Ever since I was very young I have been playing soccer and in my family there is no such thing as missing practice or a game. My dad happens to be a football coach at a local high school, which caused him to push me harder than other people may have experienced. Looking at the school aspect both my parents are teachers at the secondary education level. Many people think that I am so lucky because they can just help me with my work, however my experience has given me a different perspective. Instead of getting help I would feel immense pressure to perform well in both my sport and academics. Now in elementary school, balancing was easy because I am naturally good at paying attention and picking things up quickly, making me a good student and player. The same goes for middle school, none of the classes were challenging to where they impacted my out of school activities. High school is where this common trend changes. Starting high school soccer while still doing club and getting used to the classes was daunting to say the least. Especially in my specific school and situation being one of two freshmen playing with varsity while the seniors were more like a big clique, which made me hate going every single day. As I went through high school I started loving soccer at that level, but as I continued, the classes got harder and I struggled with it more. I would work harder, go in extra, review my tests, and more just to try and understand these more in depth challenging courses. Soccer ended up being a break, something to take my mind off school and really just grind in the sport that I love. The values and qualities I have gained from balancing these two worlds make me who I am. I know how to roll with the punches, how to value hard work and how to show up to succeed even when tired. I have been told a few times that I don’t quite know when to ask for help. The weird thing is I have only heard that from men. They say it like it’s a problem, but I disagree. I will ask for help if I need it, however I will push to do it myself if that makes it easier for others and I know I am capable of doing more. I am not afraid to stand up to a guy or anyone when I know they're in the wrong. I am determined that my work will represent who I am, not just based on my gender.

My name is Emma Hunter, I am a senior at Souderton Area High School and I am graduating in June 2025. Heading to university I have not yet decided where I want to go but at the moment my decision is between Kutztown and PennState. I intended to study and major in Elementary Education. Throughout high school there is a program presented to us every year. Called Safe2Say. This program is used to help those dealing with bad mental health. Protecting them and others. I believe this program has helped many individuals, none that I know of personally, but has helped fight the battle against mental health. I think what needs to be focused on is the signs. Friends cannot help or contact safe2say if they do not understand the signs of poor mental health. The person themselves might not even understand the signs. Personally at one point I thought I was in some sort of depression but I can not define what that looks like. So I am still unsure if that was my diagnosis at that time. I did not want to ask my parents because sometimes parents do not understand why a child's mental health is bad. They can't understand how a child's life appears so good and they can still have poor mental health. As I mentioned before I want to major in Elementary Education. At this point in society some children dread going to school and when they are not present and they disassociate. I want to make the environment positive for my students and help them find a love for being at school. I can not change their home life but I can help them feel welcomed. More and more teens are committing suicide each year which can be accredited to bullying, particularly cyber, and just an overall depression. Starting with elementary students I intend to take a stand toward bullying by teaching kids how to understand perspective. Seeing situations by using different lenses. Building empathy and understanding how to deal with hurtful words aimed at them by others. I am aiming to join the fight against mental illness and bullying in schools as well as changing education. Shying away from the strict way of teaching and instead build the children's skills in socialization and confidence. I want school to be a safe haven for students and something they look forward to everyday. I truly believe to teach the importance of perspective and understanding the emotions of others. These kids are capable all they need is a hand to help.