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Azaria Cherry

6,545

Bold Points

34x

Nominee

4x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

Azaria Cherry is a 17-year-old Senior in the Heath and Specialities Program at Maury High School. At the age of 12, she learned that many minority girls attending title-1 schools were not receiving equal access to STEM activities. The following year, she created her own non-profit organization, ZincGirlz, which provides inner-city girls with the opportunity to explore STEM, learn the importance of self-love, higher education, and community stewardship. Additionally, she loves studying human anatomy and biology which allows her to have a deeper understanding of why and how the human body functions. Outside of being a Girl Boss, Azaria enjoys participating in many after-school activities/clubs, sports, and being a teen activist addressing numerous social issues affecting girls and women on local and global levels. Lastly, she takes great pride in completing countless hours of community service and her philanthropic efforts. Upon graduation, Azaria is looking forward to attending college and studying Biology with a minor in entrepreneurship. Her career goals include becoming either a Flight surgeon for NASA or an Emergency Physician.

Education

Spelman College

Bachelor's degree program
2022 - 2026
  • Majors:
    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
  • Minors:
    • Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

Maury High

High School
2018 - 2022

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Bachelor's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
  • Planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Medicine

    • Dream career goals:

      Emergency Physician

    • Bank of America Student Leader/Intern

      United Way of South Hampton Roads
      2021 – 2021
    • Student Apprentice

      Naval Information Warfare Center
      2021 – 2021
    • Barista

      Starbucks
      2021 – Present3 years
    • Cashier and party host

      Apex Entertainment
      2020 – 20211 year

    Sports

    Cheerleading

    Junior Varsity
    2018 – 20191 year

    Softball

    Varsity
    2018 – Present6 years

    Swimming

    Varsity
    2019 – Present5 years

    Research

    • Medicine

      independent — Research Scientist
      2021 – Present

    Arts

    • High school orchestra

      Music
      2018 – 2020

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      CHKD — voulenteer leader
      2018 – 2019
    • Public Service (Politics)

      Youth NAACP — Organize a Instagram live with school board members, mayors, and other elected officials.
      2020 – 2020
    • Advocacy

