Name: Katiana

Age: 16

School: North Kansas City High School

Dream College(s): Tennessee, Jackson State University

Future Plans: To be a bilingual physical therapist

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

Pre-medicine.

What is something you are most proud of?

The smart and respectful young woman I have become.

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

Yes, my 9th and 10th grade years were tough for me but my Big Sister has always been a help, helping me with homework.

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

It honestly means a lot to me to be a selected because I’ve been wanting to travel to so many other colleges and I was struggling to save money to do that, and needing time to take off from work and school was a hassle.

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

I honestly didn’t know anything about it, my Big Sister kept it a surprise from me but being apart of this has had a very very huge impact on my life. I get to meet so many different girls that dream of doing the same thing I want to do in the future, which is going to college and conquering our 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?

Because thinking back on how I would have to do it all by myself would be very difficult due to most likely paying for the other person to come along, or even being hindered because I have no one to come along with me that supports my dreams.

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

Tennessee because of its step groups and because it’s the college my aunt attended. I want to feel the environment and see what the college has to offer. Also Jackson State University because it has a beautiful campus and I feel like it would be a good home for me.