Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship: Empowering Students to Achieve Their Dreams

The Our Destiny Our Future Foundation offers a scholarship program designed to support students who have demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity and are dedicated to pursuing their educational aspirations. Rooted in the legacy of Destiny C. McClain, the foundation's mission is to honor her compassion, kindness, and spirit of giving by providing scholarships, back-to-school drives, Christmas drives, and community support. This article delves into the foundation's mission, Destiny's story, and the requirements for the Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship.

Honoring Destiny's Legacy: Turning Pain into Purpose

At the heart of the Our Destiny Our Future Foundation lies a deep commitment to honoring the memory of Destiny C. McClain. Destiny's life was marked by compassion, kindness, and a genuine desire to help others. The foundation strives to embody these qualities by providing support to students and families in need. Through scholarships, back-to-school drives, Christmas drives, and various community support initiatives, the foundation aims to transform pain into purpose, creating a brighter future in Destiny's name.

Destiny's mother and sisters remember her loving personality, honesty, and the sunlight she brought into their lives a year after her death. They commemorated a year without her by telling their favorite memories and releasing balloons in her honor. Destiny is deeply missed. This video celebrates her life and memory.

Faith, Destiny's younger sister, pays tribute to her sibling's musical preferences by covering Lloyd's song "Tru." Faith demonstrates her vocal range and emotional range. Faith's voice increases in strength and passion as the lyrics' message of honesty, vulnerability, and self-reflection is conveyed. Faith has not only honored her sister's musical tastes by the end of the song, but she has also proven her own musical aptitude and enthusiasm.

The Scholarship Program: Supporting Students in Need

The Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship Program was created in memory of Destiny C McClain to support students who have faced challenges but continue to work hard toward their dreams. Destiny believed in lifting others up, and this program reflects that same spirit.

The scholarship program is a cornerstone of the foundation's efforts, providing financial assistance to students who have overcome significant obstacles in their lives. The foundation recognizes that many students face financial hardships that can hinder their ability to pursue higher education. By offering scholarships, the foundation aims to alleviate these burdens, allowing students to focus on their studies and achieve their full potential.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate academic dedication and a commitment to community service. Candidates are required to submit an essay of 400 to 600 words. The essay should provide insight into the candidate’s personal journey and aspirations.

The selection process is rigorous, with a focus on identifying students who embody Destiny's values of compassion, resilience, and dedication to making a difference. The foundation seeks students who have not only excelled academically but have also demonstrated a commitment to serving their communities.

Success Stories: Student Scholarship Program

The Our Destiny Our Future Foundation highlights several winning applications from students who have overcome challenges and are committed to making a positive impact on the world. These students exemplify the values that the foundation seeks to promote through its scholarship program.

Antonia Guerena: Superior High School

Antonia Guerena, a senior at Superior Jr/Sr High School, plans to attend Pima Medical Institute to become a Registered Nurse. Antonia wants to become a Nurse because she wants to help the people who really need it and the people who cannot help themselves and wants to make a positive impact in the healthcare world. Antonia has noticed that sometimes patients do not get the treatment they deserve from the medical staff. Antonia believes that everyone's feelings and opinions on their health plan and care should be valid just as much as the doctors' and nurses' opinions are. The second way Antonia thinks she can impact the world positively is by teaching people to treat each other with compassion. Antonia feels deeply for people who are going through things that she has personally not gone through because she believes no one should go through any hard time alone. Antonia feels so deeply for the people who she does not know because she loves to listen and help with advice if asked for and just to be there for them because she knows she would want someone in hard times too. Antonia strongly believes that everyone should get a chance to show who they really are. Antonia hates when people judge others based off of what they have heard about them or what they look like. Antonia is a very determined person and thinks everyone should be able to be whoever or whatever they want to be and show everyone who they truly are and not be afraid of what others might say because they do not fit in their standards. Antonia thinks everyone should be treated with respect and kindness, and she hopes to make that change.

