Continuing to play my flute in high school was one of the best decisions I ever made. It has positively affected me because my favorite high school memories have involved playing music, or spending time with the people I have met through playing in different bands and orchestras. Music has improved my life during high school in every way. My best friend is a flute player. We have been sitting next to each other in band class since sixth grade, and this is our last year in high school band together before we graduate. We are going to different colleges and it is sad to think about playing in a band without her, but I have enjoyed every minute of our time together. We understand each other in a way no one else can because we both have family members who have had serious health struggles in our high school careers. My mom was diagnosed with cancer in 2021. Having a family member with cancer is frightening and stressful. Some cancers, like my mom's cancer, are very rare. A lot is unknown about her cancer and the best ways to treat it. She has finished her chemo treatments, but her tumor is currently inoperable. She has improved a lot in the last couple of years, but she is not cancer free yet. My best friend has encouraged me to stay positive and do the best that I can in everything I do. She has had a very positive impact on my life. None of this would have been possible without music. If we did not have band class together, she would just be another acquaintance. I am so glad we both decided to take band in high school. Since my high school band is very small, we are all very close, and every player is extremely important to the band as a whole. Everyone is very committed to the group and we sound great together. I enjoy rehearsing and performing with my friends. Our band has played for football and basketball games, special holiday programs, and spring concerts. We participate in fun activities other than making music inside and outside the band room. The day after a concert we usually play video games together, or go outside to play football. A lot of band members are in our school's chess club. I enjoy meeting with them after school and playing chess matches. I always have a good time with my friends from band no matter what we are doing. I love the camaraderie we have in the band room. We are like a family. The band room is a very encouraging environment, where younger students have always helped older students. My former band director, who I had for six years, is one of the best teachers I have ever had. He established a very friendly environment that made me feel welcome as a sixth grader at a new school. He encourages all his students to do their best, in every aspect of their lives. He has made a huge impact in my life opening my heart to the love of music and the love of helping other band students reach their music goals. Because of the impact music has had on my life, I want to become a band director and create a positive, nurturing environment for other students. I want to foster other kids' love of music like my band director did for me. Being able to play music everyday is an amazing experience, and my high school years would not have been the same without it.

Dog with the Blog and Austin & Ally are my favorite Disney Channel shows. This is how the crossover episode, "Secret Skills and Service Dogs", should go: Stan is a huge fan of Austin and Ally! He writes about them in his blog all the time. He tells his readers that he is super excited about the A & A music factory grand opening, but disappointed that he will never be able to go. Its distance from Pasadena and the fact that he is a dog prohibits him from enrolling. Weeks later, Tyler announces that his BMX team's next tournament is in Miami. Stan tells Avery to convince her parents to allow her to go with Tyler. Avery and Stan leave with Tyler the next week. Tyler enrolls Avery in music lessons and Avery creates false documents claiming that Stan is her service dog. Everything goes really well during the first few days. Tyler's team wins their first competition. Even though Avery is not as obsessed with Austin and Ally as Stan, she enjoys their music and learns a lot at the music factory. Stan watches carefully and tries to learn everything along with Avery. On the fourth day, however, Stan starts becoming restless. Stan wanders downstairs and sees that Austin is singing his favorite song "I Got That Rock'n Roll". He sneaks downstairs. Because Austin is concentrated on practicing, he does not notice Stan. Stan lays down in the hallway and begins singing along. He does not realize that Dez is in the recording studio. Dez walks into the hallway, and hears Stan singing! Stan convinces Dez to keep his ability a secret so the government will not take him away and experiment on him. The next day, Stan leaves Avery's lesson in order to hang out with Dez. Dez asks Stan if he has any other talents. Stan shows Dez what he has learned from Avery's piano lessons. He also shows Dez his acting skills. Stan even lets Dez record his voice while singing some of Austin's songs. Later that day, Austin plays back the recordings made in the sound room and discovers Stan's voice. He asks Dez who was singing. Dez tells Austin it was one of his friends. Austin insists on Dez's friend singing live for the next "Friends and Family Night". Dez tells Stan what happened, and he is forced to admit to Avery that Dez found out his secret, so she can help them come up with a plan. They tell Tyler that he can pretend to be Stan and lip sync to a recording. The only problem is, Tyler has a BMX competition the day of "Friends and Family Night". On "Friends and Family Night", Dez convinces Austin, Ally, and Trish to let Tyler perform first. Dez goes to the BMX competition and stalls with his tap dancing. Tyler "performs" with Austin by lip syncing to Stan's voice. The crowd loves it! Tyler runs to his competition afterward and has to miss Avery's performance. Tyler makes it to the BMX competition and his team wins! Everything has gone according to plan. They can't believe they have pulled it off. At the end of the episode, they come back to the the music factory to say goodbye to Dez. Just as Dez is promising never to tell anyone Stan's secret, Austin walks in the room. Austin asks about this secret. Best friends don't keep secrets from each other. Avery quickly lies and says Stan's secret is playing the piano. Stan goes to the piano to prove it. He amazes everyone with his piano skills!