      End Period Poverty — rally leader/speaker
      2020 – 2021
    • Volunteering

      Independent — Independent donor
      2019 – Present
    • Volunteering

      National Honors Society — student
      2020 – Present
    • Volunteering

      Norfolk Youth Naacp — chapter president
      2020 – Present
    • Volunteering

      independent — CEO of ZincGirlz
      2018 – Present

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Stephan L. Daniels Lift As We Climb Scholarship
    I like to call myself a "Steminist"; a steminist is a female who advocates for the growth of women within the STEM field. In elementary school, I fell in love with STEM. Throughout elementary school, I was encouraged to be a geeky, nerdy girl. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for gifted learners. The school I was attending is identified as a title-one school. This means similar to me most of the students who would be attending the school came from low-income neighborhoods. Upon arrival, I noticed that I was around a lot more students who looked like me. However, STEM opportunities were no longer advertised or available. The lack of STEM opportunities caused issues as I had a hard time fitting in. One teacher specifically ensured that my transition would not be easy. Every day my English teacher instilled into my head that "black girls don't like stem" and that "I would be better off doing hair" instead. Her words often left me conflicted. Her actions allowed peers to bully me relentlessly as they were unaccustomed to seeing an African American female passionate about STEM. Being the curious person I am, I began to research statistics. I then learned that only 15% of the STEM field was composed of minority women. I wondered if the small percentage was due to a lack of opportunity and young girls having similar experiences. At this point, I knew that I wanted to make a change in my community. I then came up with my non-profit organization, ZincGirlz. ZincGirlz is a program designed to teach girls about STEM within title-one schools. Throughout the weeklong program, girls learn our "Three Big E's"; education, empowerment, and entertainment. On our education days, we complete STEM activities that show how STEM is involved in our everyday lives. I also inform the girls about higher education and possible careers that involve STEM. On our empowerment days, a licensed social worker comes in to talk to the girls about mental health, personal hygiene, and self-care. During these days we complete vision boards, find healthy coping mechanisms and provide the girls with a personal hygiene bag. On our final day, we complete a community service activity as well as have a party to celebrate becoming a Zinc Girl. It is important that I continue to offer these services to young African American women to aid in closing the gender gap between minority women and their counterparts. While continuing to work with my non-profit organization, I plan on working towards a degree in Biology on a pre-medical track with a minor in entrepreneurship. With this degree, I plan to go to medical school to eventually become an Emergency Physician or a Flight surgeon for NASA. With my minor in entrepreneurship, I plan on opening my own practice in underserved communities that allows any and everyone to receive safe and comprehensive care where any and everyone feels accepted. The devastation of not having equal access or representation in STEM has taught me that I have to be what I am looking for in the STEM field. With this degree, I will be the representation for young minority girls that proves they are just as capable as their white counterparts.
    Theresa Lord Future Leader Scholarship
    I like to call myself a "Steminist"; a steminist is a female who advocates for the growth of women within the STEM field. In elementary school, I fell in love with STEM. Throughout elementary school, I was encouraged to be a geeky, nerdy girl. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for gifted learners. The school I was attending is identified as a title-one school. This means that most of the students who attend the school come from impoverished neighborhoods. Upon arrival, I noticed that I was around a lot more students who looked like me. However, STEM opportunities were no longer advertised or available. A lack of STEM opportunities caused issues as I had a hard time fitting in, developed a lack of motivation, and felt isolated and alone. I then learned that only 15% of the STEM field was composed of minority women. I wondered if the small percentage was due to a lack of opportunity. At this point, I knew that I wanted to make a change in my community. I then came up with my non-profit organization, ZincGirlz. ZincGirlz is a program designed to teach girls about STEM within title-one schools. Throughout the weeklong program, girls learn our "Three Big E's"; education, empowerment, and entertainment. On our education days, we complete STEM activities that show how STEM is involved in our everyday lives. I also inform the girls about higher education and possible careers that involve STEM. On our empowerment days, a licensed social worker comes in to talk to the girls about mental health, personal hygiene, and self-care. During these days we complete vision boards, find healthy coping mechanisms and provide the girls with a personal hygiene bag. On our final day, we complete a community service activity as well as have a party to celebrate becoming a Zinc Girl. While continuing to work with my non-profit organization, I plan on working towards a degree in Biology on a pre-medical track with a minor in entrepreneurship. With this degree, I plan to go to medical school to eventually become an Emergency Physician or a Flight surgeon for NASA. With my minor in entrepreneurship, I plan on opening my own practice in underserved communities that allows any and everyone to receive safe and comprehensive care where no one feels discriminated against. The devastation of not having equal access or representation in STEM has taught me that I have to be what I am looking for in the STEM field. With this degree, I will be the representation for young minority girls that proves they are just as capable as their white counterparts.
    Black Students in STEM Scholarship
