A variety of childhood and life experiences shaped me into who I am today: hard working, dedicated, passionate, and ready for Alabama State University. My experiences were not crafted in the traditional way like at pep rallies and football games. While I did attend a regular high school for two years, I then transferred to an alternative school called Ace. When I tell people I went there the first response I get is "Were you pregnant?  or "What did you do?  Ace is a school you apply to and while some people's application included a teen pregnancy, or not being able to attend school due to a car accident, mine simply included "working student.  Unlike some of my friends in high school, I had to pay my phone bill and car payment. I actually learned more at this school than I did at my other high school. Not only was I my own teacher but also it was at my own pace. Most people think if you mess up in high school this is the school you attend for discipline. This is incorrect. This school promoted self-discipline. Ace had no detention or referrals. This was a place you weren't judged, but a place to go for advice and a place to learn. I realize this may sound unconventional but I would like people to understand not everyone has the same life-style. I didn't work to go shopping on the weekends; I worked to pay for a car to get me to school since my mother worked in Dallas 30 minutes away. She often went in early or came home late so was unable to take me to school and/or pick me up. I did not have a father figure or any siblings growing up, so the nights my mom worked late I had to take care of myself. When I was 16 I got my first job as a hostess at Razzoo's. I worked there for a year with the goal to become a waitress as soon as I turned 18. When I was 17, Babe's Chicken opened up in my town and since it does not serve alcohol, I was able to become a waitress. This allowed me to achieve my goal of becoming a waitress a year earli