High School Senior Art Final/Personal photo that appeared at a St. Louis Art institution
During my high school experience, I received the opportunity to be a member of the National Art Honors Society in my Sophomore year. My artwork was displayed professionally in 4 instances. The first image wasn’t a part of those 4, but is really important to my Art portfolio. This piece was personal and had deep meaning to me, my upbringing, and my religious background. This final exam tasked students to create a scene or particular imagery that described their beliefs and identity. I wanted heavy religious imagery and wanted a gaudy image as the crux of the entire piece. Essentially, the left is a depiction of Hell or Evil; you can see Judas Iscariot kissing Jesus before he betrayed him. Also shown to the left is a demon, a demon cherub, blackened/gritted teeth (Matthew 8-13), and an enslaved person bound by bondage. The right side, representing Heaven and righteousness, has the opposite imagery. The main takeaway is I’m in the middle and have a choice to make.
Belleville East High School
Kimmel Engagement Hub Volunteering
The summer before my first semester here at SIUE, I volunteered with the Kimmel Engagement Hub in Fairview Heights. I specifically signed up for the Trekking For Trash worksite. My group went to the Target located in the area and used “claw” devices to pick trash off the side of the street, in the grass, in the parking lot, and in mini strip mall areas. My roommate, Jovan Gardner, paired up to work at this site. We gravely underestimated the weather, and it was extremely hot. Jovan and I were winded by the end of our volunteering session. I enjoyed volunteering for the Kimmel Engagement Hub because it made students be active in the community and physically work to aid it. And being out in the hot sun made the work feel even more meaningful to me.
Making the Dean’s list
During the previous semester, I managed to truly “locked in” and focused my efforts to the fullest academically. I wanted to achieve this G.P.A. to make my mother proud and to be the student and young man she knows I’m capable of being. Achieving this status was rewarding for me, too. I knew that I wanted to start my college experience with a push for success and excellence. I didn’t want to come into SIUE with a playful or nonchalant attitude toward my academic success and opportunities. I knew that prioritizing classroom success would also help me with the finance side of things, relieving pressure off myself and my family. All praise to the Lord, I’ve been accepted into this program and possibly have another academic opportunity in February 2026.
Tulsa trip
Last semester, I received what I believe to be a “once in a lifetime” opportunity. This opportunity is visiting Tulsa, Oklahoma. This area in America is packed with communities that for years have been overlooked, abused, violated, and deprived. Being in Tulsa felt like hollow ground given the evil events of violence that took place during the 1910s-40s. However, I enjoyed this road trip-style adventure. I visited a museum, local shops, experienced Tulsa nightlife, visited the Tulsa Cultural Center, and walked past the Vernon A.M.E. Church. This city provided both written accounts of a bloody history and photographic still images that can be researched as well. This trip may prove to be a good place to return to for this program, given the hundreds of photos I took of newspaper articles, news clippings, photos, handwritten letters, and other artifacts.
