There might be an “I” in family, but my mom knows how to make that “I” a “we.” Growing up with a single mother has given me some of the most rewarding moments of my life. My mom is the strongest woman I know, and I owe her every success I have. Her dream was to have a family, and she made that dream a reality with my brother and me. Even during the times when we didn’t have a lot of extra money, my mom always knew how to make things sparkle. She is the queen of planning parties. She created elaborate celebrations for our birthdays, fundraisers, cast parties, you name it. She was an unpaid party planner simply because she wanted to make us smile. She never wanted my brother or me to feel like we weren’t important or loved. My mom has always encouraged us to reach for the stars. She pushed us to try new things and never made us feel like our dreams were too big. When I told her I wanted to start competing in pageants at 19, in an industry that famously begins when girls are toddlers, she didn’t bat an eye. She simply supported me. She is my biggest fan and has never missed anything I do. I feel most loved when I have someone in the audience cheering me on, and she became my loudest cheerleader. No matter what I am pursuing, I know she will be there. My biggest goal in life is to make her proud. I want to thank my mom for giving me a better life than the one she had. She has worked my entire life to provide me with a better future. I try to honor her sacrifices by studying hard, earning A’s, and applying for as many scholarships as I can. I don’t want any burdens to fall on her because she has already done so much for me. After I graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, I want to attend graduate school and become the first person in my family to earn a master’s degree. After all my years of education, I want to build a career that allows me to give my mom the life she deserves. I don’t want her to have to work four jobs just to keep everything afloat. I want her to be able to rest. While I doubt she would ever truly sit still, I want her to know that she no longer has to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. For 21 years, my mom has put me first. She has given me her time, her energy, her dreams, and her love. Now, I want to spend the rest of my life giving some of that love back to her. She has put me first for the first 21 years of my life, so I will put her first for the next 21 years, and every day after that.

I have always been different from my peers. I could not stop worrying, could not stop crying, could not get out of my own head. As I grew older, the feeling of never ending pressure became a part of my every day life. No matter how many hugs my parents gave me or listening ears I received from my friends, nothing would put my fears at ease. I have always experienced extreme Anxiety, but it wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I got the proper diagnosis. Along with this, I was diagnosed with Depression and Suicidal Ideation. It was scary to hear the words out loud, but I knew my physiatrist was right. This was not your everyday stress, it was chronic and debilitating. I couldn’t go on without help any longer. I began seeing a therapist two years ago, in order to overcome the fears of medical trauma that I had experienced. In college, I began taking an Anti-Depressant, which I do not know if I would still be here without it. I have had friends who lost their battles with suicide, and I don’t want to inflict that pain on anyone else. But there are some days, it is really hard to find the light. That’s how mental illness affects many of us. We just have to keep looking for the joyful things that make us smile. I keep sticky notes with happy sayings on my mirror, so that is the first thing I see everyday. I journal my feelings every night and it has become one of my favorite parts of my day. I listen to my favorite songs when anxiety starts to creep up into my head, because music helps me feel at home. I wish people could see what is going on inside my head, because it is not a pretty sight. But little by little, I have been cleaning up the mess that I was born with. If the mess becomes to much, I know the feelings that my life is ending will eventually pass, and I have handle worse. I do not know why I was made to go through having mental illness, but we all have our own struggles. I am able to use my experiences to help others who are in the same situation. If I could help just one person out a panic attack using the skills I have learned, then it will make all of this worth it. Helping others is the best way to heal from your past and maybe someday in the far future, all of the pain I have encountered will become a silly little memory.

Eating disorders are one of the world's most well-kept secrets. No one told me what they were when I was younger, so I didn't know why this was happening to me before it was too late. When I in was eighth grade, my world was falling apart. My family was moving and it took the entire year to sell the house. My dad also thought it was the best time to start working in California again and in doing so I felt abandoned. I felt like I didn't have any control over what was going on in my life. Everything was changing and I was Depressed. When I finally seemed to start to feel better my ED took over my life. I first saw the videos as the school year was coming to a close. These Pro-Anna videos started to pop up on my page. I didn't know what any of it meant and I became obsessed. I just kept watching them over and over again. I soon started to limit what I eat. It was slow at first, throwing out some of my lunch when I was at school. But that wasn't enough. I found a tiny little journal that I could keep in my purse. I wrote in it every single day documenting everything that entered my mouth. I would feel ashamed when I had more than a few words on the pages. I would freak out if I had any full meals. When the school year came back into session, I was now in high school. My physical activity was hours each day between two swim teams and a color guard. I was eating anything at all barely. At my fifteenth birthday party, I didn't eat my favorite pizza in the fear of gaining weight. It was getting worse than ever before. After a few months, I hit my lowest weight. I had lost just under fifteen pounds in nine months. Only one person knew how much pain I was in. I have never been that low again but it killed me that I couldn't get back to the weight. Now I'm eighteen and I don't know why this is still with me. This was just supposed to be a summer fling. I'm a Senior trying to decide which college I should attend. I shouldn't be worrying about what snack has the lowest calories. I wished I had someone to talk to during all of this time. My ED kept me in the dark when it came to relationships. It didn't let me discuss what was happening to me with many people. Even now, it is hard to discuss my hardships with the ones I love. My eating disorder wanted to keep me silent. But now, I can see that I have a voice. What I say and do matters. This has lead me to enjoy journalism. It gives me an outlet to express myself in way that others can enjoy. It has shown me that I can report the hard things as well as the good. My experience has caused me a lot of pain. But I'm in a place now in my life that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can begin to create new relationships and enjoy new activities. My ED has hurt my outlook on the world, but I am taking it back.

