If you have ever flown in a plane, you have most likely experienced some turbulence. Just a few bumps, right? It’s not that bad. However, if you have ever experienced rough turbulence, that’s a whole different story. I'm talking about the turbulence that makes you consider calling your family and friends and telling them you love them, the spill-your-deepest-secrets kind of turbulence, the kind where you’re looking up waiting for the oxygen masks to fall. On January 1st, 2019, I hit some heart-pumping turbulence in my life, my diagnosis of Type I Diabetes. After the doctors broke the news, they informed me that my blood sugar was probably in the 900s that morning. Who would have thought one bite of a banana or even a sip of juice would have taken me away from my loved ones? The month following my return home from the hospital involved more turbulence. This time, more nerve-wracking. Becoming a T1D changes everything: friendships, the way you eat, being an athlete, and even your personality. After my diagnosis, I was forced to relearn who I was now; a fourteen-year-old girl, halfway through my freshman year of high school, with a lifelong disease. I had a choice: to either rise above my literal highs and lows or to crash and burn and let it destroy me. I chose the easy route and began to nose-dive straight into the ground. I couldn't keep my blood sugar balanced while playing softball. I was always either above my target glucose range, or below it (both life-threatening). I promised my family I would finish the season, but then I was done. At school, I was quiet. No one knew me anymore, I didn’t even know myself. All I could do was fight to hold on to whatever “normal” I had left. It wasn’t until the end of January that life began to fly a little smoother. I was laying on the floor of my room (my comfort zone at the time, still is actually) staring at the ceiling. I pulled out my phone looking for something to occupy my mind. Little did I know that I was one tap away from my saving grace. On my recommended page was a video by a Christian poet. I grew up trusting in God and knowing about Him and His love, but I never watched anything religious or poetic. At that moment, I realized I had lost connection with Him since my diagnosis. I had simply forgotten to trust in Him. I listened intently as the narrator’s powerful, rhythmic words flowed out. One part caught my attention: “With the seatbelt sign turned on, and the man in the aisle seat white knuckles on the armrest, I remind him that no plane has ever crashed from turbulence. But, if we had the choice don’t you think most passengers would give up before it passes? What if, on the ground, we had no choice but to strap in and wait it out?” I thought about the man’s words. I thought about my new life. I thought about if I could just keep holding onto what I can, if I stay positive, if I fight to keep going, how I could overcome my disease. How I could soar above the highs and lows. From that point on, I never looked back. Next year, I plan to attend Cornell College, play Softball, and major in Nursing. Having a career in medicine as a Nurse Practitioner in Endocrinology, I would be able to pursue my passion and help kids navigate all the highs and lows the disease brings.

“Establish a plan, understand the risk, act with passion, and succeed with panache!” My grandfather has always been a successful entrepreneur for over 40 years. So, when he said this to me two years ago, I made sure to never forget it. I would like to think that not only does his advice apply to investing your money, but it can also apply to investing your time and energy. Almost everything important in life requires a plan. By making a plan, you understand the risk that comes with all of your choices. Once a decision is made, you must put all of your energy into it to be successful. Even after you have accomplished your goal, you must be confident and enthusiastic. Only then, can you continue to be successful and even grow as a person. My grandfather’s advice has shaped how I live my life and make my decisions. It has helped me stop and execute a goal with purpose. Without his words, I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today!

Patience is defined as the capacity to tolerate stressors such as delay, conflict, or struggle without getting angry or upset. Every aspect of life requires patience. Without it, where would we be? Growing up, patience wasn’t something I understood. Then again, as a kid, no one understands it. It wasn’t until I started really getting into softball, around age thirteen or fourteen, that the meaning of patience became apparent. Every new team I joined, I was always the worst player at the start of the season. To improve, I needed to be three things: patient, persistent, and hard-working. I would go to weekly lessons and practice offense and defense daily. During tournaments, I refused to sit when I wasn’t playing. I would stand next to the coach and pay attention to what calls were made and why. I wanted them to know I was determined to earn a spot in their lineup. That took time and patience, but in the end, I become a starting player. This cycle continued through the years, but each year I was able to achieve my goals. I wouldn’t be able to say I am a committed collegiate softball player without being patient. Patience, to me, is success.