Mia Mendoza Pacheco: Copper Canyon High School

Mia Mendoza Pacheco is pursuing a degree in architecture to learn to design and create buildings. With her bachelor’s degree, Mia plans to create reliable, sustainable, and one-of-a-kind homes for families. While living on campus, Mia would like to spend time socializing and joining clubs to go out and learn new things about her community that can help her understand what people like and make dream homes come to life. Mia's family has encouraged her to study what she most desires and they are her biggest support system. Also, Mia's involvement in extracurricular clubs has helped her understand and highly appreciate the different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives in the world. Being a part of the French club has allowed Mia to learn about the different cultures and history many people have, and it has helped her realize how diverse and interesting the world is. On her free time Mia likes to volunteer at Andre’s House, which is an organization that helps the homeless by providing them with warm meals and clothing. Volunteering at Andre’s House was very fulfilling for Mia because she was able to help people from different backgrounds not only by providing them with a warm meal but also a place where they felt safe. Mia wants to change that and provide affordable and sustainable homes for all families, regardless of economic status. When Mia becomes an architect, her goal is to make housing affordable for all families with different backgrounds and economic status. By doing this, Mia is going to learn about how she can make a structure stand up, learning the basic functions to provide shelter and work on making houses sustainable and more environmentally friendly. Mia will also work towards recycling rainwater for water necessities and use solar panels to generate their own electricity. This will drastically help with house bills and make it easier for families to be able to have a home. On top of that, with the resources and knowledge Mia will have to understand people and their cultures, she will be able to make dream homes happen. This scholarship will help Mia get closer to the completion of her career choice costs for her bachelor's in architecture. It will help Mia as she continues to study and gain more knowledge to make a change in her community.

Missouri Valley College Student

As a child, this student was diagnosed with Macrodactyly, a deformity of the hand. This student began to be bullied and soon started acting out, developing severe anxiety, and falling into depression. As the years went on, this student started to feel that suicide was their only way out, blaming God and everyone around them for their condition. Luckily, this student had an amazing family and a strong support system that worked tirelessly to get them the help they needed and protect them from themselves and their thoughts. As high school came around, this student fell in love with the sport of wrestling and threw their whole being into it. They competed and excelled, and now they are realizing their dream to become a collegiate athlete. This student emerged from the darkness stronger and determined to fight the fight for everyone struggling with mental health and special needs. Over the last 4 years, this student has taken several steps in helping others in their community find their way through mental health issues in their school and community. This student is on their school’s SADD committee and in their time, they have brought mental health issues to the forefront. This student has spent countless nights on the phone with students they barely know talking to them and letting them know someone cares. The other thing this student has done is to help start a chapter of their school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes. This student started counseling youth camps 3 summers ago where they got to speak to children about faith, God, and being good examples in their communities. This student suggested that they start this at their high school, and they now have a chapter of about 50 youths. This student is going to college to study Psychology so that they can become a counselor and help other children struggling with disabilities, mental health, and any other issues they may have. This student wants to be that relatable figure in young people’s lives that can listen and help guide them to a brighter future.

The University of Alabama Student

This student's journey toward making the world a better place began at a young age. Growing up, this student did not have full use of their legs. This student was born with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder affecting their lower extremities. After years of consultations, this student found a surgeon that could help. Recovering in their hospital bed, this student realized they were lucky. Many of the kids this student met at the children's hospital were not as fortunate. Their determination against unbeatable odds inspired this student to pay it forward. This student held several positions in their Seeing Eye Chapter, including president. My duties included running weekly meetings and organizing community events. Now that this student is away at school, they serve as an advisor to new Seeing Eye members and head hold involved with organizing fundraiser events for the St. In the aftermath of this student's surgeries, they found themself stepping forward as a leader when others wouldn't. Upon this student's return to the varsity cheerleading team, they were elected captain. This student encouraged the veteran cheerleaders to motivate the younger girls through friendly competitions, such as seeing who can hold a stunt the longest. This student found celebrating their accomplishments pushed each squad member to do their best. Making the world a better place begins with listening to people with life experiences different from your own. Whether in school, on the sports field, in a community organization, or on the world stage, understanding and valuing another person’s circumstances creates a path to inclusivity and acceptance. That is why this student has decided to become a disability attorney and spend their career advocating for the most vulnerable among us. Specifically, this student aims to drive improvements in building codes, employment opportunities, government programs, and mass transit accommodations nationwide.

