way, she successfully earned both her undergraduate and Juris Doctor degrees as a single mother. I began teaching ballet, jazz, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at their after school program. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students and younger. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are very impressionable, but can be molded into great students. After teaching many dance classes over the past 4 years and pondering my future, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for early childhood education courses through the Teachers Academy of Maryland offered at my high school and became certified as a paraprofessional. My ability to sew positivity into the lives of the younger kids has been undeniable and remains important in my pursuit of my 4-year degree. My mother has always said, "How you start your morning sets the tone for your day." In my experiences as a 5th Grade Student intern, I've seen firsthand how NOT to be as a teacher. On my very first day, one of the teachers I encountered while entering the classroom left a bad impression. She found a way to be negative with her students the entire morning. I didn't understand her interactions, but it's the one thing that stuck with me. As a 17-year-old, I have to navigate the ups/downs as a teenager and the pressures of senior year while simultaneously juggling extracurricular activities, so I could sympathize with these younger kids on the receiving end of those actions. I've always felt the need to cultivate positive relationships, not only with my students, but with my teachers as well. Kids don't really understand the burdens of adulthood or being a teacher for that matter. I feel as a future educator that it's my duty to not project that onto my students because my actions just may inspire the next generation of educators. Not only has my mother been my inspiration, but I've also been inspired through reading. Three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encourage me to 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice, despite feeling overlooked or not enough. As I look towards being a future educator, I plan to instill both of these lessons into my students. They will be enabled to feel seen and heard. I want to cultivate a learning environment that reflects my inspiration within the school setting.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the African-American students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that racism had smacked me so blatantly in the face. And while I’d been taught about racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Surely this was a direct test of my faith. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled over into my dance classes. The students dislike my vocalness and seem threatened by my presence and intellect. They have resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff. Additionally, I recently overheard one of the 5th graders at my internship call me a “nigger.” My self-esteem has waned due to this treatment because I’ve felt less than due to my skin color. However, I’ve channeled my inner purpose as I mull my own future as an educator. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have not been for me. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of school. My frustrations and depression boldly set in. My mom immediately got me a tutor and a therapist. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. A few books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have inspired the trajectory of my life because I’ve been encouraged to: 1) Be my authentic self and 2) Use my voice to advocate for myself where I feel unsupported. I plan to instill these lessons into my students to cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. Everyone has the wherewithal to overcome their circumstances despite evilness rearing its head. Relying on my faith to promote positivity may just inspire the next generation of educators.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

“I really don’t care because I could call my mom to bring me breakfast. It’s just that they went out of their way to exclude all of the black kids.” Admittedly, I was disappointed in my classmates upon realizing none of the African-American students in the dance company were included in the year end breakfast. However, I was more upset that racism had smacked me so blatantly in the face. And while I’d been taught about racism, I never thought I’d experience it at the hands of classmates who I surmised were my friends. Surely this was a direct test of my faith. Throughout middle school, I imagined how cool my high school experience would be. My mother would chirp that we weren’t in school to make friends, only to obtain our education. Yet, my older sister had a ball during high school. I just assumed I’d have the same experience. I’d entered the dance magnet having obtained the highest audition score. This would normally be exciting for an incoming freshman, but it led to meeting my first bully. I fought that bully and found myself suspended from school. Shortly thereafter, we abruptly moved due to our living situation. I have transferred high school twice since then. My current school hasn’t done enough to combat bullying or racism. The lack of diversity in teachers/staff allows these actions to shine glaringly throughout the building. In class, when lessons are taught about race and sex, non-black students sleep through the lessons or lack empathy for non-white students. This same behavior trickled over into my dance classes. The students dislike my vocalness and seem threatened by my presence and intellect. They have resorted to bullying behaviors, such as placing black dancers in the back and excluded us from the breakfast. To this day, it has gone unaddressed by school staff. Additionally, I recently overheard one of the 5th graders at my internship call me a “nigger.” My self-esteem has waned due to this treatment because I’ve felt less than due to my skin color. However, I’ve channeled my inner purpose as I mull my own future as an educator. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have not been for me. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of school. My frustrations and depression boldly set in. My mom immediately got me a tutor and a therapist. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from an HBCU and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars to their fullest potential. A few books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have inspired the trajectory of my life because I’ve been encouraged to: 1) Be my authentic self and 2) Use my voice to advocate for myself where I feel unsupported. I plan to instill these lessons into my students to cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting. Everyone has the wherewithal to overcome their circumstances despite evilness rearing its head. Relying on my faith to promote positivity may just inspire the next generation of educators.