The Harry Potter series is one of my favorite fantasy series because it includes many mysteries and adventures along with its magical aspects. My favorite characters are Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, and Dobby. My favorite books are Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. I have often wondered what Hogwarts house I would be sorted into. I think I would be sorted into Ravenclaw because I am smart and hardworking. Rowena Ravenclaw's most notable trait was her intelligence. She valued academic achievement and had high expectations for her students. She encouraged her students to embrace their curiosity, ask questions, and learn new things. Just like Rowena, I value academic achievement. I prioritize my schoolwork and set high standards for myself. I focus on school not only because I believe that education is important, but because I enjoy learning new things. I enjoy reading nonfiction as well as fiction. I like learning about history and science. I also love learning about music. I am a flute player and band is my favorite class at school. I enjoy learning new notes and musical terms. Because of my intelligence, I would fit in well in Ravenclaw. Even though Ravenclaw students are usually smart and talented, they still work hard. They are known to constantly study. Most of them could make decent grades without any effort, but Ravenclaw students and teachers are not satisfied with minimal effort. They put all of their effort into every activity in which they are involved. I also work very hard. I am taking very difficult classes this year. They require a lot of time and effort, especially AP Calculus, but I enjoy challenging myself. I also work hard outside of the classroom. I have played on the tennis team at Augusta Christian Schools for five years. I received a varsity letter every year and received other awards including all-region. Our team is small and we are in a very competitive league, so we do not win many matches. Despite this, I still start every match with a positive attitude and play to the best of my ability. The schools around us are also competitive musically. Every year since I was in seventh grade, I have tried out for the District Band. I have to compete against players from schools in a lot of different counties, many of which have a band that is at least three times the size of my band. I was rejected many times, before finally making it for the first time during my junior year. I refused to let those setbacks discourage me. Because of my diligence and determination, I would fit in well in the Ravenclaw house. I would be the perfect fit for Ravenclaw because I am intelligent and hardworking. I believe that I exemplify the enthusiasm, talent, and curiosity that Rowena Ravenclaw looked for in her students. I believe I demonstrate the dedication and drive that most Ravenclaw students display. I would love to attend Hogwarts as a Ravenclaw student if Hogwarts was a real school.

My favorite thing about Disney is the movies they make. I loved watching Disney movies as a child and, as a seventeen-year-old, I still love Disney movies. I enjoy the action scenes, romantic scenes, and everything in between. I love older movies like 101 Dalmatians and Aladdin, and newer movies, such as Tangled and Frozen. I like the magical aspects of the movies such as talking animals and enchanted objects. Even though they are full of magic, Disney movies are relatable and teach lessons that can be applied to real life. It is amazing how Disney movies can transport me to a magical land far away that somehow looks familiar to my own life. My favorite Disney movie when I was little was Beauty & the Beast. My hobby has always been reading, so I loved seeing a Disney Princess who also enjoyed books. I admire her because she is very smart, ambitious, and brave. She has a lot of confidence in herself. She is compassionate and gentle with her father and the beast. Her beauty, grace, and intelligence cause her to stand out in her small town. I also admired her curiosity. Her desire to learn did get her in trouble several times, but it worked out in the end. As a little girl, I wanted to be just like her. Now that I am older, I see another lesson in the movie, Beauty & the Beast. I see Belle's confidence in a new light. She knows her worth as a woman. Gaston is obviously in love with her. He wants to marry her, but she refuses. She wants a husband that treats her with respect. She wants to be with someone loving and selfless. As one of the most self-absorbed Disney characters, Gaston is the opposite of that. Instead of compromising or lowering her standards like some girls do, she happily stays single. She has the desire to marry someday, but she will not compromise. In a time where many girls find their worth in a relationship, Belle proves that a strong woman, with the help of an encouraging parent, can succeed without a significant other. To me, Disney movies are an engaging way to teach confidence and self-worth. As a teenager, my favorite Disney movie is The Lion King. I love animals so I enjoy watching a movie with so many different types of interesting animals. One of the reasons I enjoy this movie is that almost every character is funny. Timone, Pumba, Rafiki, and the hyenas all make me laugh. This movie also has one of the best Disney villains: Scar. He is sly and cunning. He is very smart and detailed. I enjoy the music in The Lion King and always sing along. I also love a happy ending, especially one with an adorable baby animal. After Simba runs away home, Rafiki finds him. He tells Simba, “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it". This is one of the most inspiring Disney quotes. It reminds me that I will make mistakes. That is unavoidable. The important thing is being brave enough to admit to mistakes and fix them. Simba listened to Rafiki and went home to confront Scar and admit his failures. He boldly and fiercely stood up for what he believed in. I want to do the same in my life. Disney movies teach people to learn from failure, be brave enough to face the past and embrace their future.

