“Sorry I can’t go out tonight, I have to take care of Chris” or “After class, I need to feed Chris and put him to sleep”, these are some of the things you would hear if you knew my Aunt Ade while she was in college. Due to my father not being in my life, and my mother (her sister) wasn’t the greatest caretaker, the challenge of raising a one-year-old boy named Christian was taken on by a little teenage girl from Houston. From the outside, if you would have seen a girl strolling down campus holding a child all by herself, you might’ve thought this was an act of carelessness or irresponsibility at its finest, but in reality, this was the polar opposite. When college life comes to mind I think of enjoyment, the experience of total freedom, obtaining independence, and the discovery of true self; while my aunt did encounter all these things, she also had the start of a new life depending on her while she was trying to piece together her own. As I grew older into my early adolescent age I began to question things, asking why I didn’t live with the two parents who brought me into this world, and why I couldn’t have the home life my classmates had. These questions soon formed into beliefs, thinking things such as “My own two parents don’t want me nor do they love me”. As a child I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of what my aunt was doing and going through since I viewed her how most children view their parents: the person who is always saying no and yelling at me when I get bad grades in school. As a result, I would always bring up how I wanted to live with my mother and father and didn’t want to live with her. Ignorant to the fact that my aunt was struggling to take care of me right out of college and doing the best she could, I was longing for the opportunity to tell my friends at school about how great my parents are. Eventually, my aunt further pursued a career in teaching and taught children from the ages of 5 to 16. An unfortunate fact about teaching is that teachers do not get paid fairly as they work incredibly hard year-round. Battling college debt, while having to work long hours caring for loud, obnoxious children, then finally coming home and having to be a parent all at the young age of 23; my aunt struggled immensely. Nevertheless, she never dwelled in her misery, while she didn’t have an abundance of funds needed to provide a child with what all they wanted, she still managed to bring a smile to my face every single day. In all my 17 years of living, I have never met another human as strong, wise, and compassionate as my aunt; the sacrifices she has made for me my entire life will always motivate me to be the best person I can be. It amazes me to know that at such a young age she would discard experiences and certain aspects of life just to make sure I matured into someone who knew right from wrong and wouldn’t make decisions that might leave me behind bars or even tucked away in some wooden box. My aunt continues to show her character in everything she does and this has truly inspired me to be as understanding, truthful, and kind as she is no matter what is thrown at me, said to me, or thought of me.

“Sorry I can’t go out tonight, I have to take care of Chris” or “After class, I need to feed Chris and put him to sleep”, these are some of the things you would hear if you knew my Aunt Ade while she was in college. Due to my father not being in my life, and my mother wasn’t the greatest caretaker, the challenge of raising a one-year-old boy named Christian was taken on by a little teenage girl from Houston. From the outside, if you would have seen a girl strolling down campus holding a child all by herself, you might’ve thought this was an act of carelessness or irresponsibility at its finest, but in reality, this was the polar opposite. When college life comes to mind I think of enjoyment, the experience of total freedom, obtaining independence, and the discovery of true self; while my aunt did encounter all these things, she also had the start of a new life depending on her while she was trying to piece together her own. As I grew older into my adolescence I began to question things, asking why I didn’t live with the two parents who brought me into this world, and why I couldn’t have the home life my classmates had. These questions soon formed into beliefs, thinking things such as “My own two parents don’t want me nor do they love me”. As a child, I didn’t fully understand the weight of what my aunt was going through. I often told her I wanted to live with my parents, unaware that she was doing her best to raise me right after college, but all I could think about was how I longed to tell my friends how fun and present my parents were. Eventually, my aunt further pursued a career in teaching and taught children from the ages of 5 to 16. Battling college debt, while having to work long hours caring for children, then finally coming home and having to be a parent all at the young age of 23; my aunt struggled immensely. Despite her financial issues, she never dwelled in her misery, she still managed to bring a smile to my face every single day. I soon realized how much strength it took to remain positive and hopeful, even when things were tough. Even though we didn’t have much, she managed to give me everything that mattered: love, stability, and the belief that with hard work, anything is possible. She sacrificed her youth to ensure I grew up with strong values and a clear sense of right and wrong. Those lessons became the foundation of how I approach challenges today. Seeing my aunt’s strong leadership qualities inspired me to take on roles of my own, such as becoming vice president of my school’s Black Student Union, joining Student Council, and being a leader and mentor on my Track Team. I have never met another human as strong, wise, and compassionate as my aunt; the sacrifices she has made for me my entire life will always motivate me to be the best person I can be. My aunt's character has inspired me to embrace opportunities and challenges, turn them into positives, and understand that making sacrifices now can lead to greater rewards in time. As I prepare for college, I carry with me the lessons I’ve learned from my aunt: selflessness, hard work, and the power of compassion. I know I will face new challenges in this next chapter, but I am confident that I am ready to navigate them, just as she did for me.

