My family lives in Miami, Florida. I am the eldest child of my Puerto Rican mother and my African-American father. My younger brother, Jaral Arroyo-Jefferson, and I were born in New York City, but our family has lived in the historic Bahamian 'West Grove' community in Miami since our days as young schoolchildren.

Our parents are a source of great strength and support for my brother and me because of their unwavering dedication to encouraging us to always strive to be the best versions of ourselves - continuously learning and growing as confident, goal-oriented, independent-thinking individuals. This level of conviction can also be found in our family’s commitment to providing service in our community by helping to empower and uplift those around us.  

When I do have available free time, there are many different types of activities I like doing for enjoyment and relaxation.

Physical fitness and proper nutrition are important aspects of my life because they help ensure my mind and body can balance the daily stress I encounter. Thus, I enjoy cooking healthy vegetarian meals and jogging and I was recently introduced to the training discipline of parkour.

Urban gardening is an activity I have done since I was very young. My family has always had outdoor planters around the house growing a variety of herbs, fruits, and vegetables. With the beautiful weather of South Florida, I get to spend my time growing these delicious foods for my family year-round.

Photography is a passion my brother, Jaral, and I share. We were fortunate to be selected for the inaugural HistoryMiami Museum Youth Photography Fellowship, where we honed our skills under the tutelage of award-winning photographer, Woosler Delisfort, and had our photography showcased in the museum's online Youth Photography exhibition. Woosler continues to mentor us to this day, advancing our ability to communicate compelling visual stories through the lens of a camera. 

Creatively speaking, there are not many things that I do not enjoy. From painting to sewing, ceramics to ironwork, I like it all. But, my absolute favorite free time activity is crocheting. I could spend hours on end creating fabulous items out of colorful balls of yarn. I find it to be a great way to relieve stress, and most of the time, I give away my creations to family members, friends, and schoolmates as random acts of kindness. 

With the start of my freshman year at Bard College, I am looking forward to joining many new clubs and organizations as I explore new interests and activities on campus and in the local community.

During my past years in high school, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in a variety of afterschool organizations, many of which I have been involved in since my sophomore year (2021).

Because of my love for creating art, I joined the Perez Art Museum (PAMM) Teen Art Council (PTAC). Comprised of only 12 selected high school students from throughout Miami-Dade County, PTAC is a teen-led, museum-facilitated program for youth interested in all things creative. PTAC members help fulfill PAMM's mission to encourage everyone to see art as an incentive for genuine human interaction, communication, and exchange. Through ambassadorship, mentorship, and teen advocacy, PTAC members creatively interpret and respond to art to engage local and global teen audiences. PTAC provides a safe and fun environment for teens that is full of possibilities for self-exploration and learning.

Protecting the environment is another one of my interests. So, I joined the Miami Waterkeeper Junior Ambassador Program. This program allows its members to gain an understanding of issues impacting our local waters, receive training for civic engagement and advocacy as well as share knowledge learned with those in our community. This program helps students become versed in the complex relationship between social, environmental, governmental, and economic issues that are central to cultivating a culture of environmental awareness and advocacy in South Florida.

I am also firmly committed to performing acts of service and volunteerism that benefit those in my community. This was the motivation for me to become a member of The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade Youth Advisory Committee. The mission of this program is to nurture the next generation of diverse change-makers by providing valuable life experiences that foster essential character traits – responsibility, creativity, optimism, and grit – which create positive change within each student, their respective communities, and county-wide.

The program that has had the greatest impact in helping me be the person I am today is Breakthrough Miami, which I entered in 5^th grade. Breakthrough Miami is an 8-year, year-round academic enrichment and professional development program that creates a rigorous and vibrant learning community for underserved and underrepresented students in 5^th through 12^th grade across South Florida. Now that I'm in high school, I have entered the Breakthrough “U” program, which is held at the University of Miami and focuses on college preparation and career exploration.

On a national level, I have also had the opportunity to represent the state of Florida as a member of the 2023 Afterschool Alliance Youth Ambassador Program - advocating on behalf of afterschool programs for all youth - and for the 2023 STEM Next Opportunity Fund Million Girls Moonshot "Flight Crew" encouraging STEM careers for girls.

Additionally, I served as an Advisory Council member for the 2024 National STEM Challenge and as an official STEMbassador during the event, which was held in Washington, DC.

As a freshman at Bard College majoring in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Studies, I have aspirations of becoming a NASA Space Farmer. This goal is the direct result of my participation in various STEM-related activities, classes, and organizations throughout my time in high school.

Ultimately, I want to combine my passion for creative design with my strong interest in Controlled Environment Agriculture into a career where I build innovative sustainable habitats here on Earth and - one day - in outer space, thus allowing my work to have a positive impact on our global community.