Fall 2026 Winner of the Power of Change Scholarship

Kyra Johnson

Kyra, the Fall 2026 winner of the Power of Change Scholarship, is passionate about working toward a more just and equitable legal system and advocating for those who need it most. Originally inspired by a school field trip, Kyra has developed a deep interest for criminal justice and forensices.

Read Their Essay Here:

I could spend hours deep in a case file and not even notice time passing. Whether its looking at crime scene photos or figuring out how all the little details add up, something about criminal justice and forensics just locks me in. Its just the mystery of it allsolving what feels unsolvable. I first got hooked back in fifth grade on a field trip to the Chicago courthouse downtown. We watched a hit-and-run case unfold in real time. I remember being so drawn in by how the lawyer asked questions and how the evidenceeverything from medical reports to physical cluesstarted to build a bigger picture. It felt like watching a story unravel backwards.

Later, I read Monster, a book about a boy on trial who starts turning everything into a movie script, showing his perspective as the one being convicted. That made me realize how much of the justice system is about perspective and how quickly someone can end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. That stuck with me. Growing up in a minority household, there was always tension around the police and the justice system. I heard a lot of negative opinions, and honestly, I understood them. But Ive also had chances to meet officers and ask real questionsand that made me want to understand both sides more. That curiosity pushed me to take two college criminal justice courses during high school and even do a forensic investigation project in my college bio class. I analyzed fake fingerprints, blood, limestone, and ink to solve a kidnapping case, and I treated it like it was real. When I want to learn more, I go everywheretextbooks, professors, podcasts, even public records. I listen to true crime stories and trace how the evidence led to arrests. Even though I love shows like Criminal Minds, I know real cases are messier, slower, and more complicatedand thats what makes them interesting. What fascinates me most is the science behind the scenes. Gunshot trajectory, rigor mortis, arson patterns, even tracing someones digital footprintit all adds up to the truth. I think people overlook how much quiet, detailed work goes into justice. I care about this field because crime isnt black and white. People live in the gray. And while we cant stop bad things from happening, we can do better at responding to them. Theres so much wrong with our systemwrongful convictions, racial profiling, prisons that dont actually help peoplebut theres also room to change it. Thats exactly why I want to major in criminal justice or forensics. Im drawn to both the legal side and the investigative sidehow cases are built, how evidence is analyzed, how justice is served. I want to understand this system inside and out, both its flaws and its potential. I want to be someone who not only solves problems but prevents them. Whether I end up in forensic analysis, investigation, or criminal law, I know this is the path where I can ask the hard questions, challenge broken systems, and fight for trutheven when its buried deep. Im persistent. I dont miss the little things. And I know the truth, no matter how hidden, is always worth finding.