I am currently 17 years old. I am duel-enrolled Riverview Highschool and at Suncoast Technical College for the LPN nursing program.

I have been at Girls Inc. since first grade, but…more on that later. First, I want to talk about my future…and my family.

No one in my family has ever worked in the medical field before, and I want to be the first one to do it. My for sure moment I knew that I wanted to become a nurse sparked when I got to be in the delivery room when my baby brother was born last year. Obviously, that day was momentous to our entire family…but it did more than just grow our family. It empowered me to grow as well.

Seeing how the nurses handled and helped both my mother and my brother inspired me. I want to be able to make a difference in people’s lives just like they made. Those nurses changed my trajectory, but it was the foundation that my family built that allowed me to stand tall in the first place.

When my mom was in high school, she was also enrolled in STC and working on her LPN – she was actually in the same program I am in now. But she never got to finish because she got pregnant with me at a young age. It means so much to know that she had the same dream I have now – and mom, I am going to finish what you started.  Thank you.

Growing up, my parents were very young and had to raise me while also growing up themselves – but they made it work. In fact, my dad ended up building a successful landscaping business that is continuing today. And for that I am very grateful and proud of my parents for creating this life for me and my siblings. I actually have a sister in the 7^th grade. I see some of myself in her, and have seen her journey through Girls Inc. and how positively it can change a person. Because of my parents and the love they have for our family, I know I can set my goals high – and I know I can reach them.

That said, my goal is to become an RN in pediatric oncology, and eventually take over my dad’s landscaping business so I can keep it going for him, just like he’s always kept going for us.

Now let’s talk about my journey through Girls Inc. I started Girls Inc when I was in the first grade and went to Alta Vista Elementary School. I was previously in afterschool care there but then switched to Girls Inc. My mom knew about Girls Inc because she attended herself as a kid and needed someone to watch me because her and my dad were always working.

I was nervous coming on my first day… but on the bus, I met a girl named Sarah that showed me the ropes, and the rest was history. From there, I felt more at home and everyone in the building was always welcoming. At Girls Inc I knew there was always somewhere I could go and someone I could talk to. When I walked off the bus and through the door with Sarah, a whole world opened up for me.

Quickly, I became a part of the Girls Inc. Community. In Dream Harbor, I joined the STEM job, called Tech Team at the time. I liked that there were hands on projects and experiments – and the outcome was always unexpected.

It introduced me to new experiences that I didn’t expect as well. One of my first big field trips was the exploration boat in Miami where we went shark tagging with female scientists. We stayed in it overnight, went snorkeling, and learned about the life of a marine biologist, internships, and career options.

I continued Girls Inc. through elementary and middle school and then joined the High-school Program. Through the High-school program I was provided resources for school, workshops for professional development, and fun trips. The summer of my sophomore year I was able to get a job at Girls Inc. It was interesting to see from a staff’s point of view compared to being a girl in the program. I was even able to lead the Dream Harbor STEM job – the same one I grew up in – and now I do literacy for kindergarten and their job, the Imagination Station.

There are so many opportunities at Girls Inc., and I feel like one of the biggest ones is the friends you make there. I met my childhood best friends at Girls Inc. and have never had a friend group like the one I had there. Actually, I still have those friends, and I even work with some of them. They were my friends then, and they are my friends now. And I know we’ll keep growing together.

There have been a lot of lessons through Girls Inc., but if there’s one thing that I have learned it is that I need to be able to speak up and be confident in what I’m doing. One of my first times being on stage in front of a lot of people was actually at Celebration Luncheon in the first grade. I was very shy when I started the afterschool program, but every year after the first Celebration Luncheon was a good chance to practice using my voice and being in front of a big crowd. Who knew that I’d be practicing for this moment…but it is all part of how I’m up here today.

A lot of moments in my life have led me to being here in front of you today – and every one of those moments include the people who have witnessed and supported my growth:

• The friends I’ve made at Girls Inc. have been there for me no matter what.
• The staff helped me learn more about myself, what I am interested in, and how to get there.
• My mom helps me grow by giving me feedback in a way that makes me feel good about myself.
• My dad keeps me going. He always tells me, “if you start it, finish it. If you want it, go get it”.

And I just want to tell you all…I’m on my way