My name is Bryson Shawn Tench, a senior student at Belton Honea Path High School. My background would say that I am a product from a broken home with a father that has an addiction illness and a mother who is from a dysfunctional addictive home. Although all of that is true, my background is not what shaped me. My determination and independent nature has been the driving force that made me always work harder to be and do better. Living with my paternal grandparents for the past 9 years has taught me how to resolve arguments peacefully with respect, love others always, be financially responsible and avoid debt if possible. At the end of PK3 school year, the recommendation to my Grandmother was that I should not go on to K4 for another year. Instead, she enrolled me in a public school K4 program and I thrived. By K5, I was helping other students work on their reading. Learning and studying has always been important to me. I will graduate from high school in May 2025 sixth in my class with a weighted GPA of around 5.088. My goal is to earn a degree in Cybersecurity with a minor in Computer Science. I have had active participation in Beta Club, National Honor Society, Rho Kappa and Kitty Hawk Honor Society (during my ROTC class). In addition to my classes and activities, I am very involved in my church and our youth group there. Volunteering in the Kidz Blast program at my church and other outreaches for children in our church neighborhood is an enjoyment for me. Giving back to other children what has been given to me has brought me a sense of fulfillment. At this time, my father is incarcerated. Although my mother is in my life, daily decisions, support and my home stability comes from my paternal grandparents. They manage all of this for my brother and myself while also being responsible for my uncle who is disabled and suffers from a traumatic brain injury. My dream has always been to attend college and obtain my BS degree. I do not want to be a financial burden for my grandparents, so I am working hard at saving my money and applying for as many scholarships as possible. Of course, my father cannot provide any financial help and my mother only makes enough for her bills. Addiction, dysfunctional family, divorce and changing homes was not my choice but these experiences helped me to become the person I am today and strive to be for my future. Thank you for your care, time and consideration of my application. Bryson S. Tench

My name is Bryson Shawn Tench, a senior student at Belton Honea Path High School. My background would say that I am a product from a broken home with a father that has an addiction illness and a mother who is from a dysfunctional addictive home. Although all of that is true, my background is not what shaped me. My determination and independent nature has been the driving force that made me always work harder to be and do better. Living with my paternal grandparents for the past 9 years has taught me how to resolve arguments peacefully with respect, love others always, be financially responsible and avoid debt if possible. At the end of PK3 school year, the recommendation to my Grandmother was that I should not go on to K4 for another year. Instead, she enrolled me in a public school K4 program and I thrived. By K5, I was helping other students work on their reading. Learning and studying has always been important to me. I will graduate from high school in May 2025 sixth in my class with a weighted GPA of around 5.088. My goal is to earn a degree in Cybersecurity with a minor in Computer Science. I have had active participation in Beta Club, National Honor Society, Rho Kappa and Kitty Hawk Honor Society (during my ROTC class). I started my first part-time job when I turned sixteen. Working 20-25 hours a week has helped me to develop the important skill of time management. In addition to my classes and activities, I am very involved in my church and our youth group there. Volunteering in the Kidz Blast program at my church and other outreaches for children in our church neighborhood is an enjoyment for me. Giving back to other children what has been given to me has brought me a sense of fulfillment. Our church is located in a low economic neighborhood. The children in this community have many needs. As well as several foster children that have visited the church. Some temporarily and some have been fortunate enough to find forever homes. By loving them and showing kindness early in our Kidz Blast program, we constantly strive to show them how bullying is hurtful not only to the other person but also to them. This is also a subject that we have many discussions on in our youth group. What would you do, how would you react and play acting different scenarios gives us different ways to handle bullying situations if they happen. This also teaches us as well to be careful about what and how we talk to others. At this time, my father is incarcerated. Although my mother is in my life, daily decisions, support and my home stability comes from my paternal grandparents. They manage all of this for my brother and myself while also being responsible for my uncle who is disabled and suffers from a traumatic brain injury. My dream has always been to attend college and obtain my BS degree. I do not want to be a financial burden for my grandparents, so I am working hard at saving my money and applying for as many scholarships as possible. Of course, my father cannot provide any financial help and my mother only makes enough for her bills. Addiction, dysfunctional family, divorce and changing homes was not my choice but these experiences helped me to become the person I am today and strive to be for my future. Thank you for your care, time and consideration of my application. Bryson S. Tench

My name is Bryson Tench, and I am a senior with a 4.0 GPA. I am applying for this scholarship because I know it will help me achieve my dream of studying computer science, cybersecurity, and Information Technology at a University. I have taken Computer Science at my school district’s career center for the last 2 1/2 school years. I will be graduating in May of 2025 in the top six of my class. My background would say that I am a product from a broken home with a father that has an addiction illness and a mother who is from a dysfunctional addictive home. Although all of that is true, my background is not what has shaped me. My thought process has always been try harder, do better, and stay busy. My hope is to start the next step in my academic future at a University in the fall. Balancing school, working part-time, volunteer work, and church activities has taught me the importance of time-management and dedication. I believe this scholarship will help me achieve my dream of advancing my knowledge of computer science and cybersecurity that I hope to use to further my career goals as well hopefully work with people helping them to stay save online. The future of technology, especially in the field of cybersecurity and computer science is one of my biggest motivators. Envisioning a future where my pursuit of education and knowledge remains unceasing, I strive to further my knowledge and skills in the ever-evolving field of computer science and cybersecurity. My goal is to contribute to creating a safer digital space for all by protecting sensitive data, and by ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of information in an increasingly connected world. All online users should be able to freely use online services without fear of their data being compromised. Pursuing cybersecurity at a University would enable me to expand my knowledge in my chosen major. In addition to this, it will also be beneficial for gaining relationships as well as collaboration with peers that are also endeavoring to obtain knowledge in this area. Finding not only a university that I feel comfortable at but also has an outstanding program for my major has been an important goal for myself and my family. Spending time this past spring and summer touring different colleges gave me some insights into what I was looking for and hopefully where I needed to be at. I am looking forward to the future where I will work hard to make an impactful influence in my chosen field. Contributing time and help to my church and community will also remain a priority in my future years. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. Know that I will always work hard as I always have to attain my goals. This scholarship would allow me to focus on my studies and continue contributing to my community. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and consider my application. Sincerely, Bryson S. Tench