    During elementary school, I won a lottery to attend a small charter school in an affluent section of Norfolk, VA. My elementary school was filled with diversity, supportive staff, and most importantly STEM opportunities that kept me engaged and curious. My mind was fueled and my love for STEM continued to evolve. By my fifth grade, STEM, especially science, had become my greatest academic area of interest. For middle school, I selected the Young Scholars Program, as it was designed for gifted learners. Students accepted into this 3-year program maintained a rigorous course load and worked at an accelerated pace. Additionally, The program was hosted at a Title-1 school which meant they received the most funding and schooled a high population of students from low socioeconomic communities. I embraced this new opportunity yet I was quickly disillusioned. There were very few STEM opportunities, and I was no longer encouraged to be smart. Two teachers left everlasting impacts on my life. In addition to my English teacher drilling into my head that “Black girls don’t like STEM”. Peers were not used to seeing girls who shared my love of science. I was bullied daily and called, “the ugly geeky black girl” more times than imaginable. Their words left me depressed and conflicted. On the other hand, my science teacher was one of the few faces that I always looked forward to seeing each day. He encouraged me, alongside my family, to remain focused and dream no matter what anyone else said. Upon researching, I learned that there was a growing gap between minority women and their counterparts in STEM. I couldn't help but feel that this was due to girls having similar experiences during their early educational years. I realized that I never wanted another girl to experience the same emotions and struggles that I encountered during middle school. Therefore, the summer after my last year of middle school, I founded my own non-profit organization, ZincGirlz, where inner-city girls explore STEM, foster their inner beauty, and learn the importance of higher education and community stewardship. In the following years, I traveled to many Title-1 schools and underserved communities. In addition to mentoring roughly 250 girls, I have provided numerous care packages filled with hygiene items for girls, volunteered countless hours speaking on the importance of representation and women’s rights, and worked hard to close the STEM racial and gender gap by providing others the opportunity to become aware that STEM is for anyone. During high school, my teachers urged me to ponder more. I slowly started feeling comfortable dreaming again. One day during chemistry class, my teacher asked, how much do you rely on Zinc? My classmates answered by explaining how much our bodies needed it which sparked an interesting conversation. Although I knew the answer, I never answered that question. However, after much thought, I had a new understanding. I had originally named my non-profit ZincGirlz because my nickname is Zarie, it was geared towards girls, and I wanted a component of science included in its name. However, at that moment, I remembered how essential Zinc was in the human body from warding off illnesses to healing wounds. ZincGirlz continues to be an integral form of healing disparities within the STEM field. I take great pride in the small piece of healing that I’ve offered to the world. Without ZincGirlz and STEM, I am not sure where I would be today. Yet, I know that it will continue to foster other girls’ dreams, the exact way that it did for me, more and more each year.
    "What Moves You" Scholarship
    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez once said, "We open doors so others can walk through them," this quote has stuck with me from the moment it was posted as a caption. As a female who is interested in advocating for the underrepresented and unheard, this quote inspired me. I like to call myself a "Steminist"; a steminist is a female who advocates for the growth of women within the STEM field. In elementary school, I fell in love with STEM. Throughout elementary school, I was encouraged to be a geeky, nerdy girl. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for gifted learners. The school I was attending is identified as a title-one school. This means that most of the students who attend the school come from impoverished neighborhoods. Upon arrival, I noticed that I was around a lot more students who looked like me. However, STEM opportunities were no longer advertised or available. A lack of STEM opportunities caused issues as I had a hard time fitting in, developed a lack of motivation, and felt isolated and alone. I then learned that only 15% of the STEM field was composed of minority women. I wondered if the small percentage was due to a lack of opportunity. At this point, I knew that I wanted to make a change in my community. I then came up with my non-profit organization, ZincGirlz. ZincGirlz is a program designed to teach girls about STEM within title-one schools. Throughout the weeklong program, girls learn our "Three Big E's"; education, empowerment, and entertainement. On our education days we complete STEM activities that show how STEM is involved in our everyday lives. I also inform the girls about higher education, and possible careers that involve STEM. On our empowerment days, a licensed social worker comes in to talk to the girls about mental health, personal hygiene, and self care. During these days we complete vision boards, find healthy coping mechanisms, and provide the girls with a personal hygiene bag. On our final day we complete a community service activity as well as have a party to celebrate becoming a Zinc Girl. AOC's quote continues to inspire and motivate me as a change agent. I know that it is my responsibility to open the door and expose these girls to STEM. By doing so, I am allowing them to freely walk through and become change agents in the world. This quote inspires me to open as many doors as possible so that I can aid in the closure of the gender gap within the STEM field. Whenever I am reminded of this quote, it is made obvious that I am capable of educating young minorty girls about STEM. The quote reminds me that although it may be challenging to provide for others I am creating a ripple effect that will effect future generations. That is why AOC's quote continues to be a motivating factor within my life.