Personal Statement
The other day, I looked up the term, Renaissance man because I heard my mom reference me as one several times over the years. I had an idea but wanted to confirm. According to Dictionary.com, one of the definitions is “a present-day man who has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field.” Having to think about the young man I have become, as I prepare to enter a new phase in my life as a freshman in college, I realized that I am a young man proficient in more than one field. I also realized that everything that I have experienced so far during my 18 years led me to my desire to flourish on the collegiate level.
My history is that I have been a percussionist since the age of 2. In fact, I have had amazing experiences coming from a musical background on both my mother and father’s sides of the family. I also seem to have a natural ability to lead and be a co-composer, as a founding member of the youth ensemble to my dad’s adult band known as, FaraFinaKan (www.Farafinakan.com), an ability to record and be the young drummer on our first CD entitled, “Only the Water Separates Us.” I have shared the stage with Danny Glover, Isaac Hayes, to name a few, and most recently, Sheila E. at the Smithsonian, which was televised. The band has appeared on Fox 5 News DC a number of times when we were younger for Kwanzaa celebrations and more.
In middle school, I discovered an intuition and what a number of coaches identified as a talent for the game of basketball. I fell in love with the game and even though I started a bit later than the other players, I persevered. I worked very hard with personal trainers that saw something in me as an athlete that had and has to do with speed, intuition, and most importantly, drive. During my high school years, and being on the shorter side, I worked some more to build my endurance with a dedication to going to the gym while working with a variety of coaches and teams. In that experience, I discovered that I also have a talent for mentoring other young athletes when it comes to taking care of his or her body in the gym and persevering even when life and the game do not go exactly as planned.
Moving forward, during my second and third years of high school, I would take my first art class at Duke Ellington Performing Arts High School and re-discover a love and talent for art. In fact, I won first and second prize for my artwork during one of the competitions. This talent is now being expanded in my AP Art class at Middleburg Academy, Middleburg, Virginia.
Throughout middle school and high school, I have been told by teachers and administrators that I am a natural leader. I am proud of this. I am also proud of the fact that at this point in my life, I am managing a schedule that involves maintaining good grades, working out religiously, playing basketball, performing, and working on my visual artistry. I have been on the honor roll several times throughout my high school years. Somehow, I manage to manage it all.
Everything that I have experienced so far during my 18 years makes me a strong contender in my humble opinion for most Universities. Community and family are two important words for me. Not only am I interested in joining a community and creating a family of friends in terms of professors, coaches and fellow student-athletes, I am also interested in contributing positively as a natural leader who takes pride in his education, basketball, artistry and musical talents.
