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Brianna Ginyard

925

Bold Points

1x

Nominee

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

During my time in high school, sports became an outlet for me. If I wasn’t feeling motivated to work out, or needed time to be around my teammates, it was a consistent challenge waiting for me at the end of the academic day. Sports allowed me to build friendships and trust with many of my peers that I would not have been able to build within a classroom setting. As the COVID-19 cases reached an all-time high within the country, students were sent home and seasons were canceled. This was a bittersweet time for me because although I loved being home, I became disconnected from my boarding school community. There wasn’t any bonding time, because classes were virtual, and I missed my afternoon release of attending practice or playing in a game. Especially for someone like me, who walked onto the court and field without any confidence in myself or trust in others, practice and games became the highlight of my day. Even when losing, there is something special about feeling the hunger and drive to win. In addition, it is a remarkable feeling seeing my teammates smile when they make a shot, watching them grow throughout the season and building trust between us. All of these moments showed me how special being a part of a team can be. My support system is my team it's what kept me up and on the right path. my ultimate goal in life is to have helped as many people as I possibly could leaving behind my legacy in this world known for the better.

Education

Oldfields School

High School
2018 - 2022

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Majors of interest:

    • Law
    • Criminology
    • Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
    • International/Globalization Studies
    • Psychology, General
    • Sociology
    • Sociology and Anthropology
    • Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Law Practice

    • Dream career goals:

      company founder for non profits

    • Floor worker

      Hot point
      2020 – 20211 year

    Sports

    Soccer

    Varsity
    2021 – 20221 year

    Awards

    • Coaches Award

    Field Hockey

    Varsity
    2018 – 20191 year

    Softball

    Varsity
    2020 – Present4 years

    Basketball

    Varsity
    2019 – Present5 years

    Basketball

    Junior Varsity
    2018 – 20191 year

    Arts

    • Oldfields school

      Theatre
      2018 – 2019
    • Oldfields school

      Infinity Step Team
      2020 – Present
    • OS Dance Company

      Dance
      2018 – Present
    • oldfields school

      Ceramics
      2018 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Uptown Hub — Assistant
      2020 – 2021

