I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, unlike many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are a part of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable.

Hope, the people need hope. When times are tough then some people may break, but others won't. Hope is the driving factor that keeps people pushing forward through adversity. Hope is the light in a dark room, hope is up when things are down, hope is what fosters a community of like-minded individuals that push to create change in our ever-growing society. If we didn't have hope, then nothing would change, we would never have invented airplanes, cars would not exist, and forget space travel. Hope is what allows humans to push the boundaries of what we think is possible. If Steve Jobs didn't have a vision for a phone without lots of buttons, we would've never gotten the iPhone, he revolutionized the technology industry; all because he had a vision and he had hope. Not lots of people are good at handling grief, they need someone to be by their side and comfort them. The only people who can do that are those with hope still inside them. This past year is a testimony to the importance of hope; so many people when through so many hardships and hope played a key role in getting us through the pandemic. Although our journey is not over, I have hope that we will overcome and we will come out on top.

“When something is important enough, you do it even when the odds are not in your favor.” I admire Elon Musk, but not because of how successful he is. Despite being a celebrity, Elon Musk has not let his status affect his personality. His Twitter is filled with jokes and brilliant replies to other people, which is something rare to see in people at his level of fame. I have not met a single person who disliked him and is the best role model I can think of. Not only is he extremely intelligent and successful, but he wants to extend his experiences to others by working towards a way to have public space travel. His biggest role models, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin disapproved of his dream for public space travel, but that has not stopped him from pursuing it. Most people who quit if their biggest role models publicly stated that they disagree with a project that person was working on, but Elon persevered through adversity and is following his dream while not letting society alter his playful personality. We all have to work towards a brighter future. I learned that I am someone who will always persevere through any obstacle I come across. Whether it’s being sleep deprived during a test, or getting a flat tired, and learning how to change it for the first time, perseverance is key. I learned that making the best out of a bad situation inspires others to do so, creating a community of people who are willing to move forward.

I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. My stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, unlike many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are a part of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable. I plan on becoming a physician assistant. I have already been accepted into The University of Texas at Austin with Biology as my major. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom to bring my talents to the medical world and do great things.

I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, unlike many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are a part of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable. I plan on becoming a physician assistant, ergo majoring in biology is a good stepping stone to achieving my goal. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom to bring my talents to the medical world and do great things. My experiences have taught me that setbacks will occur. I know that I will continue to push forward, no matter what challenges come my way. I am determined to educate myself and work out then use my knowledge to help others struggling, both physically and mentally.

"When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor" - Elon Musk I admire Elon Musk, but not because of how successful he is. Despite being a celebrity, Elon Musk has not let his status affect his personality. His Twitter is filled with jokes and brilliant replies to other people, which is something rare to see in people at his level of fame. I have not met a single person who disliked him and is the best role model I can think of. Not only is he extremely intelligent and successful, but he wants to extend his experiences to others by working towards a way to have public space travel. His biggest role models, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin disapproved of his dream for public space travel, but that has not stopped him from pursuing it. Most people would quit if their biggest role models publicly stated that they disagree with a project that person was working on, but Elon persevered through adversity and is following his dream, all while not letting society alter his playful personality. I remember being a gymnastic practice during spring break, hearing my coach talk about the state gymnastics meet and how it might be canceled due to Covid-19. Being the optimist I am, I continued working out, as usual, hoping the meet didn't get canceled. A couple of days later, word came out that my school district was extending spring break for another week due to Covid-19. I was a little disappointed I would have to go a whole week without doing gymnastics, but I continued to work out at home, thinking about how good it would feel to stand on a podium at the state gymnastics meet. A 1-week extension turned into another 2 weeks, then another 2 weeks after that, my school district extended spring break for another month, due to the increasing cases of Covid=19 in the US. A nationwide quarantine was announced, and later the state gymnastics meet would be canceled. Three years of hard work essentially went down the drain. I realized something. Every minute I spent moping around, is another minute the other gymnasts have to train at home. I realized I could still train for the state meet next year, so that is what I started doing. I had to snap myself out of this temporary sadness and focus on the endgame. More importantly, though, I had to focus on the journey to the endgame, which starts with never giving up. We all have to work towards a brighter future. I learned that I am someone who will always persevere through any obstacle I come across. Whether it’s being sleep deprived during a test, or getting a flat tired, and learning how to change it for the first time, perseverance is key. I learned that making the best out of a bad situation inspires others to do so, creating a community of people who are willing to move forward.