Eating disorders are one of the world's most well-kept secrets. No one told me what they were when I was younger, so I didn't know why this was happening to me before it was too late. When I in was eighth grade, my world was falling apart. My family was moving and it took the entire year to sell the house. My dad also thought it was the best time to start working in California again and in doing so I felt abandoned. I felt like I didn't have any control over what was going on in my life. Everything was changing and I was Depressed. When I finally seemed to start to feel better my ED took over my life. I first saw the videos as the school year was coming to a close. These Pro-Anna videos started to pop up on my page. I didn't know what any of it meant and I became obsessed. I just kept watching them over and over again. I soon started to limit what I eat. It was slow at first, throwing out some of my lunch when I was at school. But that wasn't enough. I found a tiny little journal that I could keep in my purse. I wrote in it every single day documenting everything that entered my mouth. I would feel ashamed when I had more than a few words on the pages. I would freak out if I had any full meals. When the school year came back into session, I was now in high school. My physical activity was hours each day between two swim teams and a color guard. I was eating anything at all barely. At my fifteenth birthday party, I didn't eat my favorite pizza in the fear of gaining weight. It was getting worse than ever before. After a few months, I hit my lowest weight. I had lost just under fifteen pounds in nine months. Only one person knew how much pain I was in. I have never been that low again but it killed me that I couldn't get back to the weight. Now I'm seventeen and I don't know why this is still with me. This was just supposed to be a summer thing. I'm a Junior trying to decide what colleges I should go to, I shouldn't be worrying about what snack has the lowest calories. I wished I had someone to talk to during all of this time. My ED kept me in the dark when it came to relationships. It didn't let me discuss what was happening to me with many people. Even now, it is hard to discuss my hardships to the ones I love. My eating disorder wanted to keep me silent. But now, I can see that I have a voice. What I say and do matters. This has lead me to enjoy journalism. It gives me an outlet to express my self in way that others can enjoy. It has shown me that I can report the hard things as well as the good. My experience has caused me a lot of pain. But I'm in a place now in my life that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can begin to create new relationships and enjoy new activities. My ED has hurt my outlook on the world, but I am taking it back.

Hope. Hope is the greatest gift to give to others. If you can spread hope, you can inspire change. One way I spread I hope in an act of service in order to help others, is that I run The Santa Market Craft Show with my family. One way I spread I hope in an act of service in order to help others, is that I run The Santa Market Craft Show with my family. The Santa Market Craft Show was started in 2010 by my mother and my two grandmothers. They have always been in the crafting world and wanted to have a show of their own. In 2012, they turned it into a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association of Oklahoma. We had lost my grandfather to Alzheimer’s and they had always wanted a way to help the cause. Fast forward to 2022; we have become an official charity and we have raised a quarter of a million dollars for Alzheimer’s. Hope is the greatest gift to give as an act of service. We spread hope with The Santa Market by spreading the word about Alzheimer’s. The more people that are made aware of this disease, the more people that can help find a cure. With every dollar we raise, the closer we get to having the first survivor of this horrible disease. Hopefully we see that day very soon. Helping others is the most important thing to me. If I can’t help someone else, what I am doing with my life? I hope with working with The Santa Market, I can help someone else to not face the pain my family did.

Friendship is the strongest bond in the world. If you have someone special you can lean on, you can get through a anything. Having a strong group of friends, means you will never be alone. Friendship to me means never having to face your hardest days alone and having more people to love. Friendship to me means you will never have to face to worst times by yourself. My friends have dried my tears and held my hand through my pain. I have vasovagal syncope which causes me to faint on a whim. When I have an episode, I am believe that I’m dying. I start acting out because I’m scared. But they help calm me down and they stay by my side. They don’t leave me to have to fight my disease by myself; they stick with me until I feel better. Without them, I don’t know if I could be able to get through an attack. Friendship to me means I won’t have to fight my demons by myself. Friendship to me means that I have a second family. Between school, being on the varsity swim team, and being the Color Guard captain, my friends see me more then my own parents. Since I spend so much time with them, I have grown to love each and every one of my teammates. They are with me from sun up to sun down and more. Without my friends, I would be very lonely due to not seeing my blood relatives. But they give me someone else to send my love. Friendship to me means having more love in your life. Friendship is the most important thing in the world to me. My friends deserve everything and more. They are the light in my darkness.

Music is the base of society. Without music, our world would be bland and boring. Music can help give us a push to being a better version in ourselves. A song that inspires me is “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga. I have been apart of my school’s color guard since my freshman year. We are the visual effect of marching band. We preform with flags, riffles, sabers, dance, and various props. Every year our school learn a new ten minute show to compete with the other schools in the state. This year’s show was called “Quintessential Joke” featuring “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga. Durning “Quintessential Joke”, the color guard preformed as the DC villain“Harley Quinn”. The entire show, we show the audience who’s the boss. Durning the third act of the show, the guard is in a diamond shaped jail made out of metal fences. In this part we dance our way out with the help of Lady Gaga. At this pointy I was tired. I would want to give up. But listening to “Poke Face” helped me keep going. It inspired me to finish the show. Music is a light in our lives. Without it, we wouldn’t be where we are today. A song that inspires me is “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga.

