My biggest accomplishment, to date, has to be relocating to Raleigh. I am a person of comfort; meaning, I like getting someplace and staying there. Change scares me because I lose control for just a moment. In Winston-Salem (my hometown) I knew a lot of people, so there were always connections available. I felt I had a safety net there.

When I decided relocated to Raleigh, it meant letting go of my comfort zone and, for lack of a better word, "JUMP" in! The fact I was able to, not only, land on my feet but also thrive showed me …. I have it in me to be successful wherever I go. I was not successful in Winston because of other people… I was successful because of me!

Interests:

I have become a FOODIE!!! I loooooove eating at new restaurants and experiencing the different atmospheres! Raleigh has a lot of quirky places with such good food. A few months ago I went to Beasley’s (restaurant downtown) and had a side of PIMENTO MAC-N-CHEESE….that was the BEST.STUFF.EVER!!!! In the past…I would have turned my nose up at it because, "I do not like pimento cheese."

I wonder what other delicious foods I missed, judging the book by its cover?!?!

My strongest influence is my family, growing up it was my grandfather and my mother. They had had a strong influence in my life, also my father.

I’ve been married for almost half of my life; I’m 42 I’ve been married for 19 years, so my wife has a huge influence on me.

My kids. My daughter is 17 my son is 13 so they are huge influences on me. Their interest become my interest. I watched TV shows of one nature, before they were born. Then as soon as my kids were born, I changed the way I talked and I definitely changed the TV shows I watched. 

Now as a teacher, I’m influenced by my students and I try really hard to reciprocate that, so my students definitely have an influence on me.

As a freshman I made AB honor roll. My sophomore year of high school I moved to Ohio and played JV (junior varsity) and Varsity basketball. I got accepted into St. Augustine University and Pfeiffer University and am currently still deciding on which one to go to. I also work at a retirement home helping clean the kitchen and washing the dishes and just serving; I appreciate being able to give back to our elders.

Sacrifices 

When I was in Ohio I sacrificed a lot when I came back to Raleigh. I had numerous scholarships lined up but instead of staying and taking them I decided to come back to Raleigh and help my mom raise my little brother. They were going through a lot and my brother was turning to the streets and I didn't want him to lose sight of what was important.

What I want people to take away from this interview is that I am a “cool person, fun to be around, goofy and just all around likeable."

The thing that influences me would be my family. Trying to build a better quality of life for my son, and to make sure that my husband and I are living comfortably and are able to do the things we want to do. So they keep me on track, on task and grounded.

Accomplishments:

One of my most exciting accomplishments occurred my Junior year in High School! We won our state 3A basketball Championship, and that was really cool. Because when we came back from Chapel Hill; as soon as we got back to C---- County the police were waiting for us and escorted us back in and that was pretty exciting.

Another accomplishment of mine occurred when I was at Fayettville State. I was a part of winning two Titles; one was for volleyball and the other for Softball. 

Those were really cool!

My mom, she’s my role model.  She has always been there for me and is my main support system. She’s taught me to be strong and work hard. She also taught me how to be a good role model for my niece and nephew. I have to make sure that I do everything good because my actions reflect on them, since I spend a lot of time with them. I have to be the best I can.

Accomplishments : 

I have a good position at my job.  It was kinda hard. I had to leave a lot of people I used to talk to and spend more time studying , but at the same time it was easy because I just had to work hard and show them what I was about. I was able to balance school and work, it all worked out.

I've been dancing since I was 3 and I dance after school like 6 days a week. I love dance because it pushes me to be better at what I do. I love it because I've made so many friends, who I know will be my friends for life. It also helps with my self discipline and focus.

I use to live in Romania; we moved here when I was little. It was hard to make new changes but I managed. It was hard to get here, but living there wasn't the best. Living here now has changed my perspective on everything. I realize that back when I lived in Romania we had very little, and now I’m grateful for what we have. My family members here are kind of crazy but I still love them; sometimes I just don't understand them.