“Sorry I can’t go out tonight, I have to take care of Chris” or “After class, I need to feed Chris and put him to sleep”, these are some of the things you would hear if you knew my Aunt Ade while she was in college. Due to my father not being in my life, and my mother (her sister) wasn’t the greatest caretaker, the challenge of raising a one-year-old boy named Christian was taken on by a little teenage girl from Houston. From the outside, if you would have seen a girl strolling down campus holding a child all by herself, you might’ve thought this was an act of carelessness or irresponsibility at its finest, but in reality, this was the polar opposite. When college life comes to mind I think of enjoyment, the experience of total freedom, obtaining independence, and the discovery of true self; while my aunt did encounter all these things, she also had the start of a new life depending on her while she was trying to piece together her own. As I grew older into my early adolescent age I began to question things, asking why I didn’t live with the two parents who brought me into this world, and why I couldn’t have the home life my classmates had. These questions soon formed into beliefs, thinking things such as “My own two parents don’t want me nor do they love me”. As a child I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of what my aunt was doing and going through since I viewed her how most children view their parents: the person who is always saying no and yelling at me when I get bad grades in school. As a result, I would always bring up how I wanted to live with my mother and father and didn’t want to live with her. Ignorant to the fact that my aunt was struggling to take care of me right out of college and doing the best she could, I was longing for the opportunity to tell my friends at school about how great my parents are. Eventually, my aunt further pursued a career in teaching and taught children from the ages of 5 to 16. An unfortunate fact about teaching is that teachers do not get paid fairly as they work incredibly hard year-round. Battling college debt, while having to work long hours caring for loud, obnoxious children, then finally coming home and having to be a parent all at the young age of 23; my aunt struggled immensely. Nevertheless, she never dwelled in her misery, while she didn’t have an abundance of funds needed to provide a child with what all they wanted, she still managed to bring a smile to my face every single day. In all my 17 years of living, I have never met another human as strong, wise, and compassionate as my aunt; the sacrifices she has made for me my entire life will always motivate me to be the best person I can be. It amazes me to know that at such a young age she would discard experiences and certain aspects of life just to make sure I matured into someone who knew right from wrong and wouldn’t make decisions that might leave me behind bars or even tucked away in some wooden box. My aunt continues to show her character in everything she does and this has truly inspired me to be as understanding, truthful, and kind as she is no matter what is thrown at me, said to me, or thought of me.

