Music has never felt like just an activity to me, it is where I have learned how to listen, lead, and connect with people in ways that do not always happen in everyday conversation. I play trumpet in my school band and serve as a section leader, and some of my most meaningful moments have not been performances, but rehearsals. Helping a younger player figure out a rhythm, staying after practice to run a tricky passage together, or hearing the first time our section finally locks in and sounds like one voice instead of twelve separate instruments.
Those moments are why I care so deeply about music and the arts. They create a space where people who might never talk to each other otherwise learn to rely on one another. In band, it does not matter what classes you are in, where you come from, or what you plan to do after graduation. If you miss your entrance, we all feel it, and when you nail it, we all feel that too. That shared responsibility builds a kind of trust that is hard to find anywhere else.
Performing for the community has shown me another side of music’s impact. At football games, concerts, and local events, I have watched people who seemed distracted or tired suddenly look up when they recognize a song. I have seen younger kids stare at the band with wide eyes, like they are imagining themselves there someday. I have noticed how music can shift the mood of an entire crowd in minutes, turning a quiet room into something alive and connected. Those experiences made me realize that music is not just about sound, it is about creating moments people carry with them long after the last note fades.
Being a section leader has also changed how I think about leadership. It is not about being the best player in the room. It is about making sure everyone feels like they belong there. Some of the players I have mentored started the season barely able to get through warm ups without stopping. By the end, they were performing confidently in front of hundreds of people. Watching that growth, seeing someone realize they are capable of more than they thought, is one of the most rewarding things I have experienced.
In the future, I want to use music and the arts to create those kinds of opportunities for others. Arts programs are often the first to be cut, especially in underfunded schools, even though they provide students with confidence, discipline, and a sense of community. I hope to volunteer with youth programs and schools that lack strong arts funding, helping students access instruments, mentorship, and performance opportunities. Every student deserves a space where they can express themselves and feel valued.
I also want to continue using music to bring people together. Whether through community performances, collaborative projects, or mentorship, I believe the arts can bridge differences and create shared experiences in a divided world. Music does not require everyone to agree, it simply requires them to listen.
The arts have given me confidence, purpose, and a way to connect with people beyond words. If I can help create spaces where others feel that same sense of belonging and possibility, then I know I am making a positive impact, one note at a time.
I have been surrounded by music and art my entire life. I’ve attended musical festivals since I was six months old, I’ve participated in theatre productions since I was eight, and I’ve enjoyed visual arts since I was twelve. Throughout High School, I started to focus more and more on these hobbies of mine. I joined a rock band, participated in my school’s choir, started taking advanced art classes, and joined an audition-based theatre group. The arts have motivated my passion for the past four years, and I plan to continue my involvement long after graduation.
In ninth grade, I decided to take advanced art, and have spent the past four years developing my art skills and portfolio during school. Now, in senior year, I’m one of two students in AP Art V at my school. Throughout these years, I have learned many artistic techniques that have helped me develop as an artist and discover the kind of artist that I was to be. Through trial and exploration, I have learned my strengths and weaknesses, as well as where I am passionate. I have poured my heart into every piece I have created. Telling my story through visual art has been a gift that not many are given. It helped me connect with classmates and friends beyond just words, as a language of storytelling.
At the start of tenth grade, I joined the rock band my best friend was in, Abuse of Gravity. For two years, I performed as the band’s lead singer, and was provided with numerous performance opportunities I never thought I’d see. Being a part of this band taught me how to rely on my fellow musicians for support and community. Leaving Abuse of Gravity was a difficult decision to make, but I knew I had to focus my senior year on college applications, to work towards my future. I hope to participate in another musical experience like this again in the future. Being in a rock band connected me to so many new people, and I look forward to returning to the stage later in life.
For most of my life, I have participated in the art of Musical Theatre in and out of school. When I reached High School, though, I decided to try out tech crew for my school. I spent time in many different crews, including set, sound, and lighting. I fell in love with the backstage elements of theatre productions. At the end of my Junior year, I ran alongside one of my close friends, and was elected as co-head of set crew for my school. In this position, I serve as a student creative director of our set builds. I assist in making creative decisions about the set, and lead all of the set crew in building and painting the sets for our school productions.
Art is one of the only truly universal languages of the world, transcending both time and distance. It connects all kinds of people to one another, and helps to convey emotions that would otherwise be difficult to share. This year, I am a participant in 3 Arts honor societies- Tri-M Music Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and officer of International Thespian Society. These experiences have shaped me into the artist I intend to be in my professional career. Next year, I plan to attend Pace University to study Production and Design for Stage and Screen. Here, I want to discover how design can amplify the impact of Musical Theatre on audiences, and use this education to reach the hearts and minds of audiences.