My mother had two children before she turned 20. I was born in her 3rd year of law school. Though my father has always been absent, she's constantly emphasized the importance of obtaining my education, never giving up, and sewing back into others. I was oblivious to the level of struggle she withstood over the years. I was also unaware that our meals came from a food pantry she visited monthly. She always made things happen and ensured we had the tools to be successful. She is the blueprint for betting on yourself. She sometimes took us with her to class. Although she didn't have the necessary support and lost some friends along the way, she successfully earned both her undergraduate and Juris Doctor degrees. My mother has always said, "How you start your morning sets the tone for your day." At my current internship, I've seen firsthand how NOT to be as a teacher. On my very first day, one of the teachers I encountered while entering the classroom left a bad impression on me. She found a way to be negative with her students the entire morning. I didn't understand her interactions, but it's the one thing that stuck with me. She let the morning dictate her entire day. Not only has my mother been my inspiration, but I've also been inspired through reading. Three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have encouraged me to: 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice, despite feeling overlooked or not enough. I plan to instill both of these lessons into my students in order to cultivate a learning environment that reflects positive inspiration within the school setting.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools and oversight to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important in the pursuit of my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. the school supports the bare minimum. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of regular hours. As my frustrations and depression boldly set in, my mom got me a tutor... and a therapist. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the tools to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, modern, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at the after school program. Moreover, as a performing arts student, I’ve choreographed several pieces for in-school shows, dance showcases, and individual solos as a member of the dance company. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or peers. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are most impressionable. After teaching children of various ages over the past few years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for the early childhood education completer offered through the Teachers Academy (TAM) at my high school. As a junior, I became certified as a paraprofessional. Additionally, I am Vice-President of Educators Rising, a program specifically geared towards exposing future educators to the career field. Currently, I am a 5th grade student intern at Bear Creek Elementary. TAM oversees my internship and is providing me with the oversight to be a successful educator. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University in early childhood education with a minor in fine arts. My plan is to go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my students up where they are deficient. My leadership and ability to sew positivity and boost the self-confidence of my students and fellow peers has been undeniable and remains important when pursuing my degree program. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum and has not done enough to encourage post-secondary education. I believe I possess the promise and background to be a successful future educator. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirational goals of attending college, but will also plant the seed for me to jumpstart my education and further sew back into the youth. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job. I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive through the teenager to adult transition is daunting, especially as an African-American. With my support, my future students will soar to the highest heights and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success with the proper tools.