“Sorry I can’t go out tonight, I have to take care of Chris” or “After class, I need to feed Chris and put him to sleep”, these are some of the things you would hear if you knew my Aunt Ade while she was in college. Due to my father not being in my life, and my mother (her sister) wasn’t the greatest caretaker, the challenge of raising a one-year-old boy named Christian was taken on by a little teenage girl from Houston. From the outside, if you would have seen a girl strolling down campus holding a child all by herself, you might’ve thought this was an act of carelessness or irresponsibility at its finest, but in reality, this was the polar opposite. When college life comes to mind I think of enjoyment, the experience of total freedom, obtaining independence, and the discovery of true self; while my aunt did encounter all these things, she also had the start of a new life depending on her while she was trying to piece together her own. As I grew older into my early adolescent age I began to question things, asking why I didn’t live with the two parents who brought me into this world, and why I couldn’t have the home life my classmates had. These questions soon formed into beliefs, thinking things such as “My own two parents don’t want me nor do they love me”. As a child I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of what my aunt was doing and going through since I viewed her how most children view their parents: the person who is always saying no and yelling at me when I get bad grades in school. As a result, I would always bring up how I wanted to live with my mother and father and didn’t want to live with her. Ignorant to the fact that my aunt was struggling to take care of me right out of college and doing the best she could, I was longing for the opportunity to tell my friends at school about how great my parents are. Eventually, my aunt further pursued a career in teaching and taught children from the ages of 5 to 16. An unfortunate fact about teaching is that teachers do not get paid fairly as they work incredibly hard year-round. Battling college debt, while having to work long hours caring for loud, obnoxious children, then finally coming home and having to be a parent all at the young age of 23; my aunt struggled immensely. Nevertheless, she never dwelled in her misery, while she didn’t have an abundance of funds needed to provide a child with what all they wanted, she still managed to bring a smile to my face every single day. In all my 17 years of living, I have never met another human as strong, wise, and compassionate as my aunt; the sacrifices she has made for me my entire life will always motivate me to be the best person I can be. It amazes me to know that at such a young age she would discard experiences and certain aspects of life just to make sure I matured into someone who knew right from wrong and wouldn’t make decisions that might leave me behind bars or even tucked away in some wooden box. My aunt continues to show her character in everything she does and this has truly inspired me to be as understanding, truthful, and kind as she is no matter what is thrown at me, said to me, or thought of me.

Hi my name is Christian Anderson, I am a senior at Hebron High School and I currently run varsity track, and I am the Vice President of my school’s Black Student Union. My goal is to continue my education at a university and major in Economics, and minor in Business Marketing! An obstacle I have faced in my life would have to be going through my father not being present in my life and my mother not being as fit of a parent as she should’ve been, resulting in me living with my aunt. As a child I had such strong emotions towards my father and I began to question things, asking my aunt why I didn’t live with the two parents who brought me into this world, and why I couldn’t have the home life my classmates had. These questions soon formed into beliefs, thinking things such as “My own two parents don’t want me nor do they love me”. As a child I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of what my aunt was doing and going through since I viewed her how most children view their parents: the person who is always saying no and yelling at me when I get bad grades in school. As a result, I would always bring up how I wanted to live with my mother and father and didn’t want to live with her. Ignorant to the fact that my aunt was struggling to take care of me on her own and doing the best she could, I was longing for the opportunity to tell my friends at school about how great my parents are. While this was affecting me immensely my aunt was always there to help me through whatever false beliefs I was having or times where I did not feel valued and this eventually made me realize how loved and valued I truly was. My aunt pushed and continues to push me to be best person I can be, whether that is excelling in my school work, succeeding in sports, or something as simple as holding the door open for someone as they’re walking by. Even though I did not have the home life my friends had it felt as if I did. Throughout this entire experience I have learned that just because you do not have something, does not mean you are less of a person than someone that does have that. I have learned to never envy other people because even if they do have something I want does not mean it is always a good thing, it may not have been meant for me, or it might not even be a good thing. As my high school experience is now coming to an end and I will soon be experiencing life independently this scholarship would help me and my family a great deal! Thank you so much for giving this opportunity and thank you again for considering me!