Talents:  

I am a sophomore, and I just got accepted into the University Of North Carolina School Of Art. I have been working so hard this year on all my artwork, I had to do over 20 art pieces. It was a lot of pressure to get it all done by a certain time, but it was all worth it.  

I also can speak English, Spanish, Romanian, German, and French. Knowing all these languages makes me feel outgoing and that I go out of my way to learn new things.

I'm interested in dance because it is just a way for me to express my feelings and feel good about myself. I've been dancing since I was 5 and I dance after school, I dance here, and it's just fun. And sometimes when I get bored I choreograph my own stuff. I'm really interested in seeing what I can do with a song dance-wise and it's just become something that I can see myself doing in the future. And it's one my favorite things in the world.

Influences

My biggest influence has been, I guess, Lea Michele because she has been doing what she loves for such a long time and not what anyone else wants her to. She's just doing what she loves and I think that's really cool. 

Sacrifice:

“My biggest sacrifice was also my biggest reward. It was becoming a teacher instead of going to med school or another type of science career. But like I said, it was also my biggest reward.”

Accomplishment:

“My biggest accomplishment was being a teacher. It’s my biggest accomplishment because I got to have a bigger impact on the environment by teaching all these people instead of just keeping my knowledge to myself.”

"I grew up with not the best financial stability, and not the best education. Also I had many family conflicts but what family doesn't? This drew my attention away from school and I began to care less and less about education. Growing up overall, wasn't easy for me but I am determined to let it push me to do better and not let it hinder me."

Influences:

"Well, my personal influence are my kids -my future kids. I want to strive to be the best person I can become, get a great career - a high paying job. I want them to have someone to look up to. Also, my mom is my influence. She struggled through school but she made it and succeeded in becoming a great role model for me."

"My mom is my one of the biggest influences in my life  because everyday I strive to be like her, even though she and I may not always get along. I've seen her, along with my dad, work extremely hard to pave the way for me and my siblings. I love her more than anyone else in the world."  

Challenges:

" I, like most teenage girls, struggled with my self esteem. honestly it got to a point where my judgement was definitely impaired. However, with the help of my close friends and family I was able to overcome it. I hope to one day be able to share my story to inspire others."

Greatest Challenge:

“Two weeks after I came to America, I had my first day of school (I was eight). I got on the bus, and I sat down in the front because everyone looked very foreign to me. I looked out the window, and saw my mom crying and waving at me as the bus drove away. Later that day, I needed to use the restroom, but unfortunately I had learned the word “bathroom” as “room”, so nobody knew what and I wanted, and I looked like an idiot.”

Biggest Influence:

“I was ten years old when I saw my first American action movie, Fast and Furious. Ever since I saw, the beautiful man that is the Rock, I knew that being a man - was being the Rock. He has inspired me to be a man in the face of adversity.

“What is a Pokemon master?”

“A Pokemon master is someone that has mastered all the Pokemon and captured all of them.”

“How do you catch them all?”

“You get a Poke Ball and you throw ‘em at them and they just go inside.”

“So you’ve been to championship world things…?”

“I was definitely lying about that part.”

“Being a Pokemon master…”

“You’d not expect that at all.”

“That is true. What else do you do for fun?”

“I play basketball.”

“Nice. Are you any good?”

“Yeah.”

“Talk to me about prejudice.”

“One time me and my cousin went to a gas station, and this lady-- well we told her what numbers that his father wanted, like the type of lotto tickets and everything, and he’s over 21; he’s allowed to buy stuff like that. But the lady said she needed all of our IDs. That’s basically ‘cause we’re black. That’s why we did that. So we went over to the other gas station and there we go, it was awesome.”

“I do a lot of movie stuff in my free time. I watch a lot of  movies. Sometimes I help people make short films, and that’s basically a hobby that my life just kind of revolves around.”

