Zoie Mills wants to be – well, simply put – GREAT!
“Zoie talks about working for NASA all the time” says her mother, Constance Mills. And that’s on her short list of goals. The ColorsVA Magazine Scholar of the Month graduates in 2023 and plans to head to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) after obtaining a college education at one of the well-known schools for engineering. She is bound for either Hampton University or North Carolina A&T State University.
Zoie is driven, focused on academics and credits her mother’s support for getting her this far. “My mother pushes me to be the greatest I can be and I’m very competitive,” she says. She has won numerous science fair competitions. Each year became more challenging, and each year she faced those challenges head on. It was those challenges that have led to Zoie to want to major in math and engineering and a career in the STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). And after seeing the movie Hidden Figures about African American female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Space Race, her destiny was confirmed. Zoie says, “This movie was my inspiration. When I saw Hidden Figures, I was like, yes, that’s what I want to do.” And she has been excelling to reach that goal.
Zoie is a straight “A” student at William Fleming High School and the Governor’s School in Roanoke. “It’s awesome that Zoie is the scholar of the month,” says William Fleming school counselor Jacquelin Moore. “Zoie is a great role model for her peers. She’s at the top of her class and very smart and gets along well with everyone.”
This young scholar carries a 4.1 grade point average. Students see Zoie’s dedication to her studies and are encouraged to reach higher heights on their own academic journey. “Currently, I’m not in any clubs because my main focus in school is to be valedictorian of my class,” she says. Zoie pushes other students to be successful as well. “Successfulness should be top priority for everyone. I believe my education will help me be successful. I believe my good grades will help me be successful,” she says.
“Zoie has always been a go-getter, even as a younger child,” shares her mother. “She’s always willing to learn and would do whatever she needs to accomplish her goals.” Once viewed as shy and timid, Zoie has proven she has a voice and isn’t afraid to take a stance on her own ethical and moral views. “I love seeing her voice her opinions on a number of community interests, like Black Lives Matter and the issue of police brutality that we all witnessed on television. She also has an opinion about politics and race relations,” adds Constance Mills. It is through her world outlook and becoming more verbal that Zoie finds her place about these issues. Her most recent and favorite book lends insight to her history of what’s happening in the world around her. “My favorite book right now is Stamped,” she says. Stamped is an overview of racism in the United States throughout the nation’s years of existence. “It’s about Black history and I like learning about those who have come before me and paved the way for me to have better opportunities,” shares Zoie.
It is her goal and ambition to make life better for herself, her family, and her friends. “I love to keep close connections with all of my loved ones. My family motivates me and hearing that they are proud of me in everything I do keeps me motivated.”
All of Zoie’s amazing attributes and accomplishments make her a scholar worth watching and honoring as the ColorsVA Magazine Scholar of the Month. In time her hidden figure soon will be recognized.
Tags: Education
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