Hi, my name is Christian Anderson and I am a senior at Hebron High School. I currently run varsity track for my school, this consisting of the 100m, 200m, and all the relays. For me personal development is one of the most important things when you’re playing a sport and taking it seriously. When I was a freshman in high school, I wanted to run track but I didn’t take the workouts seriously and I wasn’t putting in the amount of effort I should’ve be putting in. It was all fun and games until the track season hit and I was staying in the cafeteria finishing homework while my friends were having fun on the bus ride to whatever school getting ready to run. I was pushed to the side because I was not trying to better myself and was not putting any effort in and rightfully so. After not going to a single meet my freshmen year I knew I had to change some things up, so that’s exactly what I did. The summer after that year I was going to every summer practice and coming to the track as early as 7am in the morning. When the next school year began I was working out with seniors and staying after school to get as much work in as I could. I was not going to allow myself to continue to be pushed to the side and ignored just because I wasn’t used to running and working this hard. After that my coach saw exactly how hard I was working and how fast I was getting and that season I ran at every meet we had and always put my best foot forward. Although just because I got better didn’t mean i stopped there, once I saw how good I was getting when I applied myself I worked even harder my junior year, and fortunately was able to make District Finals for my 200m, Regional Finals for our 4x200m, and 3rd place at the 2024 Texas Relays sprint medley race where I ran the 200. Overall running track has shown me how personal development can truly take you places you never thought you could, it just takes a little push. While personal development is extremely important, I also have to acknowledge the people around me as well. My aunt who raised me took and continues to take time out of her busy schedule to make sure I’m presenting my best self and working as hard as I should be. From her waking up at 6am to take me to practice or just get some work in by myself to driving multiple hours away to a meet for my summer AAU team. Not to mention my teammates currently and some that have graduated always being there for me even when I thought I should just give up. In my opinion personal development and strong relationships are the two most important things when it comes to sports and I will forever be grateful for the people that I have in my life. Now as I am beginning my senior year I will be working harder than ever before to prove to myself that once a kid who had to sit in the cafeteria because he wasn’t fast enough can go off and run times that I never in a million years would think I could run. As my high school experience is now coming to an end and I will soon be experiencing life independently this scholarship would help me and my family a great deal! Thank you so much!

As my high school years are quickly coming to an end I have fortunately been able to experience a lot. A few times I have demonstrated leadership would be in my sport, being Track & Field, and my schools Black Student Union which I am the Vice President of. Being in Track, leadership is an extremely important quality needed to perform well in this sport and especially in high school. As a freshman when I first tried out for my schools Track team all I cared about was making the team, I didn’t care about the relationships I was going to make and all the opportunities I would be faced with, all I wanted was to make the team. Soon enough I came to the realization that having these leadership qualities and opening up to my teammates was going to aide me as I continued the sport. Soon after this realization I started to talk more and volunteer to help out with things and just be a leader to my other teammates who were struggling with things I was not. As a result, I was able to create such strong connections with my teammates from grades 9th to 12th and because of this I became even more successful with my running as I now had people to talk to and go to if I needed extra practice or just some quick advice on how to run my next race. As previously mentioned I am the Vice President of my school’s Black Student Union and with this great opportunity has come a great amount of responsibility. From the big things like organizing volunteer days to help our community or just letting a team member know they have something due in a couple days, leadership has been extremely important with taking on this role. I couldn’t have been as good of a vice president if I was ignoring my team members texts or not initiating meetings; I have learned that being a leader means you must take initiative and be very attentive. As I am fortunate enough to have these opportunities, they have greatly showed me the true meaning of leadership and given me the tools and skills I need to be a great leader and make great changes in the real world. Soon I will be experiencing life independently as I will be going to college and I want to say thank you for considering me for this amazing scholarship, and it would help me and my family immensely with adjusting and paying for these college expenses. Thank You!

My name is Christian Anderson, I am a senior at Hebron Highs school and I run Varsity Track & Field. My favorite athlete to cheer for on Team USA would be Sha’Carri Richardson. I would say this for many reasons, one would be just due to the fact that she is from my hometown Dallas, Texas. Not only that but she has overcame so much to get to where she is at today, facing multiple injuries, racism, online slander, and much more. As a track runner myself I know how challenging the 100m and 200m races are, therefore seeing her better herself time and time again is really amazing to see. One thing I love about watching Sha’Carri is her humility but also her confidence. When I first started watching Sha’Carri she was a bit arrogant which is understandable but after a while I began to see her running times suffer because of it. As the world has seen her grow and learn she shows humility after every race she runs while also showing her strength and confidence. It has been incredible getting to see an African American woman from my hometown make such an impact on the world and continues to as these Olympic races proceed. Thank You, this scholarship would help me tremendously as I will be going to college soon and an opportunity like this would really make a difference!