I started attending Augusta Christian in 2017. I was a sixth grader. I was nervous about coming to a new school. I was nervous about making new friends. I did not have a passion for any subject. I liked playing tennis, but I did not love sports the way my brother did. I had gone to a music camp a few weeks earlier and I had enjoyed it, but I had no desire to pursue music. I joined the band because my older brother, Sawyer, was in band class when he was in middle school. On my first day of school, I met the band director, Todd Jenkins. At the time, he had been teaching at Augusta Christian for three years and playing trumpet for about thirty years. He was beloved by all band students and his trumpet students from other schools. He is one of the best trumpet teachers in our area. I knew none of that when I met him. After one week with him, I knew him simply as a caring, funny, and personable teacher. Students at Augusta Christian can start playing an instrument in fifth grade, so I was a year behind. I started playing the flute. It is one of the instruments Mr. Jenkins knows the least about, but he encouraged me every day and helped me in every way he could. He quickly became my favorite teacher. In February 2018, Sawyer was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. He went through chemo treatments that lasted almost a year. He had surgery to remove his tumor and replace his knee and femur. He can no longer run or jump. He had to give up sports. That year was terrifying for me. I was only twelve and my older brother had cancer. I was at a new school. I decided to talk to Mr. Jenkins about Sawyer and how I was feeling. Being able to talk to someone made me feel a lot better. After hearing about Sawyer's diagnosis, many of my parent's friends sent us cards, meals, and gifts. Mr. Jenkins had not known us for very long. He did not have to do anything for us, but he decided to anyway. He sent Sawyer a card and a gift. He gave me a gift card to Barnes & Noble because I had told him that I liked to read. That Christmas, he gave homemade fudge to my family. My mom was diagnosed with cancer in May of 2021. She has a neuroendocrine carcinoma in her pancreas. She had chemo treatments every month for a year starting in August 2021. This diagnosis was more difficult to process than Sawyer's diagnosis. Chemo is less effective against her type of cancer. My mom cannot have surgery to remove her cancer. She has to live with it. I was in the ninth grade and Mr. Jenkins was still my band director. He continued to encourage my family through this new trial. Mr. Jenkins has taught me that small acts of kindness can greatly impact people. He has taught me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. He has given me confidence and a more positive outlook on life. I am a more friendly and compassionate person because of him. I am grateful that I have had him as a teacher for six years. Mr. Jenkins fostered my love of music. I did not know that playing an instrument could be so fun until I met him. He has inspired me to continue playing my flute past high school. I want to become a band director just like him.

Several people in my family have been diagnosed with cancer. Although my experience with cancer has harmed my career aspirations, it has greatly strengthened my faith in God and my relationships with my family. In February 2018, my brother, Sawyer, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his left leg. He was sixteen years old at the time. The doctors told us that he would never play sports again, and he would probably have to repeat a grade because of the yearlong chemo treatments. We did not have to move across the country for his treatment. He was able to go to a hospital a few miles from our house. He had a successful surgery in May and finished his last chemo treatment in November. Because of technology and his helpful teachers, he was able to continue school without having to repeat a grade. In 2019, my mom noticed she was becoming tired more easily. She would start breathing heavily after doing normal activities. In January 2021, she came down with Covid-19. She continued to become sicker even after she finished her quarantine and tested negative. She was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine carcinoma surrounding her pancreas in May 2021. The doctor said she had been living with it for ten years without knowing it. She had to see a specialist in Houston's MD Anderson and get her treatment options. She had to take chemo treatments for a year, starting in August 2022. Her type of cancer is difficult to treat, but the chemo caused it to shrink. My mom still takes monthly injections to stop the further growth of her tumor. It is inoperable. My brother grew up loving sports. He is the most athletic person I know. He can no longer run or jump. Ever since he was three years old, he said he wanted to be a professional baseball player. His diagnosis ruined that possibility. My mom always dreamed of being a teacher. She is the best teacher I know. She had been teaching for a while before her diagnosis. Every year, all her students loved her. When she taught in public school, she taught mainstream elementary classes. When she came to Augusta Christian, she taught fourth and fifth graders with learning disabilities. Because of her diagnosis, she can no longer work. Because of these events, I do not like to think about a career of my own. I am afraid of being disappointed. I do not want to decide on a career, because I am scared that circumstances will keep me from pursuing it. I do not want to get my hopes crushed. I was discouraged after hearing Sawyer's diagnosis, but God was with us. Even when I did not trust Him, He took care of my family. We lived only a few miles from a hospital that had experience treating osteosarcoma. My mom was a teacher while Sawyer was receiving chemo. She was new at her school, but all of the other teachers showed our family great kindness. They donated their sick days to her, sent us meals, and prayed for her. Sawyer had also moved to Augusta Christian with my mom and me. His new teachers and guidance counselor helped him get all of the credits he needed to graduate on time. God saved my brother and I have faith that He will save my mom too. Having a family member brought my family closer together. We are more honest with each other. We encourage each other often. My experience with cancer has taught me that my family is strong. We can do anything.