Hi there, I’m Jesika

Ever since I was young, I have always strived for going above expectations and being a positive role model for others. During my freshman year of high school, I decided I wanted to graduate a year early. I told my family, my friends, and my guidance counselor. The majority of the feedback I got was, "You can't do that", "Colleges won't accept you", "Your people don't usually do that". Although those words were discouraging coming from people whom I trusted and looked up to, it did not stop me. I was determined to fulfill my dream and set a precedent for the upcoming generation. 

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On June 12th of 2017, I graduated high school in three years at the age of sixteen. I placed in the top 10% of my class with over a 4.6 GPA. I attended Virginia Tech to study Biological Systems Engineering. This was a challenging path, as I ended my four years with a 2.8 GPA. This was vastly different from high school, but my determination never changed. I was worried to apply for graduate school, because I did not believe I had the capabilities to be accepted. However, I was accepted to University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins, University of Georgia, and Virginia Tech! This experience tought me to never let a rough start hold you back from stiving for your aspirations.

All of this proves that despite the odds if you work hard towards your goals, then you are destined for greatness. My purpose is to encourage, equip, and educate the next generation to chase their dreams of going to college despite what statistics, family, or your guidance counselor have to say.

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"Not everyone will see nor understand your vision, but remember it is not for them to comprehend but for you to conquer"

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- Jesika M. McDaniel