“Everything is alright in the end. If it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.” I have always been a person to worry over everything. When I was in third grade I was already a worry wart. The night before I was supposed to go back to school I couldn’t sleep. I was so nervous about going back to class after the Christmas break, that I just sat up with my mom. She was packing up the Christmas decorations in hopes to bore me to sleep. When that didn’t work she recited the words that have sticked with me ever since. “Everything is alright at the end. If it is not alright, it is not the end.” This quote has stuck with me because it helps me stay grounded. I started saying it my head in third grade to help me calm down and I still use that tactic today. Lately I’ve had a lot of health issues that have really shaken me. But I just think back to my saying and I start to feel better.

The 1,000 dollars should have went to my college found. And it still will if everything works out. But as everyone knows, life tends to throw curveballs at you at any moment. My life has been currently turned upside down from something that didn’t use to be this big of a deal. The 1,000 dollars would pay off the ambulance ride I just took on Monday night. Ever since I was in sixth grade I’ve had a bit of a weird health issue. Anytime someone would brush my hair, I would pass out. Apparently, it’s something that is common in teen girls. Now that might be true in the medical community, that wasn’t something I saw in my life. So ever since my first episode, I’ve looked at hair brushes with a different outlook. Another trigger for me is heat. Now I’m a where that everyone can faint if they get overheated, but for me it’s comes a lot quicker and it’s harder to recover from. So I have the privilege of being the only member in my whole marching band that is allowed the wear a Camelback. They would rather me look ridiculous then pass out on the concrete. In the last week I’ve had three episodes with each one getting worse. The on Monday night ended with me riding a ambulance to the ER. I’ve never had this many so close together and never have they been this bad. So the 1,000 would pay off Monday’s fainting episode.

Self-care is how we are able to decompress from our hectic lives. Whether it’s riding your bike to to taking a walk on the beach, it’s important to take time for yourself. The ways I practice self-care is reading my favorite books and taking a swim. One way I practice self-care is reading my favorite books. When I read, I leave my life behind. I am able to take a break from what is troubling me and go somewhere new. Reading is a way to block everything out and take a breath. One way I practice self-care is opening up a book. Another way I practice self care is by taking a swim. I have a lot of health issues that makes exercise difficult for me. The one activity that was safe for me to participate in was swimming. With it being a non-contact sport, I wouldn’t risk hurting myself. Swimming lets me relax after a long day. I am able to pound out all of worries in a healthy way. I am able to channel my anxiety into a healthy outlet. Swimming helps me become a better version of myself. Another way I practice self-care is exercise. Self-care is an important thing to maintain. If you don’t take care of your mental health, you will not be able to take care of your physical health. Self-care is something that everyone should explore to see what works best for them.

1. I deserve this scholarship because it’s not like there is anyone else who wants it. I guess if I have to I will take it. I am doing you the favor of winning the scholarship. 2. My academic goal is to go to law school and be someone who can defend the wrong doers of this country. 3. One obstacle I have had to overcome was losing my dance competition. I had worked so hard and I didn’t finish where I wanted. But I picked myself up and tried again.

Simple pleasures are the little moments in the day that can turn that frown upside down. They can make a horrible afternoon into an amazing night. They can be anything from a favorite treat to a special moment with friends. Simple pleasures are the little moments that make our lives better. Simple pleasures in my life include reading my favorite books and being around the people I love. One simple pleasure that makes me happy is reading my favorite books. Reading is an activity that calms me. I can go anywhere or be anyone. I am able to escape the real world and be myself. Reading makes me happy because it lets me experience things I normally can’t. Another simple pleasure that makes me happy is being with the people I love. When I’m with my boyfriend I feel safe and warm. When I’m with my mother I feel protected. When I’m with my friends I feel free. I am able to relax from a long day and become myself again. My family and friends are my simple pleasure because I can feel their love. My simple pleasures are diving into a book and being with the people who care for me. It makes me think I can get through another tough day. If I didn’t have them, I don’t know where I would be.

Eating disorders is one of the worlds most well kept secrets. No one told me what they were when I was younger, so I didn't know why this was happening to me before it was too late. When I in was eighth grade, my world was falling apart. My family was moving and it took the entire year to sell the house. My dad also thought it was the best time to start working in California again and in doing so I felt abandoned. I felt like I didn't have any control in my what was going on in my life. Everything was changing and I was Depressed. When I finally seemed to start to feeling better my ED took over my life. I first saw the videos as the school year was coming to a close. These Pro-Anna videos started to pop up on my page. I didn't know what any of it meant and I became obsessed. I just kept watching them over and over again. I soon started to limit what I eat. It was slow at first, throwing out some of my lunch when I was at school. But that wasn't enough. I found an tiny little journal that I could keep in my purse. I wrote in it every single day documenting everything that entered my mouth. I would feel ashamed when I had more then a few words on the pages. I would freak out if I had any full meals. When the school year came back into session, I was now in high school. My physical activity was hours each day between two swim teams and color guard. I was eating barely anything at all. At my fifteenth birthday party, I didn't eat my favorite pizza in the fear of gaining weight. It was getting worse then ever before. After a few months I hit my lowest weight. I had lost just under fifteen pounds in nine months. Only one person knew how much pain I was in. I have never been that low again but it killed me that I couldn't get back to the weight. Now I'm seventeen and I don't know why this is still with me. This was just supposed to be a summer thing. I'm a Junior trying to decide what colleges I should go to, I shouldn't be worrying about what snack has the lowest calories. During all of this time, I wished I had someone to talk to. Since I suffer with Anorexia, I can connect with others with eating disorders. I want to use my experiences to help other survivors. I want to create a support group at my university for others like me. I am nervous that my ED will get worse with the stress of school, so I think being able to connect with others could help. College is a stressful time for everyone, especially those suffering with eating disorders. Hopefully I can tell others at my college that they are not alone, and that they deserve help.