I hastily run and punch the gymnastics floor with my aching feet into a forward somersault, promptly landing gracefully onto the blue mat. Dull pain in my lower abdomen refused to subside as I inch my way through the early morning practice. “It’ll go away eventually,” I tell myself. One morning, after consecutive weeks of sporadically enduring the abdominal pain, a gruesome abnormality woke me up at 5 am. My stomach felt constricted and I winced from every movement I made due to the extreme throbbing pain. Eventually, I passed out, then later awoke to find my stomach ache just borderline tolerable. I stayed in this state for a week until my dad was finally convinced that I needed medical help. I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, not like many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful happening. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my own room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are a part of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable.

It goes without saying that nobody wants to pay for college, so here I am to beg for money. All jokes aside, this next paragraph is about my experience with biology, my intended major in college. I remember being in my 5th-grade science class and learning that we share approximately 98 percent of our DNA with gorillas. In my 7th-grade science class, I learned about natural selection with Darwin's finches. As I progressed through my academic career, I found myself reading about all the biological discoveries ever made, and how they were discovered. No other subject could capture my interest in how science could. When I find something that genuinely interests me, I devote hours of my time to that interest. For example, I enjoy working out because having something to work towards and improving myself a little bit every single day drives me to keep going. I don't dread having to wake up early in the morning to work out because being able to bask in my own sweat means I worked hard, which motivated me to work even harder tomorrow. Similarly, biology genuinely interests me, so I don't view going to class as something I have to do; it's an opportunity to refine and build upon my knowledge in the classroom, consequently, I can use my skills to help others. Somebody told me The University of Texas at Austin was a reach school for me, meaning I would not likely be accepted. They told me that I should consider more “realistic” options; I am proud to say that the look on their face when I showed them my acceptance letter was priceless, and a picture of their shocked face is currently hanging on my bedroom wall. Although being accepted is great and all, my financial aid package was not so stellar. My dad is still paying off my hospital bills from 3 years ago, so my best bet to financing my education is through scholarships like these. I would like to attend graduate school for 2 years after getting my bachelor’s degree, but finding financial support is difficult. Despite these common hardships that many people face, it is important to look at the bright side. I am will be entering a school with like-minded individuals and start a new chapter in my life, and I could not be more excited for this opportunity of a lifetime. Back to what I was saying, I plan to become a physician assistant and am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom to bring my talents to the medical world and do great things. My experiences have taught me that setbacks will occur. I know that I will continue to push forward, no matter what challenges come my way. I am determined to educate myself and then use my knowledge to help others struggling, both physically and mentally.

A wise individual once said, "Do or do not, there is no try." I enjoy helping others whether it is holding the door for someone or tutoring my peers. If I had one word to describe myself, it would be ambitious. My ambition stems from my early childhood years of being a volunteer at my local Buddhist temple; it brought smiles to people's faces when they saw a young boy serving them their meal. I cherish those memories and will continue to serve my community in hopes that others will pay it forward. There is no telling how much good this would do to the world.

Despite being a celebrity, Elon Musk has not let his status affect his personality; his Twitter is filled with jokes and brilliant replies to other people, which is something rare to see in people at his level of fame. I have not met a single person who disliked him; not only is he extremely intelligent and successful, but he wants to extend his experiences to others by working towards a way to have public space travel; his biggest role models, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin disapproved of his dream for public space travel, but that has not stopped him from pursuing it. Most people who quit if their biggest role models publicly stated that they disagree with a project that person was working on, but Elon persevered through adversity and is following his dream; at the same time, not letting society alter his playful personality.