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“I have two: Apocalypse Now and Drive.”

“Why?”

“Because they both have amazing cinematography, and they handle narratives very differently.”

“Have you made any short films?”

“Yeah.”

“How many?”

“Two.”

“What influences you? Or who? Or what, I guess?”

“Probably filmmakers. Quentin Tarantino, obviously, and people like him. Francis Ford Coppola and other, just, entrepreneurs like that, I guess.”

“Why Quentin Tarantino?”

“He started with like a background of absolutely nothing. Like, he dropped out of school after, I think it was, sixth grade, and just did nothing except pursue his interest in film, and all that work got him to where he is now.”

“And the other dude?”

“Francis Ford Coppola is just another extremely accomplished director that is the person that made stuff like The Godfather.”

“When did you get into movies and films?”

“Probably like the beginning of middle school.”

“Was there a certain film that made you think ‘Yes, I want to do this’?”

“I mean, I had been raised on the Spielberg movies like Indiana Jones and Jaws and that sort of stuff, but I went to this theater that was called the Galaxy-- I think it closed but-- they showed a lot of foreign films, and I just really liked those.”

“Do you wanna like major in film in college? What’s the ideal, like, after I major in film and get out of college, what do you wanna do then?”

Alex credits a lot of her success to her mother and the sacrifices that she made for her and that is why she is the person who has influenced her the most during her life. Her mother who was born and raised in France and moved to America later during her life. Her mother is not the biggest fan of this country and this is quite understandable. She left her entire family which meant the world to her but she was able to create her own business while not even having the equivalent of a high school diploma. Even while dealing with her business, Alex’s mother was always there for her. She was on every field trip, always tried to help with homework (not math though), and had the healing touch whenever she was sick. Through it all Alex’s mother stuck through it all so that Alex could realize her dreams. As a result of her mother’s sacrifices, Alex was able to be accepted into some prestigious universities but she does not even know if she would want to go to them because that would mean she would be very far from her mom. Her mom is quite a special person as well and Alex would not be the person she is today if it wasn’t for her.

Alex has a tremendous talent that was even a shock to her own family. Alex is a very talented singer who likes to focus her singing on Italian Opera but she is the type of person who will sing anything and everything at anytime and anywhere. Her talent has brought her a few accomplishments as well. Alex is the first girl to ever make State Honors Chorus for six years in a row. Her singing is who she is as a person and it will take her many places in future. Alex also has a talent for Tae Kwon Do where she is a black belt and continues to try and gain a higher rank. She’s got a pretty nice punch and kick combo too!

Sean has accomplished quite a few things in his life. For one he was a Division 1 college athlete for cross country and track. He received a Master’s degree in Education by the age of 24. He has also coached baseball, cross country, and track at a few schools. At one school, he coached a state runner up in track. In baseball he wasn’t so lucky with coaching. Sean also has some other accomplishments; running a marathon, getting married (good thing he mentioned this), and he managed to get two professional jobs- in two different cities- in a state he has never even visited. He hasn’t stopped there; he also wants to get another Master’s degree in education. Quite a list of accomplishments Sherb.

Sean has quite a list of talents as well. His first talent was his running ability, which ran him all the way to getting a scholarship. He also has a talent that he believes is very unique in that he can think on his feet. In situations that don’t necessarily go the way that he might have planned, Sean will find a way to make sure that what he had planned will happen one way or the other. Sean also, believe it or not, has been singing since he was in the third grade. He has performed in more than 150 venues during his singing career and he even continued his singing into college. Sean is also quite the handyman around the house. Bob the Builder has nothing on him!

Challenges

I’m Zahkei a junior at Enloe. My goals and challenges are to provide care of my family and myself without relying on government assistance. There aren’t many successful black men and I don’t want to fall under the same category many black men are put in. I just want to be a strong, established black man and be an example and help guide people.