I work really hard in all areas of my life. I am in National Honors Society, on the varsity swim team, and regional officer for TSA, and the captain of the varsity color guard. Even though I love all of things I am apart of, it can become very overwhelming. One of the few things that can calm me down is enjoying the little things. The hobbies that I love to turn to when I'm overwhelmed is reading and spinning my flag. One hobby I am able to turn to when I am overwhelmed is reading. I have always been an avid reader. It is a way to escape the troubles of your day, even just for a little while. I love being able to pick up a book knowing nothing about the characters but by the end I have a connection that only happens with a 400 page story. Every reader knows what it feels like to finally find their favorite book. Its the best feeling in the entire world to find everything you love in the same book. One hobby I love is being able pick up a great book. Another hobby I enjoy is spinning my flag. When I practice color guard I am able to get out of my head. I love creating my own rhythm by just letting the flag flow. Spinning is a way for me to express my emotions in a healthy way. Only my other guard girls understand how amazing it feels to toss that flag. One hobby I can enjoy is working on my color guard routines. Hobbies are what keeps us grounded. Without them, we would be lifeless bodies walking the Earth. Our hobbies is what gives us a bit of character.

Books are what every single person in this country has had to use in their life at one point or another. Whether that be a school textbook or a step-by-step guide to fixing a broken appliance in your house. But not every book is going to be a story that changes your life. A story that sticks with you for the rest of your life is incredibly special. The most inspiring book I have ever read was "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken. The most inspiring book I have ever read was "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken. It is about a sixteen-year-old girl named Ruby who is one of the survivors of a deadly disease that killed most children in the US. After surviving the illness, the remaining children changed. They all developed powers that made everyone believe they were a threat. Ruby developed one of the rarest gifts, she could control people's minds. Ruby has to learn to not be afraid of herself and to speak out in the name of the kids. This book has elements of believing in yourself and finding your chosen family. This book inspires me to not let things push me down. Anytime I'm scared or nervous, I think back to how Ruby saved the children of her world. That helps me see I can do anything.

Passion is a big part of our world. If we didn't have passion, nothing would ever get done. Passion is what drives us to reach for the impossible. It makes us try new things and experiences out of our comfort zone. A few things I am passionate about are color guard and TSA. One thing I am passionate about is color guard. Color guard is an activity where the participates spin flags, rifles, and sabers to create a show. It is a physically demanding sport and art form. It takes hours of practice and dedication to create the show. It gives me something to channel my energy into. I love color guard because I have made so many friends and love to present the show we have created. One thing I am passionate about is creating my color guard show. Another thing I am passionate about is TSA. TSA is a competition-based organization that is a part of Career Tech. It is designed to help kids prep for their future careers. joined TSA when I was in sixth grade and I have loved every minute of it. The event I am the best at is Children's Stories. I have to create a story for a child based on the theme of that year. I have to create it from scratch and document everything I do. I love TSA more than anything in the world. One thing I am passionate about is writing and designing a children's book. Passion is what gives people a purpose. It helps us decide what we want to do with our lives. If we didn't have passion, nothing would ever get done.

I have been taught from a young age that you should always help the people around you. I have always tried to go out of my way to make sure I can make someone's day. Giving is important to me because helping others makes you appreciate your life. To give back to others, I write holiday cards to the veterans and I host ice cream fundraisers for Give Kids the World. One way I give back to others is that I write holiday cards to the veterans at the local VA hospital. In 2017, I decided I wanted to help the local veterans of my area. My first year I wrote 176 cards for the hospital. Every year I am able to beat what I did the year before. This year, I made my personal goal of writing 500 cards for the veterans. A way I give back is that I spread holiday cheer with the veterans of my town. Another way I give back is I host ice cream parties for Give Kids the World. GKTW is a charity whose goal is to make children with life threatening illnesses happy. Give Kids the World is a resort in Orlando that the kids stay at during their wish trips. After they spend the day at Universal or Disney World, they come back to a resort filled with games and parties. I host ice cream parties to raise money for this wonderful charity. My friends like to help me with my efforts while also enjoying a sweet treat. One way I give back is I fund raise for an amazing charity. Giving back is a very big part of my life. I don't know who I would be If I didn't try to help others. I hope to help many more.