Harvard College Student

This student was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at six months of age as both their mother and their late father carried the sickle cell trait. Throughout this student's childhood, they were frequently hospitalized due to many vaso-occlusive crises among other complications. In 2013, this student suffered from acute chest syndrome, landing them in Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, a member of WMCHealth located in Westchester County, NY, where they were hospitalized for about 12 weeks with an initial survival rate of about 20%. In the summer of 2014, after undergoing chemotherapy, this student received a familial haploidentical allogeneic stem cell transplant researched by Dr. Mitchell Cairo, MD. Essentially, this treatment saved this student's life and cured them of sickle cell disease. Now, this student is a premedical student devoted to giving back and supporting SCD research initiatives the best way they can. After a youth filled with fundraising and advocacy for Dr. In terms of volunteering, this student has done several different fundraising and advocacy throughout their youth.

Brazos Education Lending Corporation: A Partner in Funding Education

Brazos Education Lending Corporation, a Texas non-profit managed by Brazos Higher Education, is the lender on all Brazos Loans. Brazos Education Lending Corporation is a part of a group of several non-affiliated nonprofit companies that are all managed by Brazos Higher Education and are commonly referred to as the Brazos Managed Companies. The first of the Brazos Managed Companies was organized in 1975 in Waco, Texas, as a secondary market for student loans. Since that time, the Brazos Managed Companies have, on a combined basis, served an estimated 2 million student borrowers and have helped fund an estimated $30 billion in student loans.

Loan Options and Interest Rates

Brazos offers a variety of loan options to meet the diverse needs of students and parents. These options include student loans, parent loans, and student loan refinancing. Interest rates vary depending on the loan type, term, and the creditworthiness of the borrower or co-signer.

Autopay Discount

Brazos offers an Autopay Discount, where the interest rate in effect will be reduced by 0.25% if either the borrower or cosigner authorizes automated (ACH) payments from any bank account. The Autopay Discount only applies when full principal and interest payments are automatically drafted from a bank account and does not apply during periods of approved forbearance or deferment. Certain other terms and conditions apply.

Student Loan Interest Rates

Brazos Student Loan interest rate ranges listed include the 0.25% Autopay Discount. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed as of the date that you apply for the loan and will depend on the loan term and repayment option you select, as well as the credit worthiness of you or your cosigner, income and other factors. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. The lowest rates are reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Fixed Rates are set at the time the loan is made and will not change over the life of the loan. Variable Rates and corresponding APRs may increase over the life of the loan, but will never exceed 9.90%. The variable interest rate is based on an index of the 30-day Average SOFR plus a Margin. The Variable Rate will adjust monthly and the loan payment may increase or decrease monthly to provide for amortization over the selected term. The Variable Rate product is only available to Texas Residents.

Parent Loan Rates

The Brazos Parent Loan Rates listed include the 0.25% Autopay Discount. Your actual rate will be with the range of rates listed as of the date that you apply for the loan and will depend on the repayment term selected and the creditworthiness of the borrower or co-signer. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. The lowest rate is reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Brazos Parent Loan Fixed Rates are set at the time the loan is made and will not change over the life of the loan. Variable Rates and corresponding APRs may increase over the life of the loan, but will never exceed 9.90%. The variable interest rate is based on an index of the 30-day Average SOFR plus a Margin. The Variable Rate will adjust monthly and the loan payment may increase or decrease monthly to provide for amortization over the selected term.

Student Loan Refinance Rates

The Brazos Student Loan Refinance Rates listed include the 0.25% Autopay Discount. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed as of the date that you apply for the loan and will depend on the repayment term selected and the creditworthiness of the borrower or co-signer. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. The lowest rates are reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Fixed Rates are set at the time the loan is made and will not change over the life of the loan. Variable Rates and corresponding APRs may increase over the life of the loan, but will never exceed 9.90%. The variable interest rate is based on an index of the 30-day Average SOFR plus a Margin. The Variable Rate will adjust monthly and the loan payment may increase or decrease monthly to provide for amortization over the selected term.

