Huguenot High School Class of 2001 Scholarship

Art is similar to the story of Alice in Wonderland. It can lead you down a plethora of rabbit holes. When I go to an art museum, I find myself getting lost in the artwork. While others may just take pictures, I stop and analyze, forming a mental, emotional, or physical connection to the artist’s piece. Art challenges me to see others’ perspectives and really think creatively about a person’s artwork. It forces me to have an open mind because art is about interpretation. No two artists are alike. I am able to understand the meaning of the piece, while further adding my own thoughts and opinions. One piece of artwork that has had a strong impact on me is Titus Kaphar’s painting, “Another Fight for Remembrance.” This piece made me consider the silencing of the black community by society. Kaphar made me feel the lack of justice and closure for many black families who lost their loved ones. In addition to making me think, art also provokes a variety of emotions in me. I am introverted and have difficulty conveying my feelings openly. Art allows me to reveal my feelings by using shapes, lines, and colors instead of words. Being able to tell a story with a pencil or paintbrush helps me connect with my inner self. When an artist is able to tap into the viewer’s emotions, a connection is made. A sense of understanding and relatability develops between the artist and the audience. Once I know the context of a piece of artwork, I will spend countless hours relating said story to my own life. Whenever I am unable to share my emotions openly, I let my sketchbook and pencil do the talking for me. Furthermore, creating art is very therapeutic not only mentally but also physically. Using a blending stump to smudge the graphite of the pencil is an activity I can do for hours. I crave the way two colors seamlessly blend together or the smooth texture of the paper. I delight in the sound of the paint markers as I shake them. Every art medium has its own composition, but I can use them together to make breathtaking works of art. I love to practice layering different mediums such as markers, colored pencils, and pens. Each time I create art, I lose track of time as my drawing goes from an idea, to a sketch, and finally to a finished piece. As a result, my appetite for art is insatiable. Fortunately, I am a member of Art 180, a community-based art organization. Being in the presence of local leaders in the art world allows me to learn new techniques to apply to my art. Taking inspiration from other young artists and building connections, I am learning how to turn art into a business and sell my work in an exhibition. I also have teachers who encourage me to go further and learn more about art. I will one my craft by involving myself with art communities, building upon my skills, and having a good work ethic.

A good leader is said to be someone who gets missions accomplished while also caring, helping, and respecting their subordinates. Leaders are meant to handle the situation even at its worst moments. At the age of sixteen, I knew it was time to take responsibilities into my hands and start working in order to maintain myself. My first job was being a Barista and learning the world of coffee around me. For me, it was a very difficult journey. I had no idea how I was going to learn so much knowledge but eventually, it became muscle memory. After a few months of learning, I received a volunteer opportunity to become a Barista trainer. Since the country was and is currently suffering from short staffing, they needed volunteers that were willing to help without pay. This opportunity showed me that someone believed in my skills and wanted me to teach them to another person. This became a difficult decision where I had to decide if I wanted the responsibility of teaching someone else what I struggled to learn. Eventually, I said yes and became a leader for various new hires at the time. My first trainee became the most memorable person of my working experience. They showed me that I had the potential to pass on my knowledge to someone else successfully. In early 2020, my manager sat me down to talk about a difficult situation he thought I was capable of completing. The pandemic had just begun and there was no telling of how bad it could get. I was given the opportunity to train someone who had just immigrated to this country from Central America. The first days I trained her in person and taught her my knowledge to the best of my ability. After that week, my new trainee tested positive for covid and all she could express was her worries about continuing training because she needed the job and money as soon as possible. No matter to what extent, I called every night to the hospital and explained anything she had questions about to start working as soon as she recovered. Learning new skills is hard, but it becomes harder when a person is experiencing it in a new country with a new language barrier. When I was asked to become a volunteer trainer, I didn’t do it because I felt that I had to do it. I decided to do it because I wanted to lead people with patience and kindness despite the circumstances. No one is born a leader, as humans, we simply learn to eventually climb up to a leadership position. This leadership opportunity granted me the ability to work with people under difficult circumstances and helped me acquire the confidence to lead the people around me.