Goals are an important thing for everyone to have. Whether they be for school and grades or for a sport career, they are important to work for. Without goals, we wouldn't have anything to push ourselves for. My goals for the future is to get a solo on my color guard team and to attend the state competition in TSA. A goal I have for the future is to have a solo in color guard. I joined color guard when I was a freshman. It is the tiring and time consuming activity I have ever been a part of. It is a physically demanding sport that is also an art form. When I started guard, I didn't know if I could take a second season. Now, I am a captain of my schools guard and I am starting my filth season. In color guard, I preform a show using a combination of flag and dance work. I am working as hard as I can so we can have the best show yet. I am also working toward having my first solo. I want to be able to be the star of the show. One goal I have is to be front and center of my show. Another goal I have for the future is to attend the state competition for TSA. TSA is a competition based organization that is apart of Career Tech. It is designed to teach kids how to prep for their future careers. The competition that I am the best at is Children's Stories. I have to design a story based on the years theme. I have to make it completely from scratch and document everything I do. It is my favorite thing in the world. My goal for this year is to qualify for state.

Helping others has always been a big part of my life. I always try to go out of my way to make others lives' easier. There are many things I do throughout my life to make someones day. A few acts a service I preform to help others is that I write holiday cards for the veterans and I host ice cream fundraisers for Give Kids the World. One act of service I preform to help others is that I write holiday cards to the veterans. In 2017, I started writing heartfelt notes to the veterans at the local VA hospital. My first year I was able to send 176 cards to the hospital. Each year I have been able to write more then the year prior. This year, I was able to make my personal goal of 500 cards for hospital. One act of service I preform is spreading holiday cheer to the veterans. Another act of service I preform for others is that host ice cream parties for Give Kids the World. GKTW is my favorite charity in the whole world. They are a magical resort in Orlando that provides the lodging for kids on their wish trips. After the kids are done playing at Universal or Disney World, they come back to a resort filled with games and parties. I host the ice cream parties to raise money to help this amazing cause. My friends love helping a important charity while also enjoying a sweet treat. An act of service I do for others is that I raise money for an important cause. Helping others is what everyone should strive to do. If you can't make a difference in someones life, what are you doing with your time? I hope to help many in my life.

Bucket lists is what many people believe is what they leave behind. It can show what people’s ambitions are. It can show what the care the most about. I have many things I want to complete before I die. A few things on my bucket list is that I want to be an author, make a difference, and have a family of my own. One thing on my buckets list is to be an author. I already completed that goal. I became a professionally published author when I was eight years old. I have wrote three books in total. There tittles are Bridget’s Trips, School Yard Crazy Summer, and School Yard Mystery Mountain. The first book is an audio biography of the vacations I have taken with my family. The others are a duology about a group of friends on the school breaks. I have worked extremely hard to make this happen. Another goal on my bucket list is to make a difference. I think I have completed this with my involvement with The Santa Market. The Santa Market is a charity my family has created to help end Alzheimer’s. We bring awareness and raise money to research a cure for this disease. We hope that one day there will be a survivor of this horrible disease. The last thing on my bucket list is to have a family of my own. I have not completed this yet but I care about the people in my life. I help everyone around me and hope they are cared about. I love to help others when they are not their best. My bucket list will be complete when I have finished making my family.

Simple pleasures are the little moments in the day that can turn that frown upside down. They can make a horrible afternoon into an amazing night. They can be anything from a favorite treat to a special moment with friends. Simple pleasures are the little moments that make are lives better. Simple pleasures in my life include reading my favorite books and being around the people I love. One simple pleasure that makes me happy is reading my favorite books. Reading is an activity that calms me. I can go anywhere or be anyone. I am able to escape the real world and be myself. Reading makes me happy because it lets me experience things I normal can’t. Another simple pleasure that makes me happy is being with the people I love. When I’m with my boyfriend I feel safe and warm. When I’m with my mother I feel protected. When I’m with my friends I feel free. I am able to relax from a long day and become myself again. My family and friends are my simple pleasure because I can feel their love. My simple pleasures are diving into a book and being with the people who care for me. It makes me think I can get through another tough day. If I didn’t have them, I don’t know where I would be.

Love is all around us. It’s in every aspect of our lives. Some people show their love by cooking for their favorite people. Others show their love by making a sure everyone is where they need to be. I show my love to my friends and family by hosting events for us to spend time together. I show my love for my friends and family by having fun activities for us to all enjoy. My mom has always said, “If you need to make friends,have a party!” So every few months I host a party to show my friends that I care about them. This includes Pool parties, ice cream socials, and Christmas get togethers. My friends appreciate that I am always getting everyone together. They love coming to my house knowing that they will see the whole gang. I show my love by inviting my friends and family to my house to have a fun time.

Helping others is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Whether it’s helping someone cross the street, volunteering at a school event, or just going out of you way to smile at someone makes you feel like you can do anything. My favorite way to help others is by running The Santa Market with my family. In 2010, my family started The Santa Market Craft Show so we could have our own crafting event. In 2012, it became a fundraising event benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association. My grandfather had passed away from Alzheimer’s and we wanted a way to raise money for the cause. In 2019, we became an official 501c3 and became a official charity. We moved to the Oklahoma State Fair Park and continued to grow the show. We have an Alzheimer’s booth and auction to raise money. We have a thousand shopping bags for the first thousand shoppers who walk through the door. Our event has become well known in the Alzheimer’s world for how much we help the cause. My favorite part about running the show is how hands on we are. Durning the entire year we are working on making the show the best that it can be even though it’s only for one weekend. I love being able to help such an amazing cause. My favorite way to help people is by running a charity event for people in need.