My mother had two children before she turned 20. I was born in her 3rd year of law school. Though my father has always been absent, she's constantly emphasized the importance of obtaining my education, never giving up, and sewing back into others. I was oblivious to the level of struggle she withstood over the years. I was also unaware that our meals came from a food pantry she visited monthly. She always made things happen and ensured we had the tools to be successful. She is the blueprint for betting on yourself. She sometimes took us with her to class. Although she didn't have the necessary support and lost some friends along the way, she successfully earned both her undergraduate and Juris Doctor degrees as a single mother.  I began teaching ballet, jazz, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Additionally, I began volunteering at Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance classes at their after school program. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students and younger. In my opinion, the early learning stage is the most impactful because it’s a time period when students are very impressionable, but can be molded into great students.  After teaching many dance classes over the past 4 years and pondering my future, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for early childhood education courses through the Teachers Academy of Maryland offered at my high school and became certified as a paraprofessional. My ability to sew positivity into the lives of the younger kids has been undeniable and remains important in my pursuit of my 4-year degree. My mother has always said, "How you start your morning sets the tone for your day." In my experiences as a 5th Grade Student intern, I've seen firsthand how NOT to be as a teacher. On my very first day, one of the teachers I encountered while entering the classroom left a bad impression. She found a way to be negative with her students the entire morning. I didn't understand her interactions, but it's the one thing that stuck with me. As a 17-year-old, I have to navigate the ups/downs as a teenager and the pressures of senior year while simultaneously juggling extracurricular activities, so I could sympathize with these younger kids on the receiving end of those actions. I've always felt the need to cultivate positive relationships, not only with my students, but with my teachers as well. Kids don't really understand the burdens of adulthood or being a teacher for that matter. I feel as a future educator that it's my duty to not project that onto my students because my actions just may inspire the next generation of educators.  Not only has my mother been my inspiration, but I've also been inspired through reading. Three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encourage me to 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice, despite feeling overlooked or not enough. As I look towards being a future educator, I plan to instill both of these lessons into my students. They will be enabled to feel seen and heard. I want to cultivate a learning environment that reflects my inspiration within the school setting.

After teaching dance classes over the past 4 years, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education in college. I've jumpstarted my career by earning my paraprofessional certification as a junior. Currently, I am interning at Bear Creek Elementary School. I believe my ability to sew positivity into the lives of younger kids has been undeniable and remains important in the pursuit of my 4-year degree. My mother has always said, "How you start your morning sets the tone for your day." In my experience as an intern, I've seen firsthand how to NOT be as a teacher. On my first day, one of the teachers I encountered left a bad impression. Not only was she nasty towards her students first thing in the morning, but she projected negative energy throughout the entire class period. I didn't understand her interactions with the students, but resolved her morning tone was dictating her day. That is the one thing that has since stuck out to me. As a 17-year-old, I must navigate the ups/downs of my life and the pressures of senior year while simultaneously juggling extracurricular activities. I could sympathize with these elementary school kids who were on the receiving end of her actions. As a future educator, I plan to cultivate the environment I want to see in a school setting. I understand teaching is a thankless, underpaid job, but recognize it’s my duty not to project my “bad day” onto anyone else, especially my students. Another reason I desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were diverse, and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of school. As my frustrations grew and depression boldly set in. My mom got me a tutor and a therapist. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars up where they fall short. The top three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encouraged me to 1) Be my authentic self and 2) Use my voice to advocate for myself where I feel unsupported. As I look towards the future, I plan to instill these lessons into my students to cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting because my actions may inspire the next generation of educators.

The most important activity listed on my profile is teaching. I began teaching ballet, jazz, and acrobatics classes at age 13. Younger students have always naturally gravitated towards me, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach, I was elated. Additionally, I volunteer at the Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance for the after school program. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary-aged students and younger. To me, early childhood education is the most impactful because it’s a stage when students are very impressionable, but can be molded into great students. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were very diverse and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of regular hours. As my frustrations and depression boldly set in, my mom got me a tutor... and a therapist. To jumpstart my career, I have earned my paraprofessional certification in early childhood education. Currently, I am a student intern at Bear Creek Elementary School. This internship is overseen by the Teachers Academy of Maryland. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars up where they fall short. The top three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These three books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encouraged me to 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice and advocate for myself, despite feeling overlooked and unsupported. As I look towards being a future educator, I plan to instill both of these lessons into my students to cultivate the learning environment I want to see within the school setting. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirations of attending college, but will also plant the seed to matriculate through my degree program with less debt. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job, but I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive as an African-American student and adult is daunting, but my future scholars will soar and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success when provided with the proper tools.

