Lights, Camera, Action!--Chenel

Lights, Camera, Action! As a young girl I dreamed like so many. I wanted to be famous, my

name shining in the bright lights of Hollywood. One day a phone call would change everything. The lights slowly began to dim, I could not see clearly, and nothing seemed bright anymore.

My dad had a major stroke. For more than a year, hospital visits were innumerable. My father’s had a long road of recovery. In order to live he needed a heart transplant. Spending so much time visiting my dad in the hospital and helping my mom care for him, I begin to gain an interest in the medical field.
Being observant to the positive effects of my dad’s medications sparked my interest in pharmaceutical studies. The first semester of my junior year I enrolled in a ROP Pharmacy Clerk class. Five days of school became six days of school, including Friday evenings. At times it was challenging, but I was determined to complete the additional course of study. While attending Pharmacy Clerk class I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the same hospital that rehabilitated my dad after his stroke. I volunteered in Unit Support two days a week. I accumulated 58 service hours of volunteering. This past summer I achieved my greatest accomplishment, being the only African-American selected out of hundreds of applicants as an intern for Kaiser Permanente Summer Youth Intern Program. Only 15 high school students were chosen as interns. During my internship I experienced the reality of working in a hospital.

I was assigned to the Respiratory Therapy Unit. I enjoyed the environment of working in the hospital. The overall learning experience shifted a change in my career path. This gratification of direct patient care is my reason for choosing Nursing as a career. I am passionate about helping people, especially children and special needs children. I have taken a special interest in

Pediatric Nursing. The internship lead me to my right career path. It was at that time I realized the bright lights I desired was just a reflection of a bright future. 

Community service was a bright light. I shined by helping others. A Certificate of Recognition was my Grammy Award. My extracurricular activity was community service. I am always looking for an opportunity to volunteer. My freshman year in high I was chosen as a youth council member for the City of Fontana Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council. The group is comprised of selected teens who are dedicated to improving our city. Members also get experience working with the City Council while learning leadership and organizational skills. Being a youth council member has helped me to develop interpersonal skills and build a level of self- confidence that keeps me determined to achieve my goals. Through personal experiences I have been able to help others. Soaring at my own level, I began to experience feelings of resentment by others. Sadly I became a victim of bullying by my own peers. I healed myself by recycling the pain into something positive. I co-founded G.L.A.M; Girls Leadership and Mentoring program. This mentoring program corporates life and leadership skills, while inspiring young ladies to excel. 

My junior year of high school was important for me. I worked effortlessly to maintain a good GPA that would be reflective on my transcripts for my college applications. I am a good student and not working hard is not part of my personal character. I find comfort in knowing all that I have overcome and overall achieved. I will not allow anyone despair me or sidetrack me from my goals of becoming a college graduate.