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Politics

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Rita's First-Gen Scholarship
    Growing up in a Black single-parent household, I was always reminded that knowledge is power. In the long run, this is what got the bills paid. Having me at a young age, my mother worked hard to provide me with the best education while continuing her own. I’ve always had many strong female role models who continued to pursue the highest level of education possible in their fields. As I’ve gotten older, I understand why my mother and others pushed me to embody a strong work ethic. My mother wanted me to be recognized for my work and skillset, not what I looked like. She placed me in schools where I would be challenged and would excel, even if it was not what I had envisioned my life to be. Prior to enrolling at Oldfields School in Fall 2018, I attended a magnet school in Manhattan. At Washington Heights, Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS), my seventh-grade teacher, Ms. Junius, and eighth-grade teacher, Ms. Folger, were both influential in my development as a student and as a young Black woman. I appreciated their honesty as educators. Not only did I understand what I was learning, but both women made it a mission to help us understand why what we were learning was important. Understanding the importance of people’s perspectives of the world. Both teachers told the truth and did not sugarcoat the ins and outs of our nation's history, making sure that their students were learning the full story, not just the story of the victors. I will forever cherish this experience with multicultural education because it has helped me become a more well-rounded person in ways I never thought possible. At Oldfields, I’ve come to realize how much I miss being in a diverse classroom. Here, it’s not uncommon for me to be the only Black student in the class. Initially, this was a shock to me because I didn’t know who supported me. I felt at times that I was walking into a room blind, not knowing what obstacles I would face or where the walls stood. I withheld many thoughts and opinions regarding certain topics that were being taught in class because I felt as though no one would understand or even be willing to have a deeper understanding, listening to my perspectives on historical and cultural topics. I allowed these thoughts to make me feel that I was confined to a box, feeling that I would only be able to succeed if I kept my head down and did what was expected of me. During my sophomore year, things began to shift. Before the start of the next school year, the school finally began to get called out for past oppressions against minority students which could no longer be ignored. I started to feel like doors were replacing the walls. Now, I am able to vocalize how I feel. My voice has returned and I am able to breathe in relief even for that moment when someone is willing to listen. I feel as if it is my purpose to speak up and out, not only about the unjust acts within my education but within the world. Wanting to pursue a career in Criminal Justice, I want to become a lawyer to speak up for the voiceless as I previously felt. I want to help bring change to systems that were not created to support those from backgrounds similar to mine. Making changes in places I feel important such as education systems, incarceration systems, and many other places that currently oppress the African-American community and other minorities
    Eleven Scholarship
    Growing up in a Black single-parent household, I was always reminded that knowledge is power. In the long run, this is what got the bills paid. Having me at a young age, my mother worked hard to provide me with the best education while continuing her own. I’ve always had many strong female role models who continued to pursue the highest level of education possible in their fields. As I’ve gotten older, I understand why my mother and others pushed me to embody a strong work ethic. My mother wanted me to be recognized for my work and skillset, not what I looked like. She placed me in schools where I would be challenged and would excel, even if it was not what I had envisioned my life to be. Prior to enrolling at Oldfields School in Fall 2018, I attended a magnet school in Manhattan. At Washington Heights, Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS), my seventh-grade teacher, Ms. Junius, and eighth-grade teacher, Ms. Folger, were both influential in my development as a student and as a young Black woman. I appreciated their honesty as educators. Not only did I understand what I was learning, but both women made it a mission to help us understand why what we were learning was important. Understanding the importance of people’s perspectives of the world. Both teachers told the truth and did not sugarcoat the ins and outs of our nation's history, making sure that their students were learning the full story, not just the story of the victors. I will forever cherish this experience with multicultural education because it has helped me become a more well-rounded person in ways I never thought possible. At Oldfields, I’ve come to realize how much I miss being in a diverse classroom. Here, it’s not uncommon for me to be the only Black student in the class. Initially, this was a shock to me because I didn’t know who supported me. I felt at times that I was walking into a room blind, not knowing what obstacles I would face or where the walls stood. I withheld many thoughts and opinions regarding certain topics that were being taught in class because I felt as though no one would understand or even be willing to have a deeper understanding, listening to my perspectives on historical and cultural topics. I allowed these thoughts to make me feel that I was confined to a box, feeling that I would only be able to succeed if I kept my head down and did what was expected of me. During my sophomore year, things began to shift. Before the start of the next school year, the school finally began to get called out for past oppressions against minority students which could no longer be ignored. I started to feel like doors were replacing the walls. Now, I am able to vocalize how I feel. My voice has returned and I am able to breathe in relief even for that moment when someone is willing to listen. I feel as if it is my purpose to speak up and out, not only about the unjust acts within my education but within the world. Wanting to pursue a career in Criminal Justice, I want to become a lawyer to speak up for the voiceless as I previously felt. I want to help bring change to systems that were not created to support those from backgrounds similar to mine. Making changes in places I feel important such as education systems, incarceration systems, and many other places that currently oppress the African-American community and other minorities
    Jae'Sean Tate BUILT Scholarship
    Growing up in a Black single-parent household, I was always reminded that knowledge is power. In the long run, this is what got the bills paid. Having me at a young age, my mother worked hard to provide me with the best education while continuing her own. I’ve always had many strong female role models who continued to pursue the highest level of education possible in their fields. As I’ve gotten older, I understand why my mother and others pushed me to embody a strong work ethic. My mother wanted me to be recognized for my work and skillset, not what I looked like. She placed me in schools where I would be challenged and would excel, even if it was not what I had envisioned my life to be. Before enrolling at Oldfields School in Fall 2018, I attended a magnet school in Manhattan. At Washington Heights, Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS), my seventh-grade teacher, Ms. Junius, and eighth-grade teacher, Ms. Folger, were both influential in my development as a student and as a young Black woman. I appreciated their honesty as educators. Not only did I understand what I was learning, but both women made it a mission to help us understand why what we were learning was important. Understanding the importance of people’s perspectives of the world. Both teachers told the truth and did not sugarcoat the ins and outs of our nation's history, making sure that their students were learning the full story, not just the story of the victors. I will forever cherish this experience with multicultural education because it has helped me become a more well-rounded person in ways I never thought possible. At Oldfields, I’ve come to realize how much I miss being in a diverse classroom. Here, it’s not uncommon for me to be the only Black student in the class. Initially, this was a shock to me because I didn’t know who supported me. I felt at times that I was walking into a room blind, not knowing what obstacles I would face or where the walls stood. I withheld many thoughts and opinions regarding certain topics that were being taught in class because I felt as though no one would understand or even be willing to have a deeper understanding, listening to my perspectives on historical and cultural topics. I allowed these thoughts to make me feel that I was confined to a box, feeling that I would only be able to succeed if I kept my head down and did what was expected of me. During my sophomore year, things began to shift. Before the start of the next school year, the school finally began to get called out for past oppressions against minority students which could no longer be ignored. I started to feel like doors were replacing the walls. Now, I can vocalize how I feel. My voice has returned and I can breathe in relief even for that moment when someone is willing to listen. I feel as if it is my purpose to speak up and out, not only about the unjust acts within my education but within the world. Wanting to pursue a career in Criminal Justice, I want to become a lawyer to speak up for the voiceless as I previously felt. I want to help bring change to systems that were not created to support those from backgrounds similar to mine. Making changes in places I feel important such as education systems, incarceration systems, and many other places that currently oppress the African-American community and other minorities
    Leon M. Braswell III Book Scholarship
    Winner