Dear Neighbor,

 I’m becoming a better me. My life has totally changed since Summer 2021. I was failing in high school, in trouble due to bad decisions, and did not see a lot of options for me. I left high school and didn’t think I would get back on track.

Going to school during the state lockdown was hard for me. As a result, my high grades started to slip. I knew that if my GPA continued to slip, I wouldn’t be able to attend a good college. My counselor then told me about Boxwood Learning Center (Boxwood). I found out that I could attend Boxwood and that they would help me earn my high school diploma by way of the high school proficiency exam. Taking all of this into consideration, I thought it was best I drop out of high school and attend their Educational Achievement Center.

Fast forward a year later, I’m now a freshman at Morgan State University (MSU) this fall. So, what changed in my life?

My parents weren’t thrilled with my decision to leave high school. However, I was able to show them that my determination and drive would allow me to complete the high school proficiency exam before January 2022; I did just that! At 16 years old, I completed my high school education and received my diploma. This accomplishment empowered and inspired me, and I was eager to move on to the next step in my educational journey—college.

I always knew that I wanted to attend college and when the opportunity arose for me to visit MSU, I jumped at the chance. With my mother and siblings in tow, we visited MSU. I can truly say it was love at first sight. Stepping foot on the MSU campus for the first time, I felt like I was embraced and welcomed with open arms. I was excited to be somewhere that valued my culture and made me feel comfortable to be myself. I felt seen. I knew I would thrive at MSU.

After college, I would to work as a crime scene forensic investigator. I am a naturally curious and inquisitive person, and I always wanted to get into law enforcement. My love and desire for this career choice stem from watching all of the crime shows like Law & Order, CSI, and Bones with my mom.

Attending MSU will be the start of my passionate journey towards my career goals. I believe attending MSU will increase my social skills, as well as provide a balance of learning and campus activities. I am looking forward to all of the new experiences that this new journey will afford me.

To date, my family and I raised most of my college tuition in grants and loans. We are so very close to raising my first year college tuition. I would be grateful for any donation from the community to help me with my tuition at MSU.

Sincerely,

Yara McMiller

Future Public Servant