“Simply the Best”

By Jade Henry
FWIS Youth Writer

In March 2023 I applied for a prestigious summer program at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. There were 800 girls from all over the country who applied, and only 62 were accepted. When I received the letter that I was accepted, I knew this experience would be

SIMPLY THE BEST!

I stayed on campus with two roommates from New Jersey and Florida. We had 3 hour SAT prep in the mornings and afternoons, with our evenings full of fun activities, as well as free time to ourselves. Some of the activities that were planned were a community service field trip, poetry slams, a talent show, classes about black girl hood/sisterhood, financial classes, and yoga.

One of my highlights from the program was the field trip to The Black Hair Experience. I really enjoyed going to The Black Hair Experience because we had the opportunity to take pictures in front of lots of different backgrounds, for example one was “Get a group of friends that hold you down like edge control.” An additional highlight I had was one of our classes called “Black Girl Hood” because we learned more about intersectionality, racism, colorism, and texturism. By listening to these presentations, I have a better understanding of the definitions of those terms, while also learning more about who I am as a young black female.

I am grateful that I got to bond and gain a lifelong friend, Kayla. Every day, since I left Spelman College, we have been talking on the phone. We have plans for our next HBCU college visit at North Carolina A&T! This program has better prepared me for the future and has expanded my horizons so that I am able to build connections and relationships with like-minded people that I would have never met. It also allowed me to gain knowledge on SAT testing and how to get a better score each time. I am forever grateful for this outstanding opportunity.

It was SIMPLY THE BEST!