The most important activity listed on my profile is teaching. I began teaching ballet, jazz, and acrobatics classes at age 13. Younger students have always naturally gravitated towards me, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach, I was elated. Additionally, I volunteer at the Baltimore Sports Academy teaching dance for the after school program. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary-aged students and younger. To me, early childhood education is the most impactful because it’s a stage when students are very impressionable, but can be molded into great students. Part of my desire to become an educator stems from wanting to be the educator some of my educators have NOT been for me. I’ve transferred schools three times since freshman year due to my living situation. My first two high schools were very diverse and the teachers supported my educational goals. My current school has fallen short of its support to our low-income student population. In my opinion, the school supports the bare minimum. Last year, almost my entire junior class failed to meet college standards and we were promised extra support. No real plan was ever unrolled and, understandably, some teachers are unavailable outside of regular hours. As my frustrations and depression boldly set in, my mom got me a tutor... and a therapist. To jumpstart my career, I have earned my paraprofessional certification in early childhood education. Currently, I am a student intern at Bear Creek Elementary School. This internship is overseen by the Teachers Academy of Maryland. My goal is to earn my 4-year degree from Norfolk State University and go directly into the classroom. I intend to foster a positive learning environment and push my scholars up where they fall short. The top three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These three books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encouraged me to 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice and advocate for myself, despite feeling overlooked and unsupported. As I look towards being a future educator, I plan to instill both of these lessons into my students to cultivate the learning environment I want to see within the school setting. Winning this scholarship will not only support my aspirations of attending college, but will also plant the seed to matriculate through my degree program with less debt. Teaching is truly a thankless, underpaid job, but I welcome the challenge because the importance of literacy and being able to thrive as an African-American student and adult is daunting, but my future scholars will soar and know they have the wherewithal to forge their own paths to success when provided with the proper tools.

I began volunteering as a dance teacher at age 13.The kids naturally gravitated towards me, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach the baby tots classes, I was elated. Additionally, I've volunteered at the Baltimore Sports Academy (BSA) after school program for the past year teaching dance classes for underprivileged kids. Many of the classes I've taught were for elementary aged students or younger. After teaching many dance classes over the past 4 years and pondering my future career, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. To me, early childhood education is the most impactful because it’s a stage when students are very impressionable, but can be molded into great students when given the proper toolbox for success. I signed up for early childhood education courses through the Teachers Academy of Maryland offered at my high school and became certified as a paraprofessional. My ability to sew positivity into the lives of the younger kids has been undeniable and remains important in the pursuit of my bachelor's degree in early childhood education. My mother has always said, "How you start your morning sets the tone for your day." In my experiences as a 5th Grade Student intern, I've seen firsthand how to NOT be as a teacher. On my very first day, one of the teachers I encountered while entering the classrooms left a "bad taste" in my mouth. Not only was she nasty, but she found a way to be negative the entire class period. I didn't understand her interactions with the students and just chalked it up to her having a bad day. However, it's the one thing that stuck out to me that day. Every time I enter my internship classroom, BSA, or the dance studio, the reaction I get from just being there is priceless. As a 17-year-old, I have to navigate the ups and downs of my teenage life and the pressures of senior year while simultaneously juggling my extracurricular activities, so I could sympathize with these elementary school children who were on the receiving end of those actions. Kids don't really understand the burdens of being a teacher, but I feel as a future educator that it's my duty to not project that onto my future students because I may inspire the next generation of leaders. The top three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These three books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encourage me to 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice, despite feeling overlooked and unsupported. As I look towards being a future educator, I plan to instill both of these lessons into my future students, so they feel seen and heard and to cultivate the learning environment I want to see within the school setting.