The person who has supported me the most with reaching my educational goals and just life in general would be my Aunt Ade. My Aunt has been the one raising me for the last 17 years with the help of my grandmother and my other Aunt who traveled to Texas from Nigeria when I was five years old, but for the most part raising me to be the person I am today has been because of her. Growing up she was an elementary and middle school teacher, so fortunately I was able to get a proper education at a young age resulting in me getting moved to advanced classes and clubs. For example, I was invited to be in the Gifted and Talented class in kindergarten and remained all of elementary school, which was not a common thing; this didn’t just stop there, once I got to middle and high school I took Honors classes and excelled in those as well. While people thought I went home to the ideal household with two parents and a big house, I didn’t. I went home to a 22 year old girl just trying to raise a child the best way she could, with little help, finances, and experience. My Aunt has always pushed me to do my best, that being in school, sports, and my other interests like art. While the main focus was always school and always staying on top of my work and giving 110% with assignments and projects, she also encouraged me to put that all that effort into other aspects of my life. For example, I currently run Varsity Track for my high school, but before I made the Varsity team my sophomore year, I never took the sport serious and didn’t try as much as I should’ve been. Just based on the fact that I wasn’t as good as my other teammates and didn’t have much experience on the sport to begin with. Which was a terrible way to look at the situation but thankfully my Aunt was there to push me to work harder and look that this as an opportunity to get better and maybe even surpass the kids I was comparing myself too initially. Which was what I did, my Aunt would take me to the track weekly to get extra practices in, and she also signed me up for a track summer team to take me to the next level. As a result, I made varsity, ran multiple relays, and got my team to Regionals, but all this wouldn’t have been possible if my Aunt wasn’t waking up early to take me to practices or driving all across town just to get me to track programs on time. In conclusion, my Aunt has always been there for me and I wouldn’t be the hardworking person I am today without all her sacrifices. I would love to give back to my community, especially women and children who have been abused and or without a home. While I was a child of a single parent household, I was still fortunate enough to have housing and have healthy relationships with all my family. No child deserves to be without a home and that is one issue I dream of eliminating in the future. This scholarship would help me a great deal as I am living in a single-parent household, I’m not as financially secure as some others, and as I will soon be experiencing life independently a scholarship like this one would help me in so many ways.

The person who has supported me the most with reaching my educational goals and just life in general would be my Aunt Ade. My Aunt has been the one raising me for the last 17 years with the help of my grandmother and my other Aunt who traveled to Texas from Nigeria when I was five years old, but for the most part raising me to be the person I am today has been because of her. Growing up she was an elementary and middle school teacher, so fortunately I was able to get a proper education at a young age resulting in me getting moved to advanced classes and clubs. For example, I was invited to be in the Gifted and Talented class in kindergarten and remained all of elementary school, which was not a common thing; this didn’t just stop there, once I got to middle and high school I took Honors classes and excelled in those as well. While people thought I went home to the ideal household with two parents and a big house, I didn’t. I went home to a 22 year old girl just trying to raise a child the best way she could, with little help, finances, and experience. My Aunt has always pushed me to do my best, that being in school, sports, and my other interests like art. While the main focus was always school and always staying on top of my work and giving 110% with assignments and projects, she also encouraged me to put that all that effort into other aspects of my life. For example, I currently run Varsity Track for my high school, but before I made the Varsity team my sophomore year, I never took the sport serious and didn’t try as much as I should’ve been. Just based on the fact that I wasn’t as good as my other teammates and didn’t have much experience on the sport to begin with. Which was a terrible way to look at the situation but thankfully my Aunt was there to push me to work harder and look that this as an opportunity to get better and maybe even surpass the kids I was comparing myself too initially. Which was what I did, my Aunt would take me to the track weekly to get extra practices in, and she also signed me up for a track summer team to take me to the next level. As a result, I made varsity, ran multiple relays, and got my team to Regionals, but all this wouldn’t have been possible if my Aunt wasn’t waking up early to take me to practices or driving all across town just to get me to track programs on time. In conclusion, my Aunt has always been there for me and I wouldn’t be the hardworking person I am today without all her sacrifices. This scholarship would help me a great deal as I am living in a single-parent household, I’m not as financially secure as some others, and as I will soon be experiencing life independently a scholarship like this one would help me in so many ways. Thank You!

