My parents have taught me to serve the less fortunate with humility because the more I give, the more I receive. Our family often carries blankets, hand sanitizers, and small bills in our car to give to homeless people we see while driving. I have learned that when I want to help people, I must first ask them what they want instead of assuming that I know what they want. Just because people are in need does not mean they must accept anything offered. As the son of a Haitian immigrant father, I have taken several trips to Haiti where we provided requested school supplies, clothing, and household items to families and churches in need. When we have vacationed in other countries, we have taken extra suitcases of toiletries and school supplies to donate to local organizations my mother previously contacted before we took the trip. As an avid soccer lover, I became a certified soccer referee in middle school and I started officiating elementary school student games in the DeMatha Soccer Academy and in the Takoma Soccer League. In ninth grade, I coached younger players through a “first kicks” program. When I was in seventh grade, I started participating in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Guide Right career development program for African American male middle and high school students. As a participant, I have performed various tasks to help people in need. We have volunteered at a facility that provides free furniture and clothing to families moving into their first homes after escaping homelessness or domestic abuse. We have assembled holiday baskets of donated food and other essential items for a different organization. We have also served the residents at a senior living community campus. At school, I have made food baskets and hygiene kits for distribution to unhoused families. When I attend college, I would like to study sports medicine or sports psychology to prevent illness and injuries to athletes. I want to help players understand and address the mental and societal pressures associated with excelling in sports and in school. It is unsettling that so many have so little while a few people have so much. It makes me feel good to help in any way I can. Leadership and community service have allowed me to contribute my time to help others and make a difference in society. I am always happy to experience the joy of giving.

My parents have taught me to serve the less fortunate with humility because the more I give, the more I receive. Our family often carries blankets, hand sanitizers, and small bills in our car to give to homeless people we see while driving. I have learned that when I want to help people, I must first ask them what they want instead of assuming that I know what they want. Just because people are in need does not mean they must accept anything offered. As the son of a Haitian immigrant father, I have taken several trips to Haiti where we provided requested school supplies, clothing, and household items to families and churches in need. When we have vacationed in other countries, we have taken extra suitcases of toiletries and school supplies to donate to local organizations my mother previously contacted before we took the trip. As an avid soccer lover, I became a certified soccer referee in middle school and I started officiating elementary school student games in the DeMatha Soccer Academy and in the Takoma Soccer League. In ninth grade, I coached younger players through a “first kicks” program. When I was in seventh grade, I started participating in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Guide Right career development program for African American male middle and high school students. As a participant, I have performed various tasks to help people in need. We have volunteered at a facility that provides free furniture and clothing to families moving into their first homes after escaping homelessness or domestic abuse. We have assembled holiday baskets of donated food and other essential items for a different organization. We have also served the residents at a senior living community campus. At school, I have made food baskets and hygiene kits for distribution to unhoused families. When I attend college, I would like to study sports medicine or sports psychology to prevent illness and injuries to athletes. I want to help players understand and address the mental and societal pressures associated with excelling in sports and in school. It is unsettling that so many have so little while a few people have so much. It makes me feel good to help in any way I can. Leadership and community service have allowed me to contribute my time to help others and make a difference in society. I am always happy to experience the joy of giving.

My parents have taught me to serve the less fortunate with humility because the more I give, the more I receive. Our family often carries blankets, hand sanitizers, and small bills in our car to give to homeless people we see while driving. I have learned that when I want to help people, I must first ask them what they want instead of assuming that I know what they want. Just because people are in need does not mean they must accept anything offered. As the son of a Haitian immigrant father, I have taken several trips to Haiti where we provided requested school supplies, clothing, and household items to families and churches in need. When we have vacationed in other countries, we have taken extra suitcases of toiletries and school supplies to donate to local organizations my mother previously contacted before we took the trip. As an avid soccer lover, I became a certified soccer referee in middle school and I started officiating elementary school student games in the DeMatha Soccer Academy and in the Takoma Soccer League. In ninth grade, I coached younger players through a “first kicks” program. When I was in seventh grade, I started participating in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Guide Right career development program for African American male middle and high school students. As a participant, I have performed various tasks to help people in need. We have volunteered at a facility that provides free furniture and clothing to families moving into their first homes after escaping homelessness or domestic abuse. We have assembled holiday baskets of donated food and other essential items for a different organization. We have also served the residents at a senior living community campus. At school, I have made food baskets and hygiene kits for distribution to unhoused families. When I attend college, I would like to study sports medicine or sports psychology to prevent illness and injuries to athletes. I want to help players understand and address the mental and societal pressures associated with excelling in sports and in school. It is unsettling that so many have so little while a few people have so much. It makes me feel good to help in any way I can. Leadership and community service have allowed me to contribute my time to help others and make a difference in society. I am always happy to experience the joy of giving.

I have always loved to play soccer. My skills were good but I had one problem, my weight. To be a soccer player, you need to be super lean and I never was. From age 5-11 it was a minor setback, but by 12 it was detrimental to my game. Over the years, I would go to soccer practice and then to McDonald's afterward. When I was younger, I couldn’t feel the effects. I could run a little and I was somewhat pudgy. Over time I started to feel the junk food. As I got older, I got slow. My health was limited and I felt like I was going to pass out when I ran on the field. I was a certified soccer referee and could barely keep up with the players. This problem worsened in ninth grade when my unhealthy body could not keep up with the fast pace of high school soccer. At the end of that ear, I took a test and noticed the proctor had a giant water bottle labeled with the times she was supposed to drink. I asked her where she got the water bottle and ordered it. This was the start of my weight loss journey. After I got the bottle, I drank one gallon of water each day and this helped me to resist snacking. Over time, I did not need the foods I was eating and I could make better selections. Those were the first times I thought about my health choices. I used to eat what I wanted, but as I matured, I started to be conscious of my food intake. Next, I started to count calories and analyze food labels. Although it did not make a big difference then, it helped over time because I was making more informed food choices. Although these minor changes were part of my journey, the real work did not start until the end of my freshman year in March 2020. When the world shut down due to the global pandemic and everyone went inside, I went outside. The discipline instilled in me when I played violin in elementary school helped. At this time, my life consisted of riding my bike, running laps in my neighborhood, doing homework, watching TV, and playing FIFA Soccer on my Xbox. I did those things to distract myself from food and it worked. I started intermittent fasting, only eating one meal a day. There were hard days when I only wanted to snack and days when I did not want to run. I had a commitment to myself and I felt obligated not to quit. I only missed one of my planned run days from quarantine in March until June when the stay-at-home order was lifted. That day was a well-needed rest day for a foot injury. My belief in myself made me focused and strong. That kind of dedication is something I look for every day as I try new things in my life. My educational goal is to study sports medicine or sports psychology to prevent illness and injuries to athletes. I want to be remembered for encouraging players to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals as I did.