Coming from a low income household, which became a single parent household eventually, has taught me resilience, patience, determination, how to be wise with my money. Despite the hardships we faced, and struggles with money and stress, my mom always made sure to be strong and a good teacher to us. She always did her best, and was always working to take care of me and my siblings. I plan to use my experience to advocate for others who struggle with money, and I plan on using what I learned during my upbringing to help others learn things like the value of a dollar and to help them learn to be strong. I am actively working towards pursuing my goals by looking for job and community service opportunities that I can use to help others or learn more. I also like to help others at school out quietly whenever I can.

I am a fan of Wicked because it talks about a familiar story in a entertaining and different way. The movie is a story about identity, friendship, and the cost of standing up for what is right. Its emotional depth, powerful music, and complex characters are what make it so meaningful. I admire the movies unique perspective and the fact it actually focuses on Elphaba. I also enjoy the friendship between Glinda and Elphaba, despite how different their personalities can be at times. I feel as though I can relate to the movie and like I have a connection to some parts of it because of my own personal experiences. One of the main reasons I love Wicked is its new perspective on the movie "The Wizard of Oz". By telling the story from the point of view of the “wicked” witch, the musical challenges the idea that people are simply good or evil. Elphaba is misunderstood, judged for her appearance, and labeled as a villain before anyone truly knows her. I feel like I relate to this on a personal level, as it reminds me of my middle school self. I was what is considered to be "weird". I had lost my friends over something I couldn't control. This, along with the fact I had just got a not so good looking haircut, caused me to become the target of bullying and teasing from many of my classmates. Just Like the wicked witch, I was judged for no reason before people even knew me. The characters are another reason I am a fan. Elphaba’s journey is inspiring because she remains true to her values even when it costs her popularity and safety. Her struggle to do what is right in an unfair world feels realistic and reminds me of my younger self that I previously mentioned. Glinda shows how easy it is to choose comfort and approval over courage. The friendship between the two reflects the complicated ways people grow together and apart and shows that you can put differences aside sometimes. Watching their relationship change over time makes the story feel emotional. As a music lover, the songs in Wicked also resonate with me and make me enjoy the movie even more. They are what convince me to start watching the movie in the first place. Music has always been a big part of my identity, and it got me through some of the toughest times in my life. I love music and a good song can make a movie so much better for me. The songs in Wicked are memorable and a lot of them are meaningful. Not only do I love the messages the songs convey, but I also have a personal connection to them. I am a member of the marching band, and this year we played a show based on Wicked, using lots of songs from the movie and from the original Wizard of Oz. The movie is now something that will always take me back to/remind me of senior year because of this, which is a huge factor that makes me really love this movie.

When I was about 6, we went from a household of 6, and soon to be 7, to a house of 5 and soon to be 6. I remember being confused as to what was going on. I didn't really know what the word divorce meant. My mom explained to me and my sisters that things would be different, and what divorce meant. We all felt anger and sadness. I felt betrayed because I knew I had a baby brother coming soon, and I saw my 3 little sisters were confused and sad too. They were very young but still understood the concept. As we got a little older, me and my siblings felt less betrayed, and started to understand and get used to everything. Growing up with a single mother shaped me in more ways than most other parts of my life growing up. I am the oldest daughter of my mom, and since I was quite young, I have been helping my mom take care of my 4 little siblings. From things like getting them ready and walking them to school so mom can go to work, or just simply babysitting them on weekends instead of hanging out with friends, I am always willing to help my mom. Despite having a single mom, I still believe I grew up to be a good and behaved person. When I was younger, I did occasionally feel envious of my friends whose parents were still together. My mom would need me to babysit my siblings sometimes while she did work in a different room. I would get mad about having to help so often, and as I got older, she began asking me to watch them without her being there. The older I got, the more I recognized everything my mom did to make sure me and my siblings grew up happy. I stopped complaining about watching my siblings, even if it interrupted my plans, because I felt my mom deserved and needed my help. Having a single mom and helping with my siblings actually was part of the reason I started to want to pursue the career that I chose. I loved the feeling of realizing that something my siblings do, say, or a way they act is because of what I taught them. Growing up with a single mom helped me to be strong and independent. I learned how to take care of myself and others. I learned that you don't need anyone else to help you in life(but it is preferable). I often found myself feeling a little overwhelmed or stressed due to my younger siblings behavior, which helped me learn emotional regulation skills and helped with my time management as well. I learned to be selfless, and put others before myself sometimes. I also learned to take time for myself whenever I can, and that it's okay to be alone or by yourself sometimes. While my younger self didn't understand why I had to babysit and help my siblings so much, my older self now understands. Growing up with a single mom encouraged me to want to help others. I learned to regulate both mine and other people's emotions, and I learned how to properly manage my time. I realized I liked being able to help and teach my siblings, which is a part of the reason I want to be a teacher. Growing up with a single mom ended up being a very big factor in my personality, emotions, and my independence. Although it was difficult to deal with at times, I learned how to cope.