Senior, Jazmyne Slay, walked into the unfamiliar doors of CCS this past fall with one goal: to grow in her walk with the Lord and to meet people who help her become the best version of herself before beginning the next chapter of her life. Slay was born in the Lake Norman area, located outside of Charlotte, NC. She describes her childhood as simply “the best”, as Slay loves to spend time with family. Growing up, a typical week for Slay was spent with her cousin, Bryce Slay. Whether it was playing basketball in the driveway or dinner with the entire family, Slay cherished every moment of her childhood with her family. 

Her parents, Michael and Jessica, have played a major role in shaping who Slay is. Both manage their own business, Recharge. Recharge is an organization that incorporates massage and physical therapy to rehab individuals. Slay also has a twelve-year-old sister, Mia, who is in the fifth grade and attends Union Day School. The Slay family would not be complete without their puppy, Jordan. Not only does Slay spend time with family on weekends, but gets the opportunity to spend time with her cousin and uncle while on campus. Bryce Slay is a current Junior at CCS and is on the Varsity Men’s Basketball team. His father, Tamar Slay, is not only the Head Coach for the basketball team but is Slay’s uncle. CCS was fortunate to have three members of the Slay family join the Carmel family!

Slay’s school journey has been one full of transitions and new experiences. Slay has attended both public and private schools throughout her career. She began her early elementary school days in the Lake Norman area. She transitioned to Bailey Middle School in Concord, NC where she spent the sixth and half of seventh grade. Slay’s family was actively involved in her church and decided to move to Florida with several members to help rebuild the congregation. The family packed up in the middle of the school year and moved to Gainesville, FL. Shortly after settling in Gainesville, the Lord called the church to move once more to Orlando, FL for three more years. At the beginning of her sophomore year, the family decided to move back to Charlotte to be reunited with family. They moved to the Weddington area and Slay finished her sophomore year at United Faith Christian Academy. Junior year, she transitioned to Sun Valley High School but continued to look for other Christian school options for her final year of high school. After touring numerous in the area, Slay decided that Carmel would be the perfect fit.

Although her time on campus has been short, Slay has made lasting memories that will stay with her for a long time. Volleyball season allowed Slay to meet friends who made the transition to a new environment a little smoother. Slay enjoyed the fun moments of practice, cheering on her teammates and growing in her skills. Slay’s first and last trip to Windy Gap was also an opportunity she cherished. She enjoyed spending time with her new friends and growing in her relationship with God.

Although Basketball runs in her family, Slay learned to love the game of volleyball. She began playing in the sixth grade, but because of the move to Florida, she was unable to play a full season until eighth grade. Slay states, “At the time, I was trying to decide if I wanted to play basketball or volleyball.” She liked basketball toward the end of middle school but saw herself playing volleyball throughout high school and college. She began her club volleyball career at Top Select Volleyball Club in Orlando, FL. Once she returned to NC, she joined Queen City and loved the club’s environment. Slay shares, “I always knew I wanted to play volleyball in college but did not take it seriously until the end of sophomore year.” She began to be consistent in her workouts, time in the gym and prepping for recruitment. In her junior year at Sun Valley, Slay was surrounded by Division 1 players who pushed her to grow in skill and work ethic.

Slay decided to pursue her goal of playing at the collegiate level and began her recruitment process early on in high school. Although the process was difficult and slow at times, she continued to stay consistent. In her 2022-2023 club season, she began to get heavily recruited by coaches. This motivated her to stay intentional about her workouts and practice time. She shares, “I had to stay consistent in my training.” Alongside being offered to play at the collegiate level, Slay has also accumulated numerous accomplishments. She is proud of the recognition she has received from various school and club programs for being most improved and growing in her skills. She uses that as motivation to continue working and acknowledges that her work is paying off. In 2022, her high school team at Sun Valley made it to the 4A High School Girls Volleyball championship and was runner-up.

Although Slay occupies her time by training and time in the gym, she also has many hobbies that she enjoys doing off the court. Slay enjoys expressing her artistic abilities through painting and drawing. This year she decided to take part in Ms. Gooch’s Art II course and is learning new concepts to enhance her skills. She also enjoys spending time with her friends, working out at the gym and attending Bible study and church on Sundays. 

Slay’s faith has been pivotal in her life, specifically during her final school years. Her parents have been wonderful role models for Slay and lived out their faith in tangible ways. Although her parents have presented the love of God to Slay, she had to decide for herself.  Slay states, “I have had to go through a majority of my life to realize that Jesus is the only way to live a fulfilled life.” In 2022, Slay faced various trials and battled depression. It was during those trying times that Slay began an intentional pursuit of Jesus. Since then, Slay has tried to be consistent in her faith because of the opportunities and experiences the Lord has given her. She uses different social media platforms to reach other people and to share her faith. She wants to create opportunities for others to hear about the Lord and how to grow in their faith. 

Slay plans to attend Winston Salem State University located in Winston Salem, NC. She hopes to pursue a degree in business and create her own business: “Seeing my parents create a business from scratch has shown me the dos and don’ts.” Slay would love to branch off her parent’s business and partner with them to build on the organization. On April 16, Slay signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Winston Salem State University Volleyball team. She is eager to join the Ram culture and is excited for the opportunity the school has to offer.

While on campus Slay has formed numerous relationships with friends who have welcomed her with open arms. Senior, Blessing Uzomba, shares, “Jaz was a great encourager on and off the court during volleyball season. She always is one I can go to and talk to during hard times. She has been an amazing influence on my relationship with God.” Senior, Hailey Boden, adds, “She is so funny and she’s easy to connect with and you can always talk to her about anything.”