I remember being a gymnastic practice during spring break, hearing my coach talk about the state gymnastics meet and how it might be canceled due to Covid-19. Being the optimist I am, I continued working out, as usual, hoping the meet didn't get canceled. A couple of days later, word came out that my school district was extending spring break for another week due to Covid-19. I was a little disappointed I would have to go a whole week without doing gymnastics, but I continued to work out at home, thinking about how good it would feel to stand on a podium at the state gymnastics meet. A 1-week extension turned into another 2 weeks, then another 2 weeks after that, then my school district extended spring break for another month, due to the increasing cases of Covid=19 in the US. A nationwide quarantine was announced, and later the state gymnastics meet would be canceled. Three years of hard work essentially went down the drain. The country stayed in lockdown for months, but I realized something. Every minute I spent moping around, is another minute the other gymnasts have to train at home. I realized I could still train for the state meet next year, so that is what I started doing. I had to snap myself out of this temporary sadness and focus on the endgame. More importantly, though, I had to focus on the journey to the endgame, which starts with never giving up. Everyone has been affected in some shape or form by Covid-19. It is something that we all have to accept if we want to move forward and work towards a brighter future. I learned that I am someone who will always persevere through any obstacle I come across. Whether it’s being sleep deprived during a test, or getting a flat tired, and learning how to change it for the first time, perseverance is key. I learned that making the best out a bad situation inspires others to do so, which creates a community of people who are willing to move forward, together.

I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” I was promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood; I knew that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. Two days later, I was discharged. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all-day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are apart of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable. I plan on becoming a physician assistant. I have already been accepted into The University of Texas at Austin with Biology as my major. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things.

I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, not like many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful happening. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my own room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all-day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are apart of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable. I plan on becoming a physician assistant. I have already been accepted into The University of Texas at Austin with Biology as my major. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things.

I admire Elon Musk, but not because of how successful he is. Despite being a celebrity, Elon Musk has not let his status affect his personality. His Twitter is filled with jokes and brilliant replies to other people, which is something rare to see in people at his level of fame. I have not met a single person who disliked him and is the best role model I can think of. Not only is he extremely intelligent and successful, but he wants to extend his experiences to others by working towards a way to have public space travel. His biggest role models, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin disapproved of his dream for public space travel, but that has not stopped him from pursuing it. Most people who quit if their biggest role models publicly stated that they disagree with a project that person was working on, but Elon persevered through adversity and is following his dream; at the same time, not letting society alter his playful personality. I remember being a gymnastic practice during spring break, hearing my coach talk about the state gymnastics meet and how it might be canceled due to Covid-19. Being the optimist I am, I continued working out, as usual, hoping the meet didn't get canceled. A couple of days later, word came out that my school district was extending spring break for another week due to Covid-19. I was a little disappointed I would have to go a whole week without doing gymnastics, but I continued to work out at home, thinking about how good it would feel to stand on a podium at the state gymnastics meet. A 1-week extension turned into another 2 weeks, then another 2 weeks after that, then my school district extended spring break for another month, due to the increasing cases of Covid=19 in the US. A nationwide quarantine was announced, and later the state gymnastics meet would be canceled. Three years of hard work essentially went down the drain. The country stayed in lockdown for months, but I realized something. Every minute I spent moping around, is another minute the other gymnasts have to train at home. I realized I could still train for the state meet next year, so that is what I started doing. I had to snap myself out of this temporary sadness and focus on the endgame. More importantly, though, I had to focus on the journey to the endgame, which starts with never giving up. Everyone has been affected in some shape or form by Covid-19. It is something that we all have to accept if we want to move forward and work towards a brighter future. I learned that I am someone who will always persevere through any obstacle I come across. Whether it’s being sleep deprived during a test, or getting a flat tired, and learning how to change it for the first time, perseverance is key. I learned that making the best out a bad situation inspires others to do so, which creates a community of people who are willing to move forward, together.

I’ve seen it multiple times throughout my life, everyone performs better when there is a sense of unity among our peers. When people are helping each other with either a math problem or learning a new skill in gymnastics, the sense of accomplishment gained from helping one another propels everyone involved to continue helping each other. The more guidance that is offered from one person to the next amongst a group, the more successful they can become. Every morning, 5 days a week, I have gymnastic practice early in the morning. It is evident that everyone is tired and still partially asleep, but all it takes is one enthusiastic person to uplift someone’s emotions, then that person will inspire another, and another, like a domino effect. There may be a few groggy souls left who still can’t wake up, but that one enthusiastic person changed the outcome for many people and we ended up having a productive practice; our coach was pleased with us, which uplifted everyone’s mood. I firmly believe that teamwork makes the dream work. My experience in gymnastics and band, where teamwork is required, has broadened my perspective on the key to success. Collaboration is essential for learning, and I will push to have my classmates interacting with each other. Not only that but I will take initiative to get others to join clubs and organizations to have that sense of unity among the community, in return, everyone will be a little more successful at reaching their life goals. Biology is a topic that I find intriguing. I remember being in my 5th-grade science class and learning that we share approximately 98 percent of our DNA with gorillas. In my 7th-grade science class, I learned about natural selection with Darwin's finches. As I progressed through my academic career, I found myself reading about all the biological discoveries ever made, and how they were discovered. No other subject could capture my interest in how science could. When I find something that genuinely interests me, I devote hours of my time to that interest. For example, I enjoy working out because having something to work towards and improving myself a little bit every single day drives me to keep going. I don't dread having to wake up early in the morning to workout because being able to bask in my own sweat means I worked hard, which motivated me to work even harder tomorrow. Similarly, biology genuinely interests me, so I don't view going to class as something I have to do; it's an opportunity to refine and build upon my knowledge in the classroom, consequently, I can use my skills to help others. I plan on becoming a physician assistant, ergo majoring in biology is a good stepping stone to achieving my goal. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things. My experiences have taught me that setbacks will occur. I know that I will continue to push forward, no matter what challenges come my way. I am determined to educate myself, then use my knowledge to help others who are struggling, both physically and mentally.