Music is so important in our lives it shapes generations. When you think of a time period, one of the first things you think of is the music that shaped that age. Songs can inspire you to try something new or finally go for your goals. A song that inspires me is “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga. I have been apart of Edmond Memorial’s Color Guard since my freshman year of high school. This year, I even applied for a Captain position because I wanted to help lead the program. When we found out our marching band show theme for this year we were shocked. We would be preforming “Quinntessential Joke” a show centered on the villain Harley Quinn. The color guard is preforming as Harley at the heart of the show. One of the songs that is a part of the show is “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga. After the ballad feature of our show, Harley realizes that she is better off with the Joker in her life. That’s when “Poker Face” enters the picture. This song inspires me to keep going. The show is physically exhausting and at times I just want to give up. But when I listen to “Poker Face”, that all washes away. I am able to begin pushing my props and dance my way through the ending of the show. This song is important to me because it helps me to keep going when all I want to do is stop. A song that inspires me is “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga.

Happiness is what everyone strives for. It’s the goal that everyone wants to meet. For some people, it’s being able to afford your dream house. Others say, it was when they got the big promotion. Many say, it’s when they found their family. Happiness for me is when I’m at the happiest place on earth. I started going to Disney when I was just four years old. Since then I have been to the Disney parks ten times. My family has realized that going to Walt Disney World makes us the happiest. Planning for our trips is no easy task, since we work hard all year round. We create picnics for people so we can afford to go. We also have garage sales just about every week. We don’t spend money on anything else in our lives. We make sacrifices in our life so we can be the happiest we can be. We work hard for our vacations, so it makes me appreciate them even more. My happiness comes from hard work to reach my goal.

When I was in ninth grade I had to start over at a new school. I started the school year not knowing a soul and it terrified me. So to combat the unknown, I joined my school’s color guard in the hopes that I could meet some new people. Little did I know that these girls would be the closest friends I have today. Friendship to me means having someone by your side even when you are at your worst. When I started color guard, I had no idea what I was getting into. I would come to spend so many hours with these girls that I could tell you anything about them. The became my home and family. They were with me through thick and thin. They helped me through the worst moments of my life. Friendship means to me that you have someone who will help you through anything. They listened to my fears and didn’t tell me to get over them. They told me I was safe and I was going to be okay. Friendship to me means you have someone who can calm you down.

On March 13, 2020 was the last day of true normal for many people. On March 13, 2020 I had no idea what was coming. For my school it was the day before spring break, it was also the last day of our school’s fundraising week. We had worked all year to raise as much money for Swine Week as we could. Edmond Public Schools didn’t shut down for COVID because it was the final day of Swine Week. I left school thinking I would be back in a week but I didn’t come back until August. One thing I learned that changed my perspective is that I can’t depend on things to always be there. COVID caused me to never finish my freshman year of high school. It then caused me to have a completely different Sophomore year then what was supposed to happen. Now as a Junior, it is still causing problems in my every day life. When my life started to change I realized that my I took what I thought were problems for granted. I would be tired of going to practice but then I found myself longing for it. I was annoyed of finding things to wear to school and then I hated only wearing athletic clothes in my room. I realized that I couldn’t take anything for granted. One thing I have learned that has changed my perspective is that I can’t take what I have in my life with a grain of salt. I have to enjoy every day to the fullest because it might be my last.

This years marching band show is centered around the villain Harley Quinn! Even though my schools mascot is not Harley Quinn, I think this picture shows school spirit because I’m representing the school. Everything the band does reflects the school. Winning first place definitely puts a good light on the school!

The most powerful emotions are love and fear. They drive our entire lives even if we don’t realize it. Everyone has something they are afraid of and they will do anything to avoid it. But someone people are scared of things so much that it becomes a phobia. An experience that has shaped me to who I am today is that I was pushed down the stairs in seventh grade. In September of seventh grade I was just trying to get used to school. I was trying to do the best I that I could. Then when I was walking down the stairs to my afternoon classes I was shoved from the back. I fell down a flight of concrete stairs. It was the scariest moment of my life. I remember waking up on the ground in pure pain. I ended up twisting my wrist and I’m lucky I didn’t break anything. This event still affects me to this day. Ever since I fell down the stairs I have had Batmophobia. Batmophobia is the phobia of stairs. Anytime I have to go up or down the stairs I can barely breathe. It gets worse when I’m at school because that’s where it all started. To get through it I close my eyes, take deep breath’s, and grip the wall. I just have to take it one day at a time. One event that has shaped who I am today was when I fell down a flight of stairs in seventh grade.

Acting for a positive change in a local level is one of the best ways to help people. You can see exactly who is being affect by your efforts. One thing that I do locally for positive change is I help run The Santa Market Craft Show. In 2010, my family created The Santa Market. My family had always been apart of the crafting world and thought that it was about time for them to start running a show of their own. In 2012 we starting fundraising money for the Alzheimer’s Association. We decided to help the Alzheimer’s Association because my grandfather had passed away due to the disease. In 2019, we moved to the Oklahoma State Fair Park and we became an official 501c3. That year we also passed the $100,000 milestone. Every year we keep growing ad every year more people learn about the show. Our goal is to one day live in an Alzheimer’s free world. One thing I do for a positive change in my community is that I help run a charity.

