Juke joints with Coca-Cola signs faded by the sun and washed away by many rains sat in gravel parking lots serving as ticket windows for casual shotgun stores or singles -wide. They were surrounded by sparse forest areas that crossed my field of vision as I was driven towards my new hometown. I felt disillusioned watching the blighted neighborhoods of Greenwood, Mississippi pass my window. It was in that moment that I realized that, more than any other time in my twelve years of life, I wanted to do something to improve my community, the Mississippi Delta, and myself . As I diligently progressed through middle and high school, my strengths in science were revealed and my love for the subject grew. My mother encouraged me to apply to the Mississippi School of Math and Science. It was the best decision I ever made in my academic life. There, I was exposed not only to a cutting-edge science education, but also to some of the best humanities teachers in the state. Being in an environment with other like-minded young people motivated me to ...