Talent

I like rapping. When I’m bored or just chillin’, I like to rap on my free time. It’s nothing special, just something I like to do for fun. I started rapping because I love writing poetry and just writing in general. Listening to various rap artist helped me develop my own raps. Their music always made me feel better when I was upset or bored. After listening to them, I just started rapping naturally. I enjoy creating and writing my own types of raps.

Obviously my parents inspire me the most to keep me going and stay focused and not get off track and be strong. My late cousin, Farouk inspires. He was taking a shower and there was a gas leak, I was on the way to his house. Farouk inspires me to just keep going and try my best whenever and as much as I can. My brother inspires me to look out for him, I feel as if it's my job to represent as a role model for him

Challenges:

Managing my time and prioritizing my activities. One big challenge is having to feel as if I have to prove myself to others because of my race; people tend to be stereotypical towards the fact that I'm Palestinian.

When I was 19 years old I was in a bad car accident, where the right side of my face was torn off. Due to this, I had to get five different face constructions in order to get that side of my face back to normal.

I'm currently a freshman here at Enloe. My biggest accomplishments are that I've won several A/B honor roll awards and medals. I've also won 3rd place at MSEN day competition for science.

Interest

I have a few interests. One of my interests is singing, I enjoy singing. I also enjoy doing lots of other things such as cooking and drawing.

Influences

The people that influence me a lot are my mom and aunt they have a big impact on my life. My mom and aunt have a big influence and my life because they are very strong women and they take leadership when they needed to.

As a police officer you face challenges every day; the decisions and sacrifices you make, affect a lot of people. One of my challenges used to be coming home and not being able to discuss how my job was at the dinner table, but thankfully I have a very understanding family that supports my job. As a school officer, the hardest thing I have to do is knowing that I might have to arrest a student in order to protect another student.  Other students might know the rules and simply just choose not to follow them, which make my job a little bit tougher.

Above all, I’m one of those people who love my job a lot!!

I have had them but I don’t really remember them. I used to be fat so I guess that’s kind of a challenge. I was a chunky little monkey. Problems didn't get me to where I am, but My dad died junior year and it was a big part in my life.  I'm in a very positive place. Chelsea handler is a big influence in my life, I like making people laugh.

Accomplishments : 

I'm about to graduate and that's a huge deal in my family. I love Making people laugh so getting a smile out of someone is always great ☺

“When I first found out my whole family was completely shocked, because it was really unexpected and we had known these three people for a long time. So when it happened we didn't even believe it was true. We went to sleep hoping to wake up and find out the whole thing was a dream. The whole incident really had a huge effect on my life and everyone around me. You never really think that bad things are happening in the world, of course you hear stories on the news like the Sandy Hook shooting, but once it affects you personally you start to really see it all happening and you want to help, you become compassionate. 

Razan and Yusor were really good people and really good Muslims, after seeing what has happened to them, it makes me want to be a better person and prove myself in every way possible. In honor of them I have decided to wear a hijab starting this summer.” – Marwah Mahate, Grade 10, speaking about the UNC shooting victims Razan Abu-Salha, Yusor Abu-Salha, and Deah Barakat

Influences

“During Ramadan we fast from sunrise to sunset, so we do not eat or drink for the whole day. We go to the mosque for our nightly prayers which is really fun because you get to see all of your friends and family. After prayers, we come home and just pig out on food so that we will be ready for the fast the next day. This all goes on for a month and at the end we have a celebration where we go to the mosque for morning prayers while wearing really fancy clothes and eat really good food all day and be with your friends and families.” – Marwah Mahate, Grade 10, speaking about her religion and the Ramadan celebration

I love dancing with my friends and family. I like jazz, ballet, tap, and hip-hop. I think these dances are very interesting and I feel like I get the movement.  I always go to sports games with my boyfriend, Jeff. We go to kids, college and high school games.  We also watch sports on TV. Last weekend we went to the Rail hawks game, it was so fun! I also like to hang out with my kids.