Loving yourself is a really hard thing to do in today’s age. Every where I look I see adds for different make up brands or skin care lines that are designed to make me feel bad about myself. In a world of social media, it os hard to distinguish what is real life and what is merely a filter. One thing that I love about me is my many freckles. I have always had freckles from one end of me to the other. Especially when the sun is out, they pop out from anywhere. I always think of my freckles as my sprinkles. They make me unique and ordinary. My freckles help me believe that I am beautiful. They help me see that makeup is supposed to be what lights up my face, not hides it. I love to look close in the mirror and just count as many as I can. They help me calm down in a world of stress. One thing that I love about myself are my many beautiful freckles.

My grandfather was the most brilliant man I knew. He had two masters degrees and he loved to continue learning about anything and everything. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he quickly lost everything. He started acting and behaving as a toddler. We soon had to put him in the local nursing home. One thing I have done to improve of the lives of the elderly in my community is that I provided a new tv to the nursing home where my grandfather lived. When I was in second grade, I decided I wanted to help the nursing home where my grandfather had stayed. I decided that I was going to save my money and buy a brand new, flat screen tv. I worked for months saving up every dollar I had. When I got to half way, my parents told me they would split the cost. So I was able to go deliver a television with all of my hard work. As well as the tv I helped in others ways. For my eighth birthday, instead of presents, I asked my friends and family to donate a pair of socks to my grandfather’s home. We went with socks because that was what he always needed when he stayed there. I also would bring the home cookies and cupcakes around the holiday season out of my pocket. One way I have helped the elderly in my community is that I have donated to my local nursing home.

When I started my freshman year, I saw a sign for the schools environment club. I decided to go to the first meeting and I saw that they were looking for a Secretary for the club. I put my hat in the ring and I ended up being elected even as a freshman! One thing that I do that has a positive impact on the environment is a help run a environmental club. Once every two weeks, the club meets during our free hour to talk about what’s going on in the world. Every couple of months, we have a street clean up of the street we have adopted. Durning our schools fundraising week, we host a recycling drive of cans and bottles. Also durning the fundraising week, we sell a canvas bag environment bag to raise money for the cause. We do a lot at our school to help the environment. Our main goal is to make the students more aware of how their actions effect the world. One thing that I do that has a positive impact on the world is that I am a officer of the schools environment club.

In ninth grade, my coach told me about a volunteer opportunity that I could do through my community. It was for The Incredibles Special Olympic team that specializes in swimming. I went the first day and I left in tears because I realized I wanted to help them for the tears of my life. A impact I hope to give my students is the love of swimming. I started swimming when I was eight years old. I have many health issues that made me not able to compete in other sports. When I found swimming, I finally found a light at the end of the tunnel. I was finally able to compete with others and not hurt myself. When I started volunteering with The Incredibles, I realized that was their same exact mission. The whole point of the team is to give a outlet for these kids to exercise safely. The impact I have on my students is that I want them to enjoy swimming as much as I do. When I see how happy they are in the water, I know that I am achieving that goal. Some of my students are older then me, but every one of them give me the respect to help them get better. I am able to put my knowledge of the sport out there to make them better. The impact that I hope I have on my mentorship of others is that they can safely exercise for years to come.

The three photos I have submitted are my favorite pictures of my pets. The first one was back in seventh grade when I got a play pen for my guinea pigs for Christmas. I was so happy because I was able to play with them more. The second one is my dog Fiona on her first adoption day. She didn’t like the hat very much! The third is my cat Hammy on a cuddly morning. I love all of my pets so much!

Science is the backbone of our society. Without it, we would still be stuck in the 1800s. It has changed our world for the better. We have a better chance a of a happier and healthy life because of our scientific discoveries. There are many that effect my life directly but there is one that makes sure I’m still okay after all these years. My favorite scientific discovery is the X-Ray. When I was a baby, I was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. It is a rare genetic disease that effects my eyes and my bones. I was also diagnosed with its sister disease of Degeneis Imperfecta. OI has caused me to break a lot of bones when I was younger. Every time, I would have to get an X-Ray to see what damage had been done. Recently I had to get an X-Ray to see how my past breaks were effecting me today. Now I have uneven shoulders blades, pelvis, hips, and feet. But thanks to the X-Ray, we now can take steps in stopping the pain of these complications. My favorite scientific discovery is the X-Ray because it helps me make sure I’m on the right path to get better.

When you think of art, there are many things that can come to mind. You might think of historical portraits of kings and queens. You might think of black and white photos of your favorite city. When I think of art, I think of pieces that reflect the artist. I think the best art is the ones that are a part of the artist. My favorite piece of art is the thorn necklace self portrait of Frida Carlo. Frida Carlo was one of the greatest painters of all time. She painted the world as it was. Many of her paintings were unsettling because of her usage in of death and destruction in her work. One of the reasons why I love Frida Carlo is that she didn’t paint herself to look different then she is in real life. She made her paintings show her insecurities. She showed the pain she was facing. In the thorn painting, she doesn’t hide her unibrow, she enhances it. She shows that it’s alright to not be perfect. She shows in fact, that you should be proud of your differences. My favorite piece of art is the self portrait of Frida Carlo.

