For seven years I have been a proud, loud, and spirited Cheerleader. For four of those years, I was a part of both my high school sideline cheer and competition team. My experiences as a cheerleader have molded me into the individual I am today. Being a cheerleader taught me how to adapt to unique situations allowing me to lead, educate, and empower. When I became captain of the Junior Titans Event, a fundraiser by my school’s cheerleading group, I was put in charge of teaching basic cheers and dance to seven-to-nine-year-olds. The first task was simply to establish order. The stress was a never-ending tidal wave. The kids were young, and energetic, and tried to climb on my back every chance they had. At times I thought I had reached my limit, but after taking time to focus and clear my mind, I gained a better perspective of the scenario. I had to shift their focus by throwing myself into an act. Once I had their attention I needed to explain the tasks clearly. I treated everything like a game with rules, so there was both fun and structure. However, leading kids near my age required totally different approaches. In a recent Junior Titans fundraiser, I was in charge of ten-to-fourteen-year-olds. Since the kids are more mature, I gave them more strict tasks and took a firmer hand to keep them on track. I still had to make sure the instructions were clear, but I did not have to go into in-depth detail or flail around like a monkey, as I did for the littles. This takes a level mind. It was easy to feel frustrated, but remembering that they were learning, just like the little kids, helped maintain the order. Working with the kids at Junior Titans was also a way for my teammates to grow closer and work together. We devised plans in which everyone had a chance to participate and play the role of “boss.” Each of us was able to learn something new from each other. Through this experience, we shared many laughs and further strengthened our bond. During my time as a Frontier cheerleader, I learned how important the bonds and trust we had in each other were. As cheerleaders, we are constantly giving it our all and throwing girls around in the air. With our teamwork and trust, we were able to execute any routine. By learning the diverse ways of working with children and people my age, I have grown my leadership skills which helped me be a better peer to my fellow students. The skill followed me into the classroom, making me become a better communicator. By tutoring my peers, I developed unique ways of breaking problems down and explaining them effectively. By working with my peers, I was able to better understand the lessons myself. The method of teaching a lesson once understanding it, has become a consistent study tool of mine. When preparing for a test or quiz I will explain the lesson to either my peers or my parents. The method has shaped me into the academic student I am, molding the way I am in the classroom.

My Great Grandma was always a strong-willed and confident person who I thought could defeat any obstacle before her. That was until I learned she had incurable Alzheimer’s and was declining at a rapid rate. Alzheimer’s is a terrifying disease that is a race against time. As time goes on, memories and wisdom slowly fade away. I grew to mourn the loss of someone who was still here. On one of my annual visits, the air was sour and faces wet as we were told her time was coming soon. I spent the day at the side of her bed, looking through photos of her now-forgotten memory, and expressing my love for her. The next night, as I was playing outside with my friends my mother came to fetch me. It was then she told me of Great Grandma’s passing. I was once again stabbed in the heart but I was also grateful. It was almost as if she held on so I could tell her I loved her one last time. A few years later, after her passing, I was told that my GG on my dad's side began to show signs of early-onset dementia. I was terrified, and the fear of losing another loved one haunted me. I would visit whenever I could, we went through photos, looking at her memories that would soon be gone. Her memories began to fade, and soon the memory of me as well. After fighting against the disease for many years, her mind and body caught up with her and she passed in her sleep. The best way I have learned how to overcome the fear was by participating and advocating for the disease through the Alzheimer’s Association. I have been participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s since I was young. I advocated the walk to my high school by bringing both the Interact Club and cheer squad to participate. It is not an easy experience to share with other people, but through the Walk, I have been able to raise awareness for the cause and the need for a cure. I have learned how to share my vulnerability with the world in order to encourage others to fight as well. Through my struggles, I was able to gain a perspective in which I cherish my memories. People tend to overlook most memories as mere moments in life, however, when they begin to fade, is when a person wants to hold on to them tighter. I am the person I am today because of my memories. However, As Alzheimer’s is hereditary, each of my memories holds an important place in my heart. I am the person I am today because of my memories. The fear of Alzheimer’s is just like time, for it does not stop but, I spend my time making as many memories as I can as a way to fight back. Learning how to cope with the fear and finding a way to protest the disease, I live life to the fullest and follow my passions.

The question of how, why, when, and what always piques my interest, but the way to the solution is the journey I cherish. I want to create films that break the mold of thrillers and bring tense suspicion to viewers using displays of raw emotion and manipulation of the mind. I was inspired by the journey psychological thrillers take while emphasizing the mind and emotional states of characters, creating tension within the viewers. I believe that for a psychological thriller to thrill, it must show each character’s raw emotions. The psychological movies I want to create take an empathetic approach. I value the depth and richness that comes from considering multiple perspectives in a narrative. My movies will use the emotions of each character, leaving the viewers to grasp connections. Each obsession, fear, and confusion will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. By watching my films the audience will learn how to feel others' emotions and see their perspectives. The journey of psychological thrillers creates an intellectual stimulation of the mind, and since every mind is unique, it takes a different path to analyze a story. Each path is created based on the person and the emotions they feel while following the story–although the film is constructed to nudge them all in similar directions. Instead of the path that is clear where they can see the finish line, my viewers will take the winding path that has twists and turns. My viewer will reach the conclusion satisfied with the journey, appalled by the surprise, and wiser in life. By following the journey my films take, my viewers will be inspired to create their own journey. Many of the works I have been involved in were inspired by the feeling of uncertainty that I have learned through my own experience. My family suffers from Alzheimer’s. I have lost many loved ones to the disease and I have the fear of one day having it myself. The fear of Alzheimer’s has affected my life, but through the struggles, I have also been inspired. Since Alzheimer’s eats away at precious memories, I live with the fear that if I lose my memories I will lose my identity. Each of my memories is a journey that should be cherished and shared. Everyone has a fear of their own, based on distinct experiences. From knowing my own fears, I want to learn about the similar or different fears of those surrounding me to discover a wider perspective. This will foster new strengths in myself and a deeper grasp of the human condition, shared by everyone who watches my films. Each mind will process, forming different solutions, through their own ethics and sense of identity.