Taylor Swift’s first ever full pop album, 1989, was released on October 27, 2014. I was eleven years old. I remember dancing around my room to this album. I would put on my heels and my Taylor Swift sunglasses and sing the lyrics into my karaoke microphone. Now, I’m nineteen and I have to admit, I still do that. Taylor taught me to dance like nobody's watching with her song “Shake It Off”. She showed me how powerful women are when watching the “Bad Blood” music video. I have been a swiftie for many years but her 1989 World Tour was the first time I saw her live. This album will always remain special to me. After hundreds of streams and replaying the CD for years, my favorite song on this album is track 13 (Taylor’s lucky number) “Clean”. The song opens with a very catchy beat and sounds that remind me of trickling water. The first lyric in this song that really stands out to me is, “When the flowers that we’d grown together died of thirst.” It has so many levels to it. It resonates differently with each person. Taylor’s vocals on this track is another factor as to why it is my favorite from 1989. Hearing it now after she has released evermore and folklore, it reminds me of her light, princessy falsetto. When she was on tour she gave a short speech before performing “Clean”. I was just a wide eyed twelve year old girl listening to her every word. She said, “You are not the opinion of somebody who doesn’t know you or care about you…” I always loved that I heard her say that live. When Taylor released the deluxe version of 1989, the CD came with polaroids of her that had lyrics from songs written in her handwriting at the bottom. My favorite polaroid happens to have a lyric from “Clean”. This gave me something tangible. I felt more connected to the song. I hung it on my wall and looked at it all of the time. She says the following lyric as the pre-chorus after verse two and crescendos into it. “The water filled my lungs. I screamed so loud but no one heard a thing.” To me that means you are looking for help, asking for it anywhere you can but nobody is listening to you. The very next lyric in the chorus is, “the rain came pouring down, when I was drowning that’s when I could finally breathe.” She had to get through the storm before she could be clean of what she’s singing about. I particularly love this song because it can mean something different for everyone. Whether it’s someone struggling with addiction or a person going through a breakup, it’s meaningful. In between lyrics Taylor sings a little “ahh ahh” which to me sounds like she’s trying to breathe in this storm she is drowning in. I am really glad Taylor included this song on 1989. This album is filled with upbeat songs you can listen to with the windows down in your car. But “Clean” was a good way to add a mix of slow tempo with an upbeat sound and really deep lyrics. Listening to “Clean” now after knowing how much deeper her lyrics become later in her discography is such a fascinating way to see her grow.

I have always been a positive person. Covid never changed that. Being so positive has made being optimistic easy. The toughest time in my life was when Covid hit. I was sixteen years old with so much to look forward to. Then suddenly we had to stop moving. I had to stop moving forward towards my goals with no idea when I could start moving again. I stayed positive. I clung to the people closest in my life. I trusted God's plan for my life. The more negativity you have the more you will make everyone around you unhappy and close great opportunities for yourself. Staying positive has never steered me wrong. There was always something good that came out of it.

There are many ways for people to show that they are listening. The way that I think is most important is to make eye contact with me. If the person I’m speaking to asks questions I know they’re listening or shares a story from something they went through that was similar. Body language is such a huge thing. If someone starts talking about something gross that I don’t want to hear I will show disgust or plug my ears and hope they get my signal. I think the most sentimental way to show you’re listening is when someone I’m talking to tells you what their favorite candy is or their favorite restaurant is. Then when a special day comes that requires a gift I’m able to give them a gift card to that restaurant or take them myself. Recently I had to take my drivers test. So I told one of my teachers that and the next day they asked how it went. Them asking me the next day proves that they were listening to what I was saying and shows that they cared about me. Little things like that mean so much.

This spring I will be graduating with 400 volunteer hours. The graduation requirement was 30. I love to spend time helping those I care about and the ones that need it. In April the company my dad works for was asking for donations for moms in need for mothers day. I contacted my NHS advisor and got a few donation boxes set up at my school. An act of service is an act of service no matter how big or small. Texting my friend a picture of my notes because they were absent to setting up an event for seniors at my school. In fourth grade a student in my class struggled keeping his papers and bringing them to class so I went home and told my mom, I picked out two folders, scrap paper and some pencils and gave them to him the next day in class. He was so thankful and stopped losing his papers after that. Acts of service become very easy when you are a kind person. It’s also easier knowing I’m outgoing and extroverted. I’m not going to be scared to ask a stranger if they need me to grab something off the top shelf. I want others to see how I am kind and decide they will be kind too. Kindness makes the world go round.