Accomplishments:

I raised 3 amazing kids, they became very nice and smart and have all graduated from college. I got my master’s degree in New York. Right now I am working on a program at wake tech to get an Associate’s degree. I owned a gym for 15 years and it got voted by Cary the best athletic program in the area.

"Video production and editing"

"What is the latest thing you've worked on?'

"Currently, we're working on a bus safety video for Wake County Schools. To promote kids to stop running infront of cars."

"What's your favorite aspect of video production?"

"Getting to work with all the people. Getting to meet so many new people and doing so many different things. It's a lot of fun."

"Have you made any major sacrifices in your life?"

"Not really. I understand that I'm very privileged just living in America and going to this school. Being able to take a lot of cool classes."

"Do you have any influences?"

"Pretty much my grandfather. He died when I was two. He had a tattoo on his back that said, 'Follow your dreams and never give up.' I mean it's kind of plain, but it's stuck with me."

"Do you have any influences in video production?"

"My teacher Mr. N, cause he's very 'laissez faire' , hands off with the class. Because he knows that we'll get our work done. "

"My biggest interest is my music and creating beats. The idea that I have the power to make something that will influence others is what amazes me most. Music has the power to make people feel a certain emotion and it’s almost as if I can indirectly create emotions for others to feel."

Influence- 

"My biggest influence is definitely my dad. My dad moves me and inspires me to do more. He is a reminder to me that even though something may seem good, there is always more that you can do and  you can always do better. My dad always tells me, 'Whenever you think you should do better or you can do better, you can. It’s never too late.' "

Accomplishments:

“I just got into the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. I’ve been working my butt off for a while now (I’m finishing up Differential Equations right now as a sophomore), but it was definitely worth it. Even though going there means leaving a lot of my close friends, I think it’ll be an experience that completely changes my life.”

Sacrifices:

“I’ve spent my whole life in the shadow of my older brother, who got into a variety of prestigious universities, and was always kind of the “star child”. I’ve always had to try my hardest to reach the expectations he set for my parents, and in doing so, I’ve had to give up a lot of stuff. But I think I’ve struck an appropriate balance in my life between securing a future for myself and enjoying the present, which is something a lot of people around me struggle with.”

"I really do not like negative people or dealing with them.  I am a very positive person, so I do not like even being around negative people.  I feel like everyone should be happy; this is the only life that you get.  Another challenge I face is that sometimes I feel very alone and try to figure out how to make it in life.  Of course, I have some friends and family around me, but I still feel alone."

Interests:

"A major interest I have is music.  I play a variety of instruments, and I also play at my church.  I recently became very interested in criminal justice, and I am pretty sure that is what I will pursue in life. Football is another one of my passions. I really worked hard this year on the field and in the classroom. I enjoy chilling with friends and most of all making money.  I have multiple jobs right now and, this is really preparing me for the real world because I know how to be responsible."

"One day… no it wasn't a day it was gradual, I was in the car and my brother played a song on his stereo. And when I heard that song it touched me emotionally. So I asked him who wrote the song and he told me it was an artist named Logic. I then went on to listen to all his music and found that he is very inspirational and has influenced most of the decisions in my life. The philosophies in his music guide me to properly live my life. Oh, and then there's my mom."

Challenges

"One of the biggest challenges in my life is having divorced parents. Most of my problems stem from feuds between my parents. Oh, also being profiled as an Indian person- who doesn't know much about India, cause I'm not from there. I am from Mauritius, an island off the east coast of Madagascar. "

Influences: In high school I started off on a bad track and my tennis coach took me in and wanted me to play two sports, he coached basketball and tennis, so he could guide me. I was a good athlete in high school but I didn't really care much. In the beginning, he was really hard on me and I didn't understand why he was being so hard on me, but it was because he cared. He was a major influence on me and that’s a lot of the reason why I wanted to teach high school. A lot times, the people that guide you through the hardest phases of your life, are your teachers.

