Brandon High School alumnus Amyrra Washington, set to study architecture at the University of South Florida, has creative talent to thank for being awarded a selective ‘Write Her Future’ scholarship.
“I was quite flabbergasted, and a little bit flustered,” Washington, 18, said of the moment she learned of her scholarship award. “I was proud of myself, but at the same time I was a little bit, like, do I really deserve this?”
Evidently, she did, as it has been announced that Washington is one of 40 young women participating in the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition to be awarded a Write Her Future scholarship powered by Lancôme. The company since 2021, in partnership with the NAACP, reportedly has provided the scholarships to empower women of color “to pursue a collegiate education with self-assurance and abundant opportunities for learning and career development.”
Washington said she first took art seriously in middle school but doesn’t know why she loves drawing so much, only knowing that she is compelled to create. Her aim through art is to “try my best to find the beauty in life despite how cruel life can be sometimes,” she said. Art is a form of escapism, Washington added, as she is driven to draw “the beauty that is around us.”
As Washington described her ACT-SO entry, it is a view from behind of the feminine figure, her muscles accentuated, as she showcases “the endurance of anyone who is struggling” in a society marked by many struggles. “As we’re all going through a struggle, each person has a unique situation, and I wanted to show endurance,” Washington said. “So many unexpected situations or conflicts happen, but we’re still here, we are still present and we can endure.”
While her art drew her into this year’s ACT-SO competition, it was not a winning entry on the national stage. But as she advanced to national competition with a gold medal award for ‘visual arts drawing’ from Hillsborough County, Washington was eligible for the scholarship contest open to ACT-SO participants, which she said “focused on academic writing and a video” and involved her grade-point average and academic transcript.
Washington received high praise from Brandon High Principal Jeremy Klein and Stephanie Moore, the school’s success coach, who works with students to pursue opportunities such as ACT-SO and the scholarship competition.
“We couldn’t be prouder of her hard work, dedication and achievements,” Klein said in a social media post announcing Washington’s award. “This is a monumental moment for our community. Let’s all celebrate this fantastic accomplishment.”
In an interview, Klein said most of the “kiddos” Moore works with are at risk of not graduating, but she also works with students like Washington, who are self-motivated and rank high among the top performers in their graduating classes.
As for Moore, “not only is she nice and caring, she’s also really determined to do her role right and make sure that every student gets the attention they need,” Washington said. “She encouraged me and made sure I made it to all the [ACT-SO] virtual meetings and completed my paperwork correctly.”
Now, with scholarship in hand, Washington said her best advice for students who believe opportunities such as ACT-SO are beyond their reach is to just “go for it, because it may not show up again.”
