2021 Michigan Chronicle/TCF Bank S.W.A.G. Scholarship Awards Honorees

Personal Statement:

I am extremely grateful for this opportunity provided by the Michigan Chronicle. I want to thank everyone that has helped mature me to who I am today and anyone who will continue to guide me along this long road called life.

Quote that inspires you:

“The only way that we can live is if we grow. The only way we can grow is if we change. The only way we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we are exposed is if we throw ourselves into the open.” ~C. Joybell

Personal Statement:

I believe that the way you see life is taken up by your subconscious mind and transformed into its physical equivalent. This conviction has given me the power to resolve a variety of obstacles in my life. My deep desire for success and hope for life has propelled me from relentless waves of hurdles. Feeling pain and anger as I encountered disappointment, I came to the realization that self-growth does not coexist with a perfect life. I accepted setbacks and made room for changes. As the years went by, I gained more wisdom from past experiences and established the ability to be patient and to be consistent. I characterize myself by everything I’ve survived on this journey, giving me the courage to work harder towards the finish line. In the upcoming years, I aspire to gain the knowledge, confidence, and skills necessary to be an effective member of the Business Industry. There are many skills I want to excel in, such as decision-making, financial management, project management, and enhance my communication skills. Subsequently, I plan to earn a Master’s degree. Using my formula for success, I aspire to accomplish all these goals. As I enter a field of innovative minds and influential figures, I am aware that standing out and demonstrating my value will be challenging. I will struggle in my attempt to establish a profitable business of my own. However, considering my optimistic aspect of life, I will forbid such difficulties to impede my ability to perform remarkably well. I will exploit my expertise to make a significant impact in my field of study.

Quote that inspires you:

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” – Lao Tzu

Personal Statement:

My name is Amira Russell, I am a graduating senior at Cass Tech and will be continuing my education the illustrious Spelman College with the intended major of comparative women’s studies. I aspire to inspire and plan to change the world through my community activism and my podcast.

Quote that inspires you:

“My being a Black woman is not a deficit, it is a strength.” ~Stacey Abrams

Personal Statement:

I am beyond thankful to be a recipient of the S.W.A.G scholarship. These past four years of high school have been a lifechanging experience and has grown my character tremendously. I understand the value of my time and have polished my personal brand to a shine. I represent myself with resilience, patience and integrity and will be taking those attributes with me throughout my college experience. Being awarded with this scholarship means less financial stress on my back for college and I will be able to help others with financial literacy and affording an education. As many times I would like to thank the Michigan Chronicle and TCF Bank for this award, I have learned that less words can mean more and with that being said, Thank you. I look Forward to a mutualistic relationship with you all.

Quote that inspires you:

“Just leave it all in the rear view”- Mac Miller.

Personal Statement:

My parents have always inspired me to attend college and further my interest with the goal of being the best person that I could possibly be. I have always had a natural curiosity which has created a courageous spirit within me. As I pursue higher education, my purpose is to make life meaningful with the goal of having a greater impact on others. I hope my achievements will encourage others to do what pleases them in hopes of making their communities a better place. I am very grateful to have the Michigan Chronical and TCF Financial Corporation believe in me by offering such a generous opportunity to shine.

Quote that inspires you:

“Be challenged to go after areas that are not the easiest but the most rewarding.”

Personal Statement:

As a student and leader, I’ve shown hard work and dedication over the past four years. I’ve been faced with plenty obstacles mentally, psychically, and emotionally and have managed to succeed through it all.

Mental health is very important to me, not just as we’re in lockdown, but in general. Plenty of my peers face this issue and this shouldn’t have gone unnoticed this long. A TRAILS project was created with all my school counselors and every student who needed this. I thank myself and the school counselors for letting my people have a voice.

Quote that inspires me:

Personal Statement:

Since I was young I’ve always wanted to shine my light onto others. The little things such as turning a negative situation into a positive one can impact a child’s point of view on things forever. It’s the little things that can change someone life and my goal is to shine my light on someone’s darkness.

Quote that inspires me:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

Personal Statement:

I would like to personally thank God for blessing me with this opportunity. I have endured so many things within the past 4 years and getting rewarded with something that can be life-changing not only to my life but to my educational career as well is so great. I am proud of myself for recognizing my strengths and abilities and remembering in my heart that I could. I took the scripture 1 Corinthians 10:13 and understood that God won’t put me through that I cannot handle and that was true. He was my motivation and I thank him for that every day.

Quote that inspires you:

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” – Elisabeth Elliot.

Personal Statement:

I want to first thank my boss for informing me about this scholarship. My high school career is concluding, and a new chapter is beginning at Michigan State University. Scholarships are most appreciated during this time of my life, and I want to thank the S.W.A.G. family for giving me this opportunity to receive funding. Your investment in me will not lead to regression.

Quote that inspires you:

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.”- Rikki Rogers

Personal Statement:

The night was dark, dreadful, yet desirable. My entire day was filled with joy and laughter from playing with the kids down the street. My cousins and I knew it was time to go home when we couldn’t see the sun anymore, but we just had to stay out for one more round of tag.

