You will find greater happiness in giving than in receiving gifts. This quote from many inspiring leaders has helped me better understand how a community should function. We can connect this quote to the way we want to treat our family, and really, our community is just one big family. I've always been close to my family, especially my mom, who has always shared valuable lessons like this one. People compliment me and say I do well at valuing others, but I've only learned these key traits thanks to my mom. Thanks to her wise words, I've learned to prioritize helping others in need, to be kind even if they treat me wrong, to be respectful, and to show love for everyone in general. Things won't always go my way, and I understand that, but I also believe that if I keep my word and treat everyone with respect, good things will come back to me. This summer, I've also had the chance to connect with more people. I started a small business in the barber industry, and it's been going pretty well, even though I only have limited space because I do my work in the laundry room at my house. As I mentioned, I’ve been able to connect with my community because they’ve allowed me to practice by cutting their hair. Luckily, I haven't messed up anyone's hair yet. Overall, I’ve had a good high school experience and have learned many skills, like carpentry and masonry. I am enrolled in a community college and have chosen to pursue a career as an HVAC technician, but I'll keep barbering as a hobby. I want to be like a support beam to my community—providing stability and preventing disasters. If I can’t prevent a disaster, I'll do my best to fix it, whether it's a building or helping someone in need. I'm from Texas, and I love it here, though it gets hot. Since I've had more conversations with different people, I've told them about the trade I want to pursue, and most of them tell me it's a good idea because it gets hot and there's a lot of work available since the air conditioning systems fail due to the weather being so extreme. When I become an HVAC technician, I'm sure people will be as happy to see me as I am to see them. At the end of the day, I am truly grateful for the support from my family, friends, and community, and I’ll show that gratitude when I succeed and give back to them.