If you have ever flown in a plane, you have most likely experienced some turbulence. Just a few bumps, right? It’s not that bad. However, if you have ever experienced rough turbulence, that’s a whole different story. I'm talking about the turbulence that makes you consider calling your family and friends and telling them you love them, the spill-your-deepest-secrets kind of turbulence, the kind where you’re waiting for the oxygen masks to fall. On January 1st, 2019, I hit some heart-pumping turbulence in my life (a.k.a. a diagnosis of Type I Diabetes). Being fourteen years old, I was a late case. Becoming a T1D changes everything: friendships, the way you eat, even your personality. All I knew coming home was that I was a fourteen-year-old girl with a lifelong disease. I had a choice: to either rise above my literal highs and lows or to crash and burn. I chose the easy route and began to nose-dive. In late February, I went to YouTube, looking for a distraction. Little did I know, I was one tap away from my saving grace. On my recommended page was a poem. One part caught my attention: “With the seatbelt sign turned on, and the man in the aisle seat white knuckles on the armrest, I remind him that no plane has ever crashed from turbulence. But, if we had the choice don’t you think most passengers would give up before it passes? What if, on the ground, we had no choice but to strap in and wait it out?” I thought about the man’s words and thought about how I could overcome my disease and how I could soar above the highs and lows. Since then, when life got difficult, I reminded myself that no plane has ever crashed from turbulence.

Photography, in my opinion, tells stories. Whether it be something serious, something small, something fantastical, or even something bigger than all of us; every picture captured is a story. My family and I are always traveling. This is because my parents believe that their kids should experience the world and all it has to offer. When I was younger, I didn’t really appreciate or understand how lucky I was to go see these things. It wasn’t until middle school where I, too, saw the beauty in life and wanted to savor those moments. It caused me to gain interest in photography. Wherever I went, my camera came with me. The photos showcased in my portfolio are from a mountain trip to Tennessee. That trip taught me how truly beautiful nature is; how it can be both simple and complex. How nature can both calm you and overwhelm you. I enjoyed photographing every aspect of the landscape: the tiny details of the moss, the flow of the water, the contrasting stone in all of that greenery. These reasons are actually why I chose not to edit my pictures. To this day, when I look at these shots, I’m taken back to Tennessee. Each detail I was able to capture is sensed and remind me again of the world’s beauty. I hope you’re also able to experience this when looking at my portfolio.

Passion is defined as the energy that drives our lives, our decisions, our happiness, and the driving force behind success. Without passion, where would we be? Without doctors, athletes, teachers, and so much more! I found my passion in helping others with their health after being diagnosed with Diabetes on January 1, 2019. Being fourteen years old, I was a late case. Usually, kids are diagnosed between the ages of four and six. After the doctors broke the news, they informed me that my blood sugar was probably around the 900s that morning. Who would have thought one bite of a banana or even a sip of juice would have taken me away from my loved ones? Although I started my Type 1 Diabetes journey off to a pretty rough start, I’ve always been very proud of my disease and everything it’s taught me. One reason that I’ve viewed Diabetes as something positive, is because of the doctors and nurses who were there in the very beginning. Many of them also had Diabetes. They taught me that it wasn’t something that limited and defined me; the illness was actually just a part of my journey. Diabetes would end up opening so many doors and would teach me so much. Coming into high school, I thought I wanted to pursue a career in business. My diagnosis ended up opening a door to a career in healthcare. This occurred to me when I started babysitting a nine-year-old boy with Type I. I wanted to be for him, what my nurses were for me. Once a week, we would eat low-carb pizza, watch Disney movies, and share keto snacks. I loved helping him take his medicine and showing him he’s not fighting alone. I was inspired to do the same for others and joined CAPS my senior year of high school to learn more about healthcare and prepare for the endocrinology field. CAPS is a medical program that provides opportunities for students to intern for professionals, participate in hospital rotations, and learn medical terminology and procedures. Next year, I plan to attend Cornell College to major in biology and minor in kinesiology through the pre-med professional program and get my MSN. By having a career in medicine as a Nurse Practitioner in Endocrinology, I would be able to pursue my passion and help kids like me navigate all the highs and lows the disease brings.