I have been setting goals since the 5th grade. I started this habit very young and I’m really proud of that. I’ve gotten so good at setting goals I won a scholarship for it. My goal for high school was to get 1,000 career kills and to get recruited to play volleyball in college. I’m proud to say that those goals can be checked off my list. While being recruited I had a goal of deciding my major. In the fall I will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University to play volleyball and major in Digital Marketing. Now, the goal is to graduate in 4 years and have a job right out of college. I want to be involved in college, and make friends that will last after graduation. I want to set records with my team for MVNU. My personal goals include strengthening my photography skills. I will achieve this by shadowing photographers at my church. I've been on the yearbook staff for 3 years. I go on photoshoots as often as possible. I want to take photos at college sports, and other events on campus similar to being on the yearbook staff. Depending on where life takes me I’d love to be a concert photographer or have a small business of my own. The most important personal goal of mine is to get married, adventure with my husband and have kids. Then teach those kids how to set goals and watch them shine.

There are many things I have accomplished in my lifetime. I have so much time to set more goals and achieve more things. My friends and family know me for how kind I am to everyone. I want the world to see my kindness and choose to be kind too. I plan on doing this by always being myself. I put a smile on my face even when I don’t feel happy, I walk up to a stranger when they see upset and ask if they need anything, I compliment my waitress when I like her shoes. I like to focus on the little things in someone’s life and compliment them about it. I know I’m not some nuclear scientist paving the way for generations to come, but I’m still important. I believe kindness makes the world go round. To the Bold.org scholarship reviewer reading this right now, spread a little bit of kindness each day.

My photography journey started in the 8th grade when I took interest in being in front of the camera. My sophomore year I joined the yearbook staff, which is the youngest you can join at my school. Now in my senior year, I am the yearbook editor and the student on our staff that takes the most photos. The portfolio I submitted is a mix of photos inside and outside of school. I felt it necessary to submit photos of different styles. One portrait, two action shots, and two of the wilderness. The softball photo you see is of my friend Lauren. The light coming in is natural, not added in. The photo of a girl and a guy is one I took of our school’s powder puff event. Senior, Coach Riley tells senior, Keara Holt the plan. I was the only photographer at that event and I’m so glad I caught this moment. The portrait you see with the sunflowers was a photoshoot I did of my best friend, Hala I think the sun just makes her skin glow. The photo you see of water and land is of Great Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The final photo, of stone and snow, is at Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. I enjoy hiking in the winter mainly for these views of the ice. I chose these photos so you may see a variety of my personality and my skill. Hopeful through these photos you got to know a little bit about me and what I like to see in the world.

My name is Grace Green and I am a senior in high school. I will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University studying Digital Marketing and will be continuing my athletic career playing volleyball. I go to church. I am from Ohio. I love photography and singing. I love my friends and family and making them smile. Right now I'm setting the foundations for my career by getting into college. I want to make an impact in the digital marketing world by caring for future generations and spreading kindness. I am interested in digital marketing because I enjoy social media and can see how much of an impact social media can make on sales. I also love photography and that can go hand and hand. I don't read "self-help books" or books that teach you how to do things. I love novels. My favorite genres are fiction, realistic fiction, and romance. From a lot of the books I've read the characters are brave and being brave is such a beautiful trait. I might have a goal that has a step to accomplish that I'm scared of but my favorite characters taught me to be brave. I once attended a youth group where I knew absolutely no one. Except for one of the leaders but all the students were strangers to me. I sat down at a table that was playing Uno and joined their game. Immediately one kid introduced everyone at the table and said where everyone went to school and what grade they were in. I felt very welcomed by him. He then proceeded to make sure during the group game I met the other students. He took the time to get to know the new student, rather than hanging out with his own friends. That kid is now my boyfriend of two years. I was so thankful to have someone like him around when I was stepping into a new setting. I have started being that person for others. The most attractive thing about my boyfriend is his kindness and his friendliness. I believe one of my best traits is my friendliness. Through school I've had the opportunity to walk new students around out building and introduce them to others. At volleyball I partner with the new athletes so they don't feel as alone. My freshman year I made the varsity volleyball team. I was the only freshman and there were no sophomores either. I felt super lonely that fall. Nobody on that team really took their time to get to know me. I hated that feeling. I'm involved in many clubs that are a group that younger students can look up to. I want to make sure students feel comfortable and open to talk to me about anything they feel necessary. If there's a new student in my class I'm not afraid to talk to them after class and say hi and warn them to bring a jacket to school because our building is freezing. That could just be my extroverted personality coming out but most of my friends are not willing to be that open. I do the morning announcements for my high school so I want our students to ask "who's that voice?" and a teacher would respond with, "That's Grace Green, she's super sweet and friendly." I’m actively using my trait of friendliness and I don’t believe there’s a reason to ever stop. You never know what someone is going through.

