With a passion for leadership and a heart for service, Sydney Cummings, a 2024 Carson Scholar from St. Michaels, Maryland, who won the scholarship as an eighth-grade student, channels her talents to uplift her community and chase her dreams. As a sports fan, she aspires to be a sports broadcaster one day, reliving her childhood memories of watching baseball from the other side of the screen. Sydney is positively impacting her community as a leader inside and outside of school. As co-captain of her school’s color guard team, she fosters a fun and inclusive environment for all 35 members, while skillfully designing routines and leading practices. This past year she helped plan school events and host a food drive as a member of her school’s National Junior Honor Society. Outside of school, Sydney serves as the president of the Bay 100 4H club, demonstrating the value of volunteering and the importance of giving back to the community. Sydney shared that her proudest accomplishment is starting a small business, through which she discovered that her passion for sewing was a key factor in helping her community by producing masks during the pandemic.

Sydney thrives in leadership positions because she enjoys helping others grow and succeed. She strives to be a role model for others. She vows to always succeed in everything she sets her mind to by not accepting “no” as an answer and holding herself accountable to overcome barriers. Sydney’s hard-work and go-getter mentality has earned her multiple notable recognitions including Principal’s Honor Roll and an award for Notable Character. Sydney’s leadership qualities, hard work and goal-oriented mindset have fulfilled her and will continue to lead her towards success in the future.