Challenges: In college I wanted to graduate in three years; but when I was there I tore something in my wrist, your TFCC, working out. During the surgery to repair it, the doctor accidentally severed every tendon in my hand. I had to go to physical therapy twice a week while in college. In three years I ended up having five surgeries in total. Those years were the most challenging for me because of the five surgeries.

"I like to read and write. I actually want to become an author one day. I like making videos, because film making is another option for me in the future. I like to sing as well."

"What was the last production you worked on?"

"We filmed this music video for this really old song and we got a couple friends to basically lip sync and be in it, it was a pretty cool experience. "

"What is your favorite aspect of film making?"

"I really like editing. Yeah, being with the camera is a lot of fun because you get to control what's going on directly. However, editing is really where everything comes together because you already have your perfects shots and your perfect everything you just have to put it together in a perfect way."

Some of the challenges I face are not having enough opportunity to do the things I want to do. I feel as if I lack motivation when it comes to school. I want to be encouraged, pushed, assured that I am capable of doing things that I want to do. I want to be motivated.

Talents- 

One of my talents is soccer. I love soccer. I have been on the Enloe varsity soccer team since I was a freshman; and this year, I am captain of the team. Another talent of mine is that I can speak 5 different languages. I can speak Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, and Italian.

I am a dancer here at Enloe. I have been dancing for a while now and I feel like it is a way for me to be free and it is a way that I am able to express my feelings and emotions. I also like to play my guitar, even though I am a beginner. I love to sing and to listen to music.

Challenges:

One of my challenges that I face, almost every day, is not being able to be with my dad as much as I would like to. Sometimes it is hard but I manage to get through. School is also rough, but I think that can be a challenge for anybody. Everybody struggles at times in their lives; it’s just a matter of finding your strength and picking yourself up when you fall.

One of my talents is playing basketball, I do not really know why I didn’t try out, but I should have.  Playing basketball is like my therapy, I can get all of my frustrations out and leave them on the court.  When I play basketball I feel in control. Another talent I have is making people laugh. That is why people love being around me; they know they will always have a smile on their face with me, and I am proud of that.

Interests:

One of my interests is fashion, I love shopping especially for shoes.  One of my biggest interests is eating, I eat all the time and I am not exaggerating.  After I get home from school I play video games, it really relaxes me. Of course I love chilling with my friends too.  I am just a cool person.

One of my biggest accomplishments is that I’m currently getting ready to graduate from high school. After high school I plan on attending Ohio State University and majoring in Broadcasting. I plan on majoring in broadcasting so that I can be a sports broadcaster and maybe even have my own show on ESPN one day.

Interest

I have many interests and most of them relate to sports. I like cross country and track because I enjoy running. One of my other interests is basketball I just love to be around the environment of basketball it’s a great sport to play and to be surrounded by.

“When I was fourteen I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. Not only was I diagnosed with an illness with extreme stigma attached to it, I was also in a coma for eleven days, and in the ICU for twenty-two days. I ended up missing the first nine weeks of my freshman year in high school which set a negative tone for my next three years. Now that I am going into college later this year, I cannot help but be ready for a new freshman year; an enticing fresh start that I’ve been looking forward to for far too long. After having to spend so much of high school trying to bounce back from a setback, I can’t wait to start college and do the things I want to do, unhindered.” – Sami Makseyn, Grade 12, talking about her first quarter of high school

Sacrifices

“This is definitely something I have to be aware of, because I cannot just go out to eat with my friends or really do anything without thinking about it in advance. I have to always ask myself “do I need to take insulin for that” or do I need to do this or do that, so it becomes an annoyance after a while. There are so many small things; like if I am going to go away somewhere even for a weekend, I need to test myself and make sure everything in my body is in check. Even just going out to do normal things, if I cannot carry all my essentials such as my finger prick, I need to make sure I will be okay for however long I am out and about. For example, I can’t just mindlessly eat some popcorn, I have to think about the carb content, will I eat the entire bag or just a little bit, it all just depends. I have to think about it or I will face the consequences later.” – Sami Makseyn,Grade 12, speaking about what she has to do in order to deal with her diabetes

Besides myself; Kanye West and James Franco. They influence me because they're awesome... like me..