Hello, my name is Christian Anderson, an incoming senior and I have been running Varsity Track And Field at Hebron High School for the last 3 years, and I am also running for an AAU team this summer. Running Track in Field has truly changed who I am as a person, before I came to high school I had never been on a sports team so everything was a new experience for me, this adjustment to the environment and training routines was very challenging. As a freshman I didn’t take the sport serious at first, since I wasn’t that fast to begin with. However, seeing how all my friends who had run track before were excelling and running in every meet, I knew I had to step it up and work even harder to be respected as a member of this team and get all the opportunities my friends were getting, and maybe even more. I went to every single practice, stayed after school to get even more work in, and I started working out with the fastest kids on the team to take me to that next level. As a result, I ran at every single meet, put on the varsity 4x200m and 4x400m relays, and got my team to regionals with our 4x200m relay and placed 3rd at Texas Relays. I will also be running the 4x100m relay and the 100m dash this summer and in school as well. To answer this prompt, Track and Field has shaped me to be a such a strong and disciplined person, mentally and physically. It has also shaped me to be a person that never gives up, pushes when things get tough, and to work even harder to get the things that I want. After completing junior year, I’ve learned how important it is to always set a good example for the kids that will come after you. In my case, my coach had the freshman watching me train and asking me question this time instead of me watching someone. This has taught me to always give my best in all that I do, not just in Track but in every aspect of my life because someone is always going to be watching, older or younger than me. I feel as though I can make an impact on others based on the fact that I can relate to a lot of kids who didn’t have the initial training in the sport they’re in and aren’t as good as most of the kids on their team because I was there, getting laughed at because I didn’t have the right shoes to run in or having the slowest time out of my age group. However, through my effort and determination, I've progressed from being underestimated to becoming a crucial member of my team as the only junior among seniors. In conclusion, Track and Field has become one of the most important things in my life and has made me a better person overall. Receiving this scholarship would significantly support my journey as I prepare to navigate life independently. I am sincerely grateful for your consideration and the opportunity this scholarship would provide. Thank You!

Throughout my life, there has been one person who has stood out as a true Black Leader in my life - my aunt. As a college student, she not only had to navigate the complexities of her school work but also handled the responsibility of raising me since my biological mother was unable to. Despite the odds stacked against her, she approached each day with unwavering determination and resilience and continues to. One of the things that has always amazed me about my aunt is her commitment to excelling in every aspect of her life. Despite the demands of being a student and a caregiver, she never let her studies suffer. Instead, she embraced her education with passion and dedication, while also taking care of a little boy always asking for apple juice. Beyond her academic pursuits, my aunt also demonstrated leadership in her work as a teacher and her passion for photography. Despite the challenges of being a teacher and single mother, she never lost sight of the importance of caring for others. While juggling the demands of the classroom and raising me was tough, she faced each day with resilience. Following her passion she bravely launched her own business, creating a Nigerian tie and headwrap business. Through hard work and determination, she transformed her vision into reality, proving that perseverance can lead to success. Whether it was lending a listening ear or offering a helping hand, my aunt was always there for me and those in need, reminding me of the true meaning of leadership. For example, every Christmas until COVID, my aunt and I would stay up late at night making around 50 to 100 bags for the homeless. These bags would include things like blankets, food, soap, toothbrushes, etc. After putting the bags together we would drive all around Dallas handing them out trying to bring happiness to the less fortunate. Her resilience and kindness in the face of challenge, her dedication to excellence, and her unwavering commitment to those she loves serve as a constant reminder of the kind of person I aspire to be. In conclusion, when I think of a Black leader my aunt always comes to mind. Through her example, she has shown me that with determination and compassion, anything is possible. As I look to the future, I am inspired to follow in her footsteps, striving to make a difference in the world and uplift those around me, just as she has done for me. Every day she continues to be an amazing role model and inspiration and one day I aspire to be as strong and resilient as she is.