user profile avatar

Zolton Hall

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

My name is Zolton Hall, and growing up as a Black kid in Detroit, I learned that life is about more than just existing. This belief fueled my passion to create positive impacts through my art. I’ve seen many young people struggle with violence and hopelessness, and I aim to inspire them by expanding their horizons through storytelling. I want to craft relatable stories for all ages using both words and visuals. I believe that anything is possible with motivation, and if others lack it, I strive to be that source of inspiration. I'm passionate about helping people bring their ideas to life and continually improving my projects to create meaningful stories. My work is not just for me; it started as a way to support my family and has grown into a mission to connect with people globally. I want my audience to feel understood and seen through my stories. Everyone has a story that deserves to be told, and I’m here to share those narratives for those who can't express them themselves.

Education

Central Michigan University

Bachelor's degree program
2026 - 2030
  • Majors:
    • Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
    • Film/Video and Photographic Arts
  • GPA:
    3.2

High School North

High School
2022 - 2026
  • GPA:
    3.2

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Film/Video and Photographic Arts
    • Visual and Performing Arts, General
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Test scores:

    • 1070
      SAT

    Career

    • Dream career field:

      • Motion Pictures and Film
    • Dream career goals:

      I strive to build a stronger, more impactful foundation for the youth to share their stories. Inspired by August Wilson, I felt that every one of his plays and narratives resonated with me in a way no others have. His powerful worldview and commitment in confronting social issues empowered me and thousands of others in the arts to believe that storytelling can spark real change. My interest in film stems from my burning passion to build upon the legacies of artists like August Wilson and to craft something new and even more meaningful for future generations. I want to uplift untold stories and ultimately create a platform where originality is appreciated and the next generation of storytellers can thrive.

    • Videographer, interviewer, and Editor

      PBS
      2025 – 2025

    Finances

    Finance Snapshot

    • Current tuition:

      33,737

      per year
    • I’m paying:

      12,447

      per year
    • Paid by family/friends:

      0

      per year
    • Paid by grants:

      0

      per year
    • Covered by student loans:

      3,500

      per year

    Loans

      Sports

      Basketball

      Junior Varsity
      2020 – 20211 year

      Football

      Junior Varsity
      2020 – 20233 years

      Track & Field

      Varsity
      2020 – 20255 years

      Arts

      • Pankow Performing Arts

        Acting
        Charlie brown, Anna of Green Gables, laughter, Harry Potter and the Cursed child, mean girls, wizard of oz
        2022 – Present
      • Pankow Performing Arts

        Cinematography
        Weekly news stores, partnered with PBS, student journalist with MIPA
        2024 – Present

      Public services

      • Volunteering

        Concession stand — Ticketer
        2024 – 2026
      • Volunteering

        School store — Cashier
        2025 – 2026

      Future Interests

      Entrepreneurship

      Charles B. Brazelton Memorial Scholarship
      Growing up in the city of Detroit, I was exposed to many harsh lessons–lessons that taught me that life is more than mere existence. This profound belief was deeply ingrained in me from a young age and has helped shape my perspective of the world around me. As I matured, that foundation blossomed into a powerful motivation and an unwavering drive to make a positive impact on the lives of other young people through my art and values. Throughout my childhood, I watched and read about kids risking their lives to “fit in,” throwing away so much due to violence or not feeling there was anything more that they could do in their lives. The pounding pressure of losing a friend at the age of ten to gun violence left a deep impression-an impression that pushed me to use my creative work as a passionate effort to expand the horizons of our society. Looking back, even when I first started making stories and videos, they were meant as a way to help my parents in our time of need. While my father faced unemployment, my mother alone carried the weight of our household. As bills piled up, my foundation started to falter. As fights became constant, the anger and painful emotions they showed toward each other felt like jabs at my vision of a happy home. At eight years old, I didn’t have money or answers, but I had creativity. So I made a vow to myself: I would use my art to lift my family beyond these struggles and to someday inspire others facing struggles of their own. That promise became more than motivation–it became direction. I'm going to make beautiful stories that people of all ages can relate to using my talents, not just with words but with visuals. I strongly believe that anything is possible as long as you have the motivation. I love watching people come up with beautiful ideas for stories because you can tell how passionate they are for their craft, and I love it even more when I can help said people bring their stories to life. Watching different styles of art inspires me to challenge myself and grow. For every one of my projects, I aim to make it better than the last, putting my love for storytelling into every angle and every word. I’m deeply passionate about telling stories and even more passionate about being able to go above and beyond my goal. I push myself to achieve, and if I struggle, I get back up and learn from my mistakes. I will not allow myself to quit because I have so much to do in this life of mine, and I am taking every opportunity I can to succeed. Today, my art has become not just a way to help those I care for but a way to help others around the world. People deal with so many problems and difficulties and often feel that they are alone in these situations, but I want those people to connect with my work. I want people to feel heard and to know someone understands them. I want people to see that everybody has a story and it deserves to be heard. If they can’t do it themselves, then I’ll do it for them–because in helping others feel seen, I’ve discovered what it truly means to be seen myself.
      Jerome L. James “Rise” Creative Writing Scholarship
      Winner
      Growing up in the city of Detroit, I was exposed to many harsh lessons–lessons that taught me that life is more than mere existence. This profound belief was deeply ingrained in me from a young age and has helped shape my perspective of the world around me. As I matured, that foundation blossomed into a powerful motivation and an unwavering drive to make a positive impact on the lives of other young people through my art and values. Throughout my childhood, I watched and read about kids risking their lives to “fit in,” throwing away so much due to violence or not feeling there was anything more that they could do in their lives. The pounding pressure of losing a friend at the age of ten to gun violence left a deep impression-an impression that pushed me to use my creative work as a passionate effort to expand the horizons of our society. Looking back, even when I first started making stories and videos, they were meant as a way to help my parents in our time of need. While my father faced unemployment, my mother alone carried the weight of our household. As bills piled up, my foundation started to falter. As fights became constant, the anger and painful emotions they showed toward each other felt like jabs at my vision of a happy home. At eight years old, I didn’t have money or answers, but I had creativity. So I made a vow to myself: I would use my art to lift my family beyond these struggles and to someday inspire others facing struggles of their own. That promise became more than motivation–it became direction. I'm going to make beautiful stories that people of all ages can relate to using my talents, not just with words but with visuals. I strongly believe that anything is possible as long as you have the motivation. I love watching people come up with beautiful ideas for stories because you can tell how passionate they are for their craft, and I love it even more when I can help said people bring their stories to life. Watching different styles of art inspires me to challenge myself and grow. For every one of my projects, I aim to make it better than the last, putting my love for storytelling into every angle and every word. I’m deeply passionate about telling stories and even more passionate about being able to go above and beyond my goal. I push myself to achieve, and if I struggle, I get back up and learn from my mistakes. I will not allow myself to quit because I have so much to do in this life of mine, and I am taking every opportunity I can to succeed. Today, my art has become not just a way to help those I care for but a way to help others around the world. People deal with so many problems and difficulties and often feel that they are alone in these situations, but I want those people to connect with my work. I want people to feel heard and to know someone understands them. I want people to see that everybody has a story and it deserves to be heard. If they can’t do it themselves, then I’ll do it for them–because in helping others feel seen, I’ve discovered what it truly means to be seen myself.