I hope that joy will be reflected through my life and legacy long after I pass away. Joy is such a powerful tool that is a necessity in human nature as we thrive off of positivity. With our country at war, and gas prices rising, and the world feeling disconnected, we could all use someone to uplift us in this dire time. I try to live my life uplifting others by sharing a good laugh together whether that's in school, at work, or even with my family at home. I have a background in theater which is why I love to put on a show for people providing whimsical feelings that can lift a person's spirit. Sometimes people are just having a bad day, and I like to try to cheer them up by making them laugh to relieve the stresses of day-to-day life. I have learned that spreading joy is much easier than spreading hate, and we need a lot more joy in today's world. My dream job is to become a sports broadcaster because I want to share my profound love and knowledge of many different sports. Getting myself on a television will allow me to spread my joy on a further level to a larger audience. Sports can bring people together in a special way that many other activities do not. I think of many iconic moments that send chills down my spine every time I watch them. One example of this was during game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals when Ray Allen hit a crucial 3 pointer to tie the game. The announcer, Mike Breen, made an infamous call that echoes through my head whenever I watch a big shot get hit. Moments that immerse people into a state of joy associated with fond memories is what I strive to obtain as an announcer. As someone who's family struggled financially, I was never able to attend sporting events, so we only ever watched sports on the television. I was filled with so much joy watching college football all day long on Saturday while relaxing at home with my family. I want others to feel as much joy as I did when immersing myself into the world of college football. Whenever I pass on, I want my legacy to show that I had an abundance of joy, and i loved to spread it to everyone around me. Whenever I spend time with my family and we speak about someone who has passed on, I love hearing stories about their life that I never knew about. Many of my great grandparents left a lasting legacy that will always be remembered by many of my older family members, but I was too young to really know a lot about them. That's why I love hearing stories about what they were like in the past, and the joyful memories that they filled people with. That's the type of legacy that I want to live on long after I pass away.

The movie that has had the greatest impact on my life is the Disney film "Cars". The first time I saw "Cars" was when I was 2 years old inside of the Malco at the Wolfchase Galleria Mall in Memphis, Tennessee. To this day it is still my favorite movie of all time, and maybe nostalgia plays a role in that, or the amazing soundtrack, but this movie has so many themes and messages that are very impactful to me. One key theme that Lightning McQueen exemplifies throughout the film is Perseverance. Throughout the movie we see McQueen fail over and over again, but he refuses to give up no matter what. This is very important to me because I have very lofty goals in life that I refuse to give up on even when they seem unattainable. Another major theme in "Cars" is the importance of friendship. McQueen begins the movie as a loner who only cares about fame, status, and winning races. When McQueen ends up in Radiator Springs he meets a new community of people who have a tight bond together and take him in as their own specifically Tow Mater. Mater is just a hillbilly tow truck with the most southern accent you will ever find who loves to get down and dirty. This is the polar opposite off McQueen who hates getting his tires dirty as he is used to being very proper and clean. The friendship these two eventually develop is very close as they become best friends and spend lots of time together as seen in the later movies. This highlights how you should never judge a book by their cover because they could be your next best friend. The most important theme we see in "Cars" is the importance of humility. McQueen begins the movie has a cocky rookie who is caught up in his fame that he only cares about himself, but during his time as Radiator Springs he learns the value that humility holds. When Doc Hudson, a legend in racing, becomes McQueen's mentor we see how McQueen learns the history of the sport and the importance that it holds. All these values are important as McQueen goes on to become a 7 time Piston Cup Winner which is tied for the most a racer has won in the franchise. These lessons have impacted my life as I deeply resonate with Lightning McQueen and having to learn from others. Growing up I felt like the rookie version of McQueen who was cocky and self centered, but as I've gotten older I feel as if I have started taking these lessons to heart more then ever. I have gained a new friend group that has shown me the importance of having people around you when you need support. I am learning the importance of my family and the history of my grandparents, and all of the adventures, and sacrifices they had throughout their lives I would have never known. Now more then ever when everyone is focused on money, and war, and stressing over their lives we should all slow down and enjoy the ride like McQueen did. We should all find our version of Radiator Springs to retreat to and enjoy life without stress even for just one day.

Finances are a topic that children often do not worry about, nor do they fully understand. As a child, you are not meant to worry about finances, as that is the responsibility of a parent or guardian. Throughout my childhood, my family's finances were worse than I understood. Whenever we ran out of snacks in our pantry, I always begged my parents to buy just one, but they never would. The only times I ever had "normal" snacks were when we had a card with money to buy food. Otherwise, I resorted to eating Saltine crackers or Ice Cream cones, which seemed normal to me, but were unorthodox whenever I would tell my friends about my favorite snacks. Although I did not understand it at the time, my father did everything he could to make sure my brothers and I had a roof over our heads. He would skip meals to make sure we had running water, electricity, and food to eat. We did not have WIFI or a home computer for over 5 years, which was considered weird by other kids at school, leaving me as an outcast. The main catalyst that led to our family's financial woes was when my mother totaled her car in an accident. After all the hospital bills, the ambulance bill, and having to finish paying off the vehicle, our family was left in a hefty amount of debt. We had no emergency fund, nor the means to pay off the bills out of pocket. This led to my father filing for bankruptcy around the time I started 5th grade and did not end until my sophomore year of High School. After experiencing bankruptcy and what it's like to live without knowing if there would be a meal on the table the next day, I strive to achieve financial freedom for my future family and me. Throughout High School, I have made sure to take personal finance classes as well as marketing classes to better my understanding of finances. This led to me joining my school's DECA chapter, which helps students learn skills that are beneficial in the world of finances, marketing, and hospitality. DECA has taught me so many valuable lessons in the world of business and taught me the importance of finances and how to understand the complexities of managing money. This year, I have become the Vice President of Finances for my DECA Chapter putting me in charge of managing the chapter's money, leading fundraisers, and counting how much money our school store makes. I want to use these skills I am learning to help my future family have a positive financial future. I watch lots of YouTube videos of creators such as Dave Ramsey to learn new methods to help accumulate wealth and what to do to avoid falling into debt. I strive to use my skills in finances to help create a financial future without stress and set my future family up for financial success in their futures. Hopefully, this will create generational wealth that my grandkids and the rest of my family can benefit from to eliminate financial stress in their lives.