There are many ways to have a dream life. Some people want to have a giant house. Some people want to travel the world. Some people want to become a CEO of a major company. My dream life would be to be able to continue my family’s legacy. Before I was even born, my family was apart of the craft show world. In 2010, they realized that there weren’t many shows around our area so they decided to start their own. The first year we had 17 vendors in a event room at a Holiday Inn. The next year we moved the Edmond Ok’s Community Center. In 2012 we decided to start raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of my grandfather. In 2019 we upgraded again and moved over to the Oklahoma State Fair Park. We became a 501c3 and we were an official charity. We have worked so hard on this show and it has grown into the biggest fundraiser around! My dream life would be to be able to continue the show with my family. I am currently on the board of directors serving as the Head of Volunteers. I have my entire family including my mom side and my dads side working in this show. It would be a dream to be able to run the show alongside my cousins when our time comes. I can’t wait to see what direction we take The Santa Market.

There are many ways you can have a positive impact on the world. You can volunteer at the food bank. You could start a recycling program at your school. A way that I have a positive impact on the world is that I run a charity with my family. My family started The Santa Market Craft Show in 2010. My mom and grandma have been a apart of the Craft show world before I was even born. They realized there wasn’t many show near us, so they decided to start their own. They got together with 16 other friends and rented a room at a Holiday Inn. The next year we moved to the Edmond, OK Community Center. In 2012, we decided to start raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association. My grandfather died of Alzheimer’s in 2007 and we decided this could be a way for us to make a difference. When we hit our ten year anniversary we upgraded again to the Oklahoma State Fair Park. We became an official 501c3 and we finally became a charity! In 2020, we raised the most amount of money we had ever raised even with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are on our way to beat that amount again! I can’t wait for this years show! One way I have a positive impact on my community is that I raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

When I was in third grade I was already a giant worrier. That year I was so nervous about going back to school after Christmas break. The night before I was pretending to sleep on the couch but in reality I was watching my mom pack up our Christmas things. I was not ready for the holiday to be over. When I started crying my mom came over and gave me a hug. She told me it was going to be alright. She then told me a quote I try my best to live by. “Everything is alright in the end. If it is not alright, it is not the end.” It has stuck with me all these years because it means things can get better. It means it’s not over yet. It means that I can get through this. So anytime I am upset or worried I try to think of this. I am so thankful for my mom for telling me this because it really helps. I hope others can appreciate this quote as much as I do.

When I was in third grade I was already a giant worrier. I was seriously scarred about going back to school after winter break. I didn’t know what we were going to do and I was freaking out. On the last night of break I slept on the couch watching my mom back up the Christmas things away. I was crying and my mom came over to calm me down. She then told me a message that I try my best to live by. “Everything is alright in the end. If it is not alright, it is not the end.” This is my favorite quote of all time. Any time that I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed out I think back on this quote. It can be really hard to follow most days but it is something that can soothe me. I think that everyone should have something that can calm then down. I love that I have something that can remind me of my mom. She tries to teach to not be so stressed out about everything, even back then. This is the wisest piece of advice I have heard because it has stuck with me for all of these years, and for a good reason.

There are many people from history that are inspiring. Anyone can be an inspiration to others by simply being who they are. One person from history who was inspirational by being herself was Anne Frank. Today, everyone knows of the girl in the attack. But when she was in hiding, she was just trying to get through each day. One person I admire from history is Anne Frank because she always kept her spirits up and sheets very similar to myself. One reason I admire Anne Frank is because she always kept her spirits up. When everyone was in Quarantine durning 2020, it is easy to say that we all had a hard time adjusting to this new way of living. Just like Anne, we had no idea how long we would be stuck in our homes. Anne never let being stuck inside wear her down. She took her new situation in stride and continued to work hard. She wrote her diary as a way to cope with the isolation but she did not let it take the better of her. One reason I Anne Frank is inspiring is that she never let her situation change Another reason I admire Anne Frank is that she is very similar to myself. We both are sixteen and trying to get through each day. We both love to read and write about our life. We are both published authors. I believe if I knew her we would be best of friends. A reason that I admire Anne Frank is that we have the same personality. A person from history that I admire is Anne Frank because she didn’t let her situation change her and we have the same personality. I admire her and strive to be her every day.

My favorite book in the whole world is The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken! When I first cracked open my copy of the book I fell in love after the first chapter. This book has changed me as a person. It made me laugh, cry, and root for the main characters. The reasons why The Darkest Minds is my favorite book is because it’s amazing plot. The main reason why The Darkest Minds is my favorite book is because the plot is spectacular. It begins with Ruby Daly when she is ten years old. A deadly disease called the IAAN has been destroying families across the country. 98% of children who are infected died and the ones who survived gained one of five powers. The remaining kids were then called the PSIs and were sent to live in camps. When Ruby got sick, she became an orange. Oranges are extremely rare and the most powerful because they manipulate people’s minds. She was able to hide who she was for six years by pretending to be a green; the least dangerous of the PSIs. When she is sixteen, her powers are discovered and she is broke out of the camp she was living in. She then had to relearn everything about the world that she lives in. The book goes on with Ruby as she is living on the run as one of the most wanted people in the country. She joins the Black Beatty crew of Chubs, Zu, and Liam. They all become a chosen family for each other. One reason reason why I love The Darkest Minds is because of the beautiful story arch’s of the characters.