Talents:

I can sing, I can make people laugh, and I'm cool.

The challenges I faced while growing up, could have caused me not to get a college degree. However, I worked my tail off in high school to make my dream come true. My father owned his own business but when I was 9, Hurricane Floyd hit and his business literally and figuratively, "went under." This put tremendous stress on my family, because my father was out a job. While I was a junior at Enloe, my mom developed breast cancer, which was a huge change for me. I had to start caring for my little sister a lot more.

Accomplishments:  

One big accomplishment, I am truly proud of, is that I received a full- ride to Elon University, with all the different scholarships I received. And not having any debt coming out of college was a great feeling and opportunity as a future teacher. I had known for a long time that I wanted to be a teacher but I NEVER expected that I would return to Enloe as a teacher. Despite the unexpected job, I really enjoy being a teacher at Enloe High School! Some other accomplishments would be that I am a leading member of the diaconate at my church (governing body at church). Throughout college I was also a lifeguard and directed a summer camp in Arkansas.

Interests:

• Leo; my wonderful cat

• Walking (parks, lakes, etc.)

• Home improvement projects

• Beyonce` (duh.)

• Crime TV shows

• Cooking/Baking  

What is the thing that had the greatest impact on your life?

I think the biggest thing that influenced me was my stay in the refugee camp because I was very naive. Being in the refugee camp, where my life was threatened and I had to make friends in a traumatic state, it molded myself and I found out I can survive. I didn't like it but, when push comes to shove, I can survive. When I came to America it allowed me to adjust. Being an immigrant there, is no knowledge of a free country. I had to use all my resources to find a job and put food on the table while also helping my family back in Romania. If it were not for that one situation, being in the camp, I would be a very different person.  

Why do you teach?

Being a senior and having a 3 month old baby can be very challenging at times. I remember the first time leaving him at home and going to school. It was horrible, but at the same time I know he was in good hands because my mom is taking good care of him. I still think about him throughout the day. I love him and I know that me graduating is the best thing for both of us.

Sacrifices

Since having my child, I have sacrificed a lot. I can’t go out anymore. Fun is pretty much over for me. My child comes first and he is totally worth all my time. However, at the same time, it sucks. If he can’t go, I can’t go. I’m not sacrificing a lot but I do miss my alone time where I can hang out. I can’t wait until he is old enough so we can go out to the movies and share popcorn.

One of my biggest influences is my dad. He taught me how strong family values are and how important they are to keep. Although he was away serving our country, he always made an effort to put family first. To this day, I highly value my family and spend as much time with them as possible. My daughter also influences me. I love to be a positive role model in her life and watch her grow

Interests: I LOVE to shop. Shopping is my favorite pass time. I also enjoy trying new recipes and new foods. I have a passion for cars and sport motorcycles. I enjoy watching students succeed and learn new concepts.

As a young African American lady, I face a lot of prejudice.  Growing up with the same people and not being able to be treated in an equal manner is very difficult. This is even harder when you are also a woman in America. The prejudices I face every day usually intimidate me and make me feel like I’m not as important to everyone else.

"I have had many influences in my life to help me decide that I actually want to be a fashion designer. Before those people, I could never decide what I wanted to be. I took an apparel class at Enloe and the teacher of that class; Mrs. Kicklighter really pointed me in the right direction. By taking her class, I realized I was to become a fashion designer. Someone who is very inspirational to me, is Ralph Lauren. When reading a story about his life, seeing where he came from and what he went through-I became intrigued. You think these great designer start at the top, but some of the best ones in the world had to work very hard to get to where they are now in their lives. THAT is what I want in my life!"