I grew up in the small town of Warren, Ohio which is about 44 miles east of Akron. When LeBron was drafted to the Cleveland Cavaliers, my entire household instantly became fans. They were convinced the King would bring the ultimate prize of a NBA championship to Northeast Ohio. When he eventually made his dramatic exit and accepted a new contract with the Miami Heat you could hear all the sighs of disappointment from neighboring houses. However, it’s not just money and championships that build character. It’s how you give back to your community once you’ve gained such stature. And this explains why LeBron is truly the epitome of ‘being the change you want to see.’ His mother raised him as a single parent and since gaining notoriety he’s done everything in his power to assist children in similar living predicaments by providing them with the tools for success. As a busy NBA player, husband, father, and entrepreneur, he utilized his platform and money to build an entire school in his hometown that allows its students to receive fully paid college tuition upon their matriculation through high school. He recognized that not every student is athletic or will utilize athletics as a means to pay for college. Removing the thought of that financial burden certainly reassures the success of students who may not otherwise be encouraged to attend college. While the school has faced some criticisms (because it wouldn’t be King James otherwise), he has been steadfast in his dreams of seeing kids from his hometown succeed. How can anyone hate that? I believe this is what has continued to drive him to play at the highest level and be the best that he can be. He has a lot of people depending on him to uphold his crown and uplift his people. And despite what some basketball critics say, LeBron is undeniably going down in history as the greatest basketball player of all time. He holds many of the NBA’s all-time records and will continue to build as he goes into his 21st season of basketball. The man was breaking records before his I was born and has now brought his son into the fold. We don’t know what the future holds for LeBron, but we do know he’s built a legacy both on and off the court that will be spoken about even after he hangs up his basketball shoes. Sure there’s the Jayson Tatums and Anthony Edwardses, but there will only ever be one King James from Akron, Ohio. No one will ever compare.

I began teaching ballet, jazz, and acro classes at age 13. The students naturally gravitated towards me, and I loved those genres of dance, so when I was asked by the studio director to teach those specific classes, I was elated. Many of the classes I've taught were for students aged 18 months through five years old. To me, early childhood education is the most impactful because it’s a stage when students are very impressionable but can be molded into great students over time. After teaching many dance classes over the past 4 years and pondering my future career, it seemed natural to pursue early childhood education. I signed up for early childhood education courses through the Teachers Academy of Maryland offered at my high school and became certified as a paraprofessional. My ability to sew positivity into the lives of the younger kids has been undeniable and remains important in my pursuit of education degree. Every time I enter my internship classroom or the dance studio, the reaction I get from just being there is priceless. My mother has always said, "How you start your morning sets the tone for your day." In my experiences as a 5th Grade Student intern, I've seen firsthand how to NOT be as a teacher. On my very first day, one of the teachers I encountered while entering the classrooms left a "bad taste" in my mouth. Not only was she nasty, but she found a way to be negative the entire class period. I didn't understand her interactions with the students and just chalked it up to her having a bad day. However, it's the one thing that stuck out to me that day. As a 17-year-old, I have to navigate the ups and downs of my teenage life and the pressures of senior year while simultaneously juggling school and extracurricular activities, so I could sympathize with these younger children who were on the receiving end of those actions. I've always felt the need to cultivate positive relationships, not only with my students, but with my teachers as well. Kids don't really understand the burdens of adulthood or being a teacher for that matter, but I feel as a future educator that it's my duty to not project that onto my future students because I may inspire the next generation of educators based upon the example I set. My mother had two children before she turned 20. I was born her 3rd year of law school. My father has always been absent, but my mother is forever present at every event, game, or recital. She has constantly stressed the importance of obtaining my education, never giving up, and taking everything that's meant for me. I never understood the level of struggle she withstood over the years. Never knew some of our meals came from a food pantry she visited every month, but she always made things happen and ensured we have the tools to be successful. She is the blueprint for betting on yourself. Three books that have impacted my life are The Hate You Give, All American Boys, and The White Tiger. These three books have inspired the trajectory of my life because they each encourage me to 1) Be my authentic self despite my experiences or circumstances and 2) To use my voice and book smarts, despite feeling overlooked or not enough. As I look towards being a future educator, I plan to instill both of these lessons into my students, so they feel seen and heard and to cultivate the environment I want to see within the school setting.