As a junior at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, Giselle isn’t quite sure what she wants to major in yet. But she knows it will definitely be in the math or science field. This STEM girl is looking forward to college, internships, and her future career as well as traveling.

What is something you are most proud of?

I’m most proud of my responsibility, my independence, and my family.

Have you gone through any tough or challenging times? If yes, how did you deal with those challenges?

When I go through tough times, I deal with these challenges by meditating or writing things down. I think of the problem and how I could solve it.

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

It means the opportunity to visit colleges and use the grant money to help pay for admissions, tests, applications, and more.

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

My family inspired me — plus, I wanted to have the opportunity to visit colleges before deciding on one to attend.

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?

It’s important because I get to see the colleges and make sure that the one I choose is the right fit for me.

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

I want to visit colleges near Chicago, such as DePaul, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Loyola, and maybe a few more — because I’ll probably end up going to one of those!