Talents:

"I would call myself a very creative person. When people say, "think outside the box." I'm that person that thinks outside- of that outside box. I love thinking of new creative ways to design clothing. Also I would say I'm very innovative, always thinking about new ideas, and new ways to dress."

Challenges Early in my senior year, I was getting really bad headaches and I thought it was just a really bad sinus infection. With further examination of my eyes, I was told that I was loosing sight in my left eye and I was colorblind in it also. It is currently better and getting better everyday. Even though I am still colorblind, which makes it harder for me with my strong passion in fashion, it doesn't hold me back. My favorite quote I would like to share with everyone is, "The eyes are useless when the mind is blind." This is what helped me stay so optimistic and positive. I also had some really great friends!

Sacrifices: This year I have started to consider quitting hockey so I can better focus on my grades and school work. I know giving up my favorite thing to do will be hard, but I would rather put all my attention into my grades. For a while I gave up a season of hockey so my little brother would have the chance to play.

Challenges:

I don't appreciate the society we live in today, were young (black) men are being attacked and killed more often by the police. That is something that is challenging to me and I can help change that. I'm trying to be a politician and change lives. I'm trying to break barriers and think beyond myself.

Sacrifices:

I'm a very family orientated person. I do whatever is possible to make sure they are safe and happy and I care for my sister a lot, I think of her and put her before myself.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

My freshmen year in college was hard. Six days before my first baseball game, I got hit in the face with a baseball and it shattered the whole right side of my face so I missed the first 2 weeks of our baseball season and school. I couldn't even walk around because the doctors were afraid that if I moved too much, I might lose my eye. Coming back, I ended up leading our team. So that was pretty challenging having to miss so much school and baseball.

Accomplishments:

I have a Bachelor and Masters degree in Arts and Teaching, I was the Sophomore student athlete of the year at Western State and I that's where I met my wife.

Sacrifices:

I worked two jobs; at nights at Costco's, and the mall during the afternoons and evenings selling Rosetta Stone. It taught me hard work and determination go a long way and success is a long road but it's worth it.

“ I want to be in the Medical field and I want to work around doctors, to later become a Physician Assistant.” 

What are some sacrifices you have made ? 

“I have had to work after school most days, and also I have had to mange my money a lot. Knowing when, the amount to spend and what NOT to spend, can be hard but I have managed."

Who are some of your influences ? 

“First would be my mom because she is in the medical field and she is smart and successful in her career. Some of my teachers; like Mrs. Perry and Mrs. Huss, also influence me.”

Some of the challenges I’ve faced as a high school senior, as many do, is getting to class on time and staying focused. After attending school for 12 years and being in the home stretch, motivation is at an all-time low. Skipping class with my friends is more tempting than ever, and every day it is challenging to resist the urge. However, every day I go to class and strive to learn as much as I can before I leave in May.

Talents:

I love to dress nice when attending school,  I receive a lot of recognition for my style on social media. I also love to play basketball, it’s my favorite sport. My best talent, according to Taylor, is my sense of humor. Making people laugh is extremely easy for me.  

I love running track. I’ve ran track at Enloe for all four years and have prior experience from middle and elementary school. On the track team I run the 100m, the 200m, the 4x100m and the 4x200m. I have practice every day after school so I guess you could say I’m committed lol. Running track takes a lot of focus and determination, you can’t slack off or you’ll fall behind.

Accomplishments-

In November, I participated in the AKA Raleigh debutante ball, even though I didn’t win, it was still a blessing to participate. I’d much rather spend my time on the track though, where I’ve won many events in several meets. I was able to go to States with the Enloe Track Team my freshman year, running in the 4x100 meter relay. I have also gone to the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympics in Wichita, Kansas with my summer track team.