Passion is defined as the energy that drives our lives, our decisions, our happiness, and the driving force behind success. Without passion, where would we be? Without doctors, athletes, teachers, and so much more! I found my passion in helping others with their health after being diagnosed with Diabetes on January 1, 2019. Being fourteen years old, I was a late case. Usually, kids are diagnosed between the ages of four and six. After the doctors broke the news, they informed me that my blood sugar was probably around the 900s that morning. Who would have thought one bite of a banana or even a sip of juice would have taken me away from my loved ones? Although I started my Type 1 Diabetes journey off to a pretty rough start, I’ve always been very proud of my disease and everything it’s taught me. One reason that I’ve viewed Diabetes as something positive, is because of the doctors and nurses who were there in the very beginning. Many of them also had Diabetes. They taught me that it wasn’t something that limited and defined me; the illness was actually just a part of my journey. Diabetes would end up opening so many doors and would teach me so much. Coming into high school, I thought I wanted to pursue a career in business. My diagnosis ended up opening a door to a career in healthcare. This occurred to me when I started babysitting a nine-year-old boy with Type I. I wanted to be for him, what my nurses were for me. Once a week, we would eat low-carb pizza, watch Disney movies, and share keto snacks. I loved helping him take his medicine and showing him he’s not fighting alone. I was inspired to do the same for others and joined CAPS my senior year of high school to learn more about healthcare and prepare for the endocrinology field. CAPS is a medical program that provides opportunities for students to intern for professionals, participate in hospital rotations, and learn medical terminology and procedures. Next year, I plan to attend Cornell College to major in biology and minor in kinesiology through the pre-med professional program and get my MSN. By having a career in medicine as a Nurse Practitioner in Endocrinology, I would be able to pursue my passion and help kids like me navigate all the highs and lows the disease brings.

Strong, solid, unbreakable. What is resilience? In my opinion, resilience isn’t just being physically tough, it’s mostly about being mentally tough. It’s being adaptable, strong-willed, confident! So, I will ask, once again, what is resilience? Well, resilience is me. On January 1, 2019, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Being fourteen years old, I was a late case. Usually, kids are diagnosed between the ages of four and six. After the doctors broke the news, they informed me that my blood sugar was probably around the 900s that morning. Who would have thought one bite of a banana or even a sip of juice would have taken me away from my loved ones? The month following my return home from the hospital would either make me or break me. Becoming a T1D changes everything: friendships, the way you eat, being an athlete, even your personality. That first month of being diagnosed involved me learning about who I now was. All I knew coming home was that I was a fourteen-year-old girl, halfway through my freshman year of high school, with a lifelong disease. I had a choice: to either rise above my literal highs and lows or to crash and burn and let it destroy me. I chose the easy route and began to nose-dive straight into the ground. There was no way I could keep my blood sugar balanced while playing softball. I was always either above my target glucose range, or below it (both life-threatening). I promised my family I would finish the season, but then I was done. At school, I was quiet. No one knew me anymore, I didn’t even know myself. All I could do was fight to hold on to whatever “normal” I had left. It wasn’t until the end of January that life began to go a little smoother. I was laying on the floor of my room (my comfort zone at the time, still is actually) staring at the ceiling. I pulled out my phone and went to YouTube, looking for something to occupy my mind. Little did I know that I was one tap away from my saving grace. On my recommended page was a video by a Christian poet. I grew up trusting in God and knowing about him and his love, but I never watched anything religious nor poetic. At that moment, I realized how I lost connection with Him since joining the T1D community. I listened intently as the narrator’s powerful, rhythmic words flowed out. One part caught my attention: “With the seatbelt sign turned on, and the man in the aisle seat white knuckles on the armrest, I remind him that no plane has ever crashed from turbulence. But, if we had the choice don’t you think most passengers would give up before it passes? What if, on the ground, we had no choice but to strap in and wait it out?” To this day, that the phrase “no plane has ever crashed from turbulence,” has stuck with me. It shaped my mindset and how I not only viewed life but also my disease. When things got rough I just had to hold on until the storm passed. This is turn taught me to be mentally tough, to be able to adapt, to stay true to myself, to be confident. It taught me to be resilient!