“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

Higher education means more open doors and availability to a better life. The reason I have chose to continue my education into college is because not only does it open doors to a better life but also build a lifelong relationship with other people that I could potentially excel with. I love animals, and I mean LOVE animals. I have 3 dogs currently and nothing makes me happier than having them here with me to cuddle, play, and enjoy each and every day. I want them to live as long as possible so for this reason and the fact I love animals I have decided to go into pre-vet. I am very excited about this for 4 different reasons. Firstly, I want to make other people happy. If someone has a sick pet they will do anything to help them because the truth is your pets are part of your family just like your siblings and parents. If one of your family members gets sick you would give anything for them to get better and a pet is no different. The second reason is since I love animals if I were to work with them every day then I wouldn’t really be working but having fun. Someone once told me “If you do what you love, you love what you do.” This is a big factor into what I will do daily for the rest of my life because if I dislike what I do then I won’t enjoy my life. The third reason is I like to fix things. I am big on making sure things work properly and as intended and if they are not working correctly I tend to attempt to fix them. With animals, when they get sick they are broken because they aren’t acting like themselves or feeling right and in order to get the animals back on track you need to fix the problem they have. Whether it’s an ear infection or a disease the right medication can get an animal back up and running. The fourth and final reason I want to go into Pre-Vet is because of teamwork. When you are a vet you need to talk to the people around you and make sure you absorb all the information because not only could they know something you don’t but they could end up not coming into work one day and you may have to take over some of their patients so communication is key. In conclusion higher education leads to a better life if you find something you love to do and do that as your job. I know it won’t be easy but I am always up for a challenge!

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

Picture this, it’s halfway through your sophomore year and you have to transfer from private to public school. Who will my new friends be? Will they accept me? Will I fit in well? This is what went through my head. That first day at my new school was rough but things got better from there. In fact my future has never been brighter. Being the new kid wasn’t east but it has impacted my life greatly! The education at my current school is a lot better than the education at my old school and it has opened more doors for me than ever before. For starters, I made a lot of new friends and they are always there for me when I need them. I just say their name or send them a text and they always respond are you ok? Secondly, there are more classes to prepare me for the future and the school is ranked in the top 5 Ohio schools for education. They offer classes in Ceramics, Woodworking, and unlike my other school Honor classes. Thirdly, they offer all the services for students on the Autism Spectrum like me. From Speech to Occupational Therapy and even a study hall where you work on your IEP goals the school does everything it can to help you succeed in life. Not to mention the teachers are always willing to spend extra time helping students if they don’t understand what is being taught. Finally, we have schedule and planning. Teachers post their schedules every week on hours they are available to work with students. For example if you need help in Math the teacher posts the hours they’re available at the start of every class. So if you need extra help Friday before school and your teacher is available that same time you will always know. In conclusion, the particular reason being the new kid changed my life is because I am getting better education than my old school could have offered me, making life long connections with other students from other back grounds, working on my IEP goals daily so I can succeed in life, and have teachers willing to work with me when I need help. Here is one thing to always remember when you start at a new job, school, or even state, being the new kid isn’t bad but an opportunity to start fresh and build stronger connections you can use later in life.

If I could have everybody in the world read a singular book it would be Wonder. The reason I chose the book Wonder is because we get to meet a character with a facial deformity named August Pullman and his family and see what their lives are like. August is constantly bullied and picked on and called names because of his deformity and would always wear a space helmet in public. Eventually he goes to public school where after some rough patches thrives. This book is a must read because it really shows people that not only do they need to treat others how they want themselves to be treated but that looks don’t matter. The more I read about August the more I wanted to meet him. He is a normal kid who just looks different. He loves Ice Cream, his dogs, playing Minecraft, and Star Wars! I cannot emphasize this enough just because he has a facial deformity doesn’t mean he is a freak or a monster! This book also showed me that you should never judge a book by its cover! August looked different but was a really cool funny kid! This book has so many lessons you can learn from inside of it and once you start reading it you cannot stop! August Pullman is a true representation of looks don’t matter! Another reason I think everybody should read this book is because it’s intriguing, I mean, how many people know what it is like to live with a facial deformity and get picked on. This is why Wonder is a must read!

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.

“Get into the car!” my brother shouted. No questions asked, I jumped into the backseat and we sped off. Minutes later, I was in front of a building that I’d never seen before, but I followed my brother in and immediately my heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my mind clouded. My first thought was great, a padded room. I was instructed to take off my shoes and get on the mats. I did what I was told. I always do. As a small first grader venturing into this space felt like I was entering a war zone–I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was there. I later found out I was there because of a bet my brother made, but whether or not he won or lost that bet didn’t matter because, in the end, I could say that I was the winner. He might have made a bet that led him to have to go to wrestling practice, but it was my life that changed that day. At the time, I had little to no friends. I was extremely shy, small, and because of my Autism, “weird”. I read slower and talked faster than other kids. I was the perfect target for bullies. I was and remain very underweight and undersized for my age. Being weaker, smaller, and weirder than a typical kid, I was constantly being teased, beaten up, and mentally abused by bullies. I vividly remember times such as when I was playing wall ball with a group of kids and three of the five people there suddenly started throwing the ball at me as hard as they could over and over again. As they did this, they would call me names like “dumb snail” and “retard”. I was hurt physically and emotionally and my parents were worried. That day I tentatively walked into that wrestling practice. I was nervous but my parents saw an opportunity. Here I am, years later and that opportunity opened the door for me to become a solid wrestler. For me, wrestling has been more than a sport of competition, it has taught me three lessons about life. First, there is no losing. When someone loses, they are really just learning. For example, I once came off a match where I didn’t do well at all, but instead of getting mad I went to my coaches and asked what I did wrong and how to fix it. I worked on those skills and the next time I wrestled that kid I won. Second, I learned that dedication is paramount. Not only did I make a commitment to wrestling but many aspects of my life benefitted from my dedication: grades and confidence. The third lesson that I learned was sportsmanship. After each match, win or lose, I always walk back to the center and shake my opponent’s hand and commend them on a “good match”. The result is that I have become a better human having gained the respect of people and made more friends. If you ask me now, I would tell you there is nothing wrong with making a bet. Because after all, the winnings would be priceless and life-changing.