My name is Grace Green and I am a senior in high school. I will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University studying Digital Marketing and will be continuing my athletic career playing volleyball. I go to church. I am from Ohio. I love photography and singing. I love my friends and family and making them smile. Right now I'm setting the foundations for my career by getting into college. I want to make an impact in the digital marketing world by caring for future generations and spreading kindness. I am interested in digital marketing because I enjoy social media and can see how much of an impact social media can make on sales. I also love photography and that can go hand and hand. I don't read "self-help books" or books that teach you how to do things. I love novels. My favorite genres are fiction, realistic fiction, and romance. From a lot of the books I've read the characters are brave and being brave is such a beautiful trait. I might have a goal that has a step to accomplish that I'm scared of but my favorite characters taught me to be brave.

I have always been a positive person. Covid never changed that. Being so positive has made being optimistic easy. The toughest time in my life was when Covid hit. I was sixteen years old with so much to look forward to. Then suddenly we had to stop moving. I had to stop moving forward towards my goals with no idea when I could start moving again. I stayed positive. I clung to the people closest in my life. I trusted God's plan for my life. The more negativity you have the more you will make everyone around you unhappy and close great opportunities for yourself. Staying positive has never steered me wrong. There was always something good that came out of it.

Since I was a little girl I loved having my photo taken. As I got older I still liked having my picture taken but I started being the one behind the camera. When I was thirteen I had an older friend give me a photoshoot for my birthday party. Learning how to pose, adding props, being taught about golden hour were all things my mind clinged to. Now I'm eighteen and have been on my school's yearbook staff for three years. I have taken thousands of action shots for sports, still images, and portraits for school. Some of which have been used in the local newspaper or on social media. Recently I've had lots of classmates ask me to take their senior pictures. This past summer I interned for the City of Obetz. I was hired under the Parks and Recreation department but also got to spend time with the city's photographer/graphic designer, Leanna. I learned how to use a Canon and what different lenses can do! I was able to take concert photos for the first time. Recently Leanna was sick and couldn't come to take new headshots and group pictures of the council members. My boss reached out last minute and I was able to step in and get paid! The best way to improve my photography skills is to practice! I also am improving by listening to photography podcasts and following photographers on social media. Photography is a skill I plan to enhance in college and hopefully be a side business one day.

I grew up going to church. As a kid, I would see friends give their friends a car, cook a stranger a meal or babysit for free. They did these things to be nice, yes but also because they cared for people. I've never seen giving as a difficult thing to do. When I was 10 a kid in my class never had a pencil so I would give him one. The same kid didn't have a binder or paper, I told my mom about it and the next day I gave him some folders, paper, and any pencils I could find. He was so thankful. The older I got the more involved in school I became. My mom was always there to pick me up but some of my classmates didn't have a ride home. I'd offer them a ride home some take the offer some don't but at least I'm offering. When I was in 8th grade one of my teammates didn't have a dress for the snowball dance. I knew she was my size and offered her the dress I wore to our father-daughter dance a few years before. She looked amazing and was thrilled she could dance the night away. Giving isn't just buying someone a house or giving them thirty presents. You can give in small ways like paying for the person behind you in the drive-thru or it can be as simple as giving someone a pencil. Giving is about making somebody else's day better by being kind.