Priceless Profile: Brianna McGee
A senior at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Brianna
McGee is currently in her sixth and final year as a Diamond in the Rough (DITR) member. The 18 year-old stated that she is nervous, but mostly sad to graduate from
the program.
As for her future plans, McGee said she plans to major in
computer science or computer engineering. She is currently teaching herself how to code, and hopes to create
her own software one day. If not, she wants to work for
Google.
If McGee attends a college in Georgia, she plans to return to DITR and serve.
“[I’ll miss] the connection I have with a lot of the girls,”
McGee said. “We don’t talk all the time, but when we
see each other on Saturdays, we [always] catch up.
These are the longest relationships I’ve had. If I do go
out-of-state, I won’t be able to see them on Saturdays.”
“I want to help Ms. Nicole, because she does so much
for all of us,” McGee said. “Working with different programs like Peer Leadership and CORE helps us understand what is going on behind the scenes. I understand
how hard she works.”
McGee began her journey with DITR as a student at Ivy
Preparatory Academy. She was involved in the Diamond
University Leadership Academy hosted at the school,
and soon bonded with DITR founder, Nicole Steele.
For McGee, Priceless Princess means having integrity,
knowing who you are, and shining a light in the world.
She added that she is grateful for those who helped her
get to DITR.
“I thought she was really cool. She was teaching a lot of
stuff my mom was already saying, but she made it so
real,” said McGee, who added that her experience at
Diamond University assured her she wasn’t struggling
alone.
“I’m thankful for Ms. Nicole and everything she does. I’m
thankful for Ms. Audra for introducing me to DITR. [I’m
thankful] for Ms. Natalie for always being there. She’s
the one who really taught me that you can’t go through
life with baggage,” McGee said. “I’m thankful for my
mom because she’s always there. She gets up early to
bring me, waits for me, and then we’re off to the next
activity. I will always be thankful for her. I think sometimes she thinks I don’t get it. But, I do.”
“[There] were girls going through the same thing as me
at the time, and it made me feel like I wasn’t the black
sheep. We quickly bonded, and [it’s] why I really wanted
to stay,” McGee said. McGee decided to fully commit to
the program on Saturdays after Education Coordinator,
Audra McDaniel, approached her mother about the opportunity.
“I’ve grown as a person,” McGee said. “DITR has helped
me with family issues. I grew up with an absent father
and I carried baggage from that situation. I was able to
get rid of it at Diamond University. Also, I know I can go
to my mentors and get mature advice, rather than approaching girls my age.”
McGee stated that DITR has helped her learn she is important in the world. “DITR makes everyone feel important, and they teach us that we have worth. I still
battle [self-worth] every now and then. But every Saturday, I [get] my recharge,” McGee said. “I want to help
others. I couldn’t do that if I felt I was unimportant. [I
love] knowing that people believe in me.”
32 | Royal & Radiant Magazine