Responsible Borrowing

Brazos encourages responsible borrowing. You should always exhaust all forms of grants, scholarships and other free financial aid before taking out a new loan. If you determine you need a loan, or wish to consolidate, carefully compare the federal loan program with any private loan program, including all benefits, forgiveness programs and other federal options. Not all private loan programs offer the same benefits as are available in the federal loan program. Do your shopping and find the loan that best fits your needs.

Credit Report

If you choose to apply for a Brazos Loan, we will request your full credit report. This credit pull may impact your credit score. The initial credit review is based on review of all of the information you and your cosigner (if applicable) provide during the application process and the information obtained from your credit report. If you pass the initial credit review, you will be required to provide acceptable documentation, such as your income verification, before final loan approval.

Loan Calculator

The APR, terms, calculated payments and total loan cost amounts are estimates only. The calculator assumes that the loan amount is disbursed to the school in two equal installments five (5) months apart. Capitalized interest is calculated during this five month period at the APR shown, except for the examples for the Interest Only Repayment Option. [Please note that the APR used in all calculations assumes the Autopay Discount is applied. If you take out a loan, the Autopay Discount will not actually be applicable until you enter full repayment and you sign up for automated payments (see Disclaimer 3 above).] This capitalized interest is added to the amount of the loan to arrive at the estimated balance of the loan when repayment begins. Estimated payments are based upon the projected balance at repayment, including capitalized interest. Calculated monthly payments and total payments are based on the information provided by you, assume that the interest rate remains constant throughout the life of the loan, and that loans will be repaid in equal monthly installments. Please note that the interest rate will not remain constant for a variable rate loan, although it is assumed to for purposes of this calculator. This resource also assumes that you will pay continuously throughout the repayment period with no breaks for deferment, forbearance or prepayments. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information or the Student Loan Calculator’s applicability to your specific circumstances. Using the Student Loan Calculator does not constitute an offer to receive a loan and does not solicit a loan offer. Any rates, terms, and calculated payments will depend on the actual months for which you are approved, the repayment option you select, the actual disbursement schedule of your loan, the length of any interim period prior to start of repayment, and your specific credit score, should you choose to apply.

FICO Score

When you apply for a Brazos Student Loan, the FICO score used will be the Transunion FICO Score 9, which is based on information from Transunion. When you apply for a Brazos Parent or Brazos REFI Loan, the FICO score used will be the Transunion FICO Score 9. In addition to these different FICO Score models used at Transunion, there are still other FICO score models used among and between credit reporting agencies which could result in an individual having a higher or lower credit score depending on the model utilized. FICO is a registered trademark of the Fair Issac Corporation.

Refinance Calculator

The Brazos Refinance Loan APRs, terms, calculated payments, total interest, and total savings amounts are estimates only. Calculated monthly payments and total payments based on information provided by you and assume that the interest rates remains constant throughout the life of the loans and that the loans will be repaid in equal monthly installments. Total remaining interest on your loan is an estimate of the amount of interest you will pay in the future on your existing loan, and excludes previous interest payments. This resource also assumes that you will pay continuously throughout the repayment period with no breaks for forbearance or prepayments. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information or the Refinance Calculator resources' applicability to your circumstances. The interest rate for your loan may be based, in part, on whether you have a creditworthy cosigner. Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may help you qualify and/or receive a lower interest rate. Your interest rate may be higher without a creditworthy cosigner.

Federal Student Loans

Hanson, Melanie states that If you have federal student loans that you are looking to refinance or consolidate, do your homework before you decide on a federal consolidation loan or refinancing with a private lender. If you consolidate your existing federal loan into a private refinance loan, you may lose valuable benefits, such as income driven repayment plans and potential loan forgiveness options that may be valuable to you in the long run.

Referral Program

All referred friends must also be a Texas resident, be approved for a loan and the loan must fund for either of you to qualify for payment. Referred friends must also be a Texas resident for either of you to receive a Cash Reward.

Making a Difference: How You Can Help

We believe in the power of education and the potential of our youth. Through the Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship Fund, we aim to empower students to achieve their goals and make a difference. The Our Destiny Our Future Foundation relies on the generosity of donors to continue its vital work. Your donation can make a real difference in the lives of those we serve. With your help, we can continue to provide vital services and support to those in need. By donating to the foundation, you can help provide scholarships to deserving students, ensuring that they have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.

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