Running down the block which was nearly pitch black, my cousins and I held hands. The “last one who gets there is a rotten egg” joke was only played during the day, nights were serious and we found security in groups. We got cursed out by my grandma when we arrived and I hated to get yelled at! Luckily, the sweet aroma of fried chicken and the stream of white rice drew my attention. While I prepared for bed that night I thought of the next day, Halloween, which was one of my favorite holidays. The best part was chanting “trick or treat!” while holding out my pumpkin-inspired basket with black handles ready to be filled when huge doors flung open.

Love, fear, passion, and pleasure. Today I’m a Goddess! My cousin is a bumblebee and my sister is a demon, per usual. Like any other year, we’d hop in the car and drive a great distance. I’d always wonder why but the irresistible craving of delicious treats filled that curiosity. It wasn’t satisfied for long though. I began to question why we had to go out so far to trick or treat? How come their streets were lit up when the sun wasn’t anywhere in sight? Although my night ended with a basket full of treats and a smile as big as the houses we visited, I couldn’t come to terms with the vast difference between their neighborhood and mine. As I grew older, I quickly realized I had outgrown “trick or treating” but this memory is one that always wandered through my mind. As humans, we have such a selective memory and the ones that have traumatized, resonated, or simply lingered within us all have some sentimental value to the person we grow into in the future.

Eventually I joined a youth organization, L!FE Leaders, Inc., which focuses on the overall development of young people in Detroit. During my time in this wonderful program, I have gotten the opportunity to co-plan and host fundraisers, receptions, and community-oriented events. My most beloved work is our annual “Youth Summit Conference” during the summertime. We create a welcoming space for our local peers and city officials to discuss opportunities and plans for the city. Leading and being a part of this event allowed me to appreciate and learn more about the neighborhoods in my community, which ultimately drives my passion to invest in my city through the development of its youth. Unevenly distributed resources, lack of opportunities, and inadequate buildings/materials are just a few of the challenges my peers face. Understanding the inequity students face in Detroit regarding equal opportunity and education has been the foundation of what I realized to be my true desire to carry out in life. I want to create pathways for teens to succeed.

My goal is to provide youth with the knowledge, exposure, financial literacy, and resources to be able to live their desired lives after high school. I want to create a mentorship and youth development-driven nonprofit organization called Success Reimagined. I will implement this program district-wide, in hopes of educating our students on how to create generational wealth, focus on post-high school lifestyles, and presenting themselves in a professional manner. For my long-term vision, I will develop a financially secure future, improve my self-awareness, and implement my program, Success Reimagined, into DPSCD’s curriculum.  I will also provide one-on-one mentorship sessions to encourage youth and career development.

Following the memory of the Halloween night where I briefly discovered the meaning of inequity, I have realized it is no longer a mystery that it was ingrained in my mind. Throughout my entire life, my family has struggled with finances and obtaining the “finer things.” Nonetheless we are a loving family. My city has struggled with distribution of resources and exposure. Nonetheless it is a powerful and grit-filled city. The true lesson I learned is that the value of a person or even a city does not lie solely in its appearance, but in its ability to impact others.

I’m excited for the day I’ll be able to open doors to all the beautiful Goddesses, bumblebees, and cheerful demons to success in my wonderful community.

Quote that inspires you:

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better, and your better is best!

Personal Statement:

In my years of high school, I’ve done many things like community service, leadership activities, and figured out my college and career goals. I have worked over 120 hours in community service hours working with Agape Love Christian Center and Cool Kids After School Enrichment. While at Agape Love Christian Center I did many things like set up before and breakdown of after events, bagging and boxing food items, distributing food and goods to the community, and assisting people with taking items to cars. While at Cool Kids After School Enrichment I did the following things: maintain a safe play environment, communicate with children’s parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues, support children’s emotional and social development, encourage understanding of others and positive self-concepts, and more.

During my time in 11th grade, I was the team captain of my baseball team. I showed responsibility, accountability, and resilience by completing every task to the best of my ability. I made sure to watch out for my teammates and try to keep them out of trouble. Then after baseball season came to an end, I decided I had a passion for collegiate baseball and mechanical engineering.

Though with everything that went right, there was a lot that went wrong in the beginning. I struggled with my grades and identity in 9th and 10th grade. My grades suffered because of it and I made horrible decisions that did not help me at all. I was kicked out of Renaissance High School and chose to go to Cornerstone Health and Technology High School where I excelled. My grades, decision-making, and mental, all were great once I made that change. The whole experience made me who I am today and changed me for the better in the end and I’m grateful for that experience – no matter how bad it was. I one hundred percent believe that if this had not happened to me, I would not be who I am today or have the drive I have to succeed that I do now.

Quote that inspires you:

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

Personal Statement:

My name is Arthur D. Harrington, III and I am a one who leads with dignity, integrity, determination, passion, and honor. Service to my community is something that means the utmost importance to me. I love working with my city as it relates to community service and community relations. I appreciate the awesome opportunity to listen to the voices of the citizens of Detroit and attend to their needs. I also organize various service events with my church that focus on the progression, elevation, and matriculation of the youth in the community. A highlight of my service is being a current intern for Detroit City Council President, Brenda Jones. I thank the Michigan Chronicle and TCF Bank for this amazing opportunity.

Quote that inspires you:

Excellence is not a skill. Excellence is an mindset.

Personal Statement:

If you want to receive the fruits of your labor, then you must start planting the seeds.

Quote that inspires you:

Proverbs 29:18
When there is no vision, the people perish.