Name:  Ellisha

Age:  16

School:  Central Academy of Excellence

Dream College(s): Yale, Harvard, or North Carolina A&T

Future Plans:  My future plans are to graduate from high school & college. I hope to become a detective or a criminal lawyer.

Do you know what you’d like to major in or have a career in? If so, what is it?

I would like to major in Economics and English.

What is something you are most proud of?

Something I am most proud of is how far I have come with my behavior, my social life and school. I feel that I have completely grown up and that makes me proud.

Have you gone through any tough or challenging times and how did you deal with those times?

I went through a challenging time when my mom lost her job and I had to get my own job because it became hard for her to do so many things without working.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Girl on the Rise?

To be selected is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get into the world of colleges.

What inspired you to want to be involved with Girls on the Rise?

What inspired me to be involved with girls on the rise is my Big Sister and just the thought that I may have the chance to visit the college of my dreams.

How will funding from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals? In other words: Why is the opportunity to visit your prospective colleges important to your journey?

This program will take me beyond what my school can offer or what I could offer myself. It’s important to me and my journey because I’ll be the first in my family to travel to the colleges I have dreamed of my whole life.

What schools will you use the funding to visit, and why?

I would visit the East coast such as Harvard and Yale for the fact that they are not easy to get into and I love a challenge. They have so many things to offer and I know that a lot of people apply for these colleges and not everyone gets in but I feel that I’ll be the one to get in. I want to make a difference because I don’t know many people that try. I am trying to make my family proud.