Donations For A Dream

Like many other high school freshmen, Alyssa Brown is unsure of what she wants to do for a living one day.

What makes her unique, however, is her desire to work hard for the chance to learn more about a potential future career.

And that type of opportunity is what the National Youth Leadership Forum Of Medicine was designed for. 

The NYLF/MED is a pre-medical educational program for high school students.

To be eligible for the program, a student must be nominated, typically by a teacher, and carry a grade point average in the top 10 percent of their school, said Amanda Smith, admissions advisor for NYLF/MED.

For Alyssa, a freshman at Owen J. Roberts High School who is interested in finding a cure for diseases including cancer and AIDS, meeting the forum's academic requirements is the easier half of getting into the program, which will be held July 22 through 31 at the University of California, Los Angeles.

She's already a hard working student. The tougher part of her goal, however, involves the expense of the forum. The trip, including tuition, will cost roughly $6,000. So far, Alyssa and her mom Sonia raised about $2,000 and they're determined to work for the balance of the needed funding.

"This will be a powerful experience, enabling me to interact with many prominent men and women whom most of us only read about in the news," Alyssa wrote in a letter she sends to area businesses she hopes will sponsor her trip.

To help in the fund-raising effort, Sha Ames, author of "Undetected" -- a work of fiction based on characters who have been exposed to HIV -- will donate a portion of her book sales to Alyssa.

The Browns are also working on other fund-raising ideas such as a carnival and gospel concert at their church, Grimes A.M.E. in Phoenixville.

They also hope local businesses will donate cash to the fund-raising effort as well as services and products that could be auctioned off.

All of the work, time and energy they pour into the fund-raising project will be worth the reward, Sonia Brown said.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," she said of the educational trip.

Sonia Brown said Alyssa would be an asset to the medical community some day. 

"We need black, female doctors," she said. "We need more women doctors period."

To help Alyssa: Use this sponsor sheet to send a donation in her name to the forum. Include her account number - 901445-53558424.

Or mail a check to: The National Youth Leadership Forum at National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine,
 1919 Gallows Road, Suite 700, Vienna, VA. 22182. To learn more call 800-509-0280 or email: medicine adm@nylf.org.