I’ve seen it multiple times throughout my life, everyone performs better when there is a sense of unity among our peers. When people are helping each other with either a math problem or learning a new skill in gymnastics, the sense of accomplishment gained from helping one another propels everyone involved to continue helping each other. The more guidance that is offered from one person to the next amongst a group, the more successful they can become. Every morning, 5 days a week, I have gymnastic practice early in the morning. It is evident that everyone is tired and still partially asleep, but all it takes is one enthusiastic person to uplift someone’s emotions, then that person will inspire another, and another, like a domino effect. There may be a few groggy souls left who still can’t wake up, but that one enthusiastic person changed the outcome for many people and we ended up having a productive practice; our coach was pleased with us, which uplifted everyone’s mood. I firmly believe that teamwork makes the dream work. My experience in gymnastics and band, where teamwork is required, has broadened my perspective on the key to success. Collaboration is essential for learning, and I will push to have my classmates interacting with each other. Not only that but I will take initiative to get others to join clubs and organizations to have that sense of unity among the community, in return, everyone will be a little more successful at reaching their life goals. Biology is a topic that I find intriguing. I remember being in my 5th-grade science class and learning that we share approximately 98 percent of our DNA with gorillas. In my 7th grade science class, I learned about natural selection with Darwin's finches. As I progressed through my academic career, I found myself reading about all the biological discoveries ever made, and how they were discovered. No other subject could capture my interest in how science could. When I find something that genuinely interests me, I devote hours of my time to that interest. For example, I enjoy working out because having something to work towards and improving myself a little bit every single day drives me to keep going. I don't dread having to wake up early in the morning to workout because being able to bask in my own sweat means I worked hard, which motivated me to work even harder tomorrow. Similarly, biology genuinely interests me, so I don't view going to class as something I have to do; it's an opportunity to refine and build upon my knowledge in the classroom, consequently, I can use my skills to help others. I plan on becoming a physician assistant, ergo majoring in biology is a good stepping stone to achieving my goal. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things. My experiences have taught me that setbacks will occur. I know that I will continue to push forward, no matter what challenges come my way. I am determined to educate myself, then use my knowledge to help others who are struggling, both physically and mentally.

My all-time favorite film is The Hunger Games. Not only was it a really interesting concept, but it inspired a concept of games known as "Battle Royale" mode. As a result, millions of people around the world get to enjoy this game mode, and it has brought together a community of people. Families, friends, and even coworkers now have the amazing opportunity to bond while playing this "Battle Royale" game mode, whose concept was derived from the movie, "The Hunger Games". The sense of unity, as a result of the "Battle Royale' concept, has fostered many friendships and lifelong memories millions of people can cherish, all thanks to one movie, and that's a beautiful phenomenon.

I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, not like many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful happening. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my own room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all-day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are apart of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable. I plan on becoming a physician assistant. I have already been accepted into The University of Texas at Austin with Biology as my major. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things.

Biology is a topic that I find intriguing. I remember being in my 5th-grade science class and learning that we share approximately 98 percent of our DNA with gorillas. In my 7th-grade science class, I learned about natural selection with Darwin's finches. As I progressed through my academic career, I found myself reading about all the biological discoveries ever made, and how they were discovered. No other subject could capture my interest in how science could. When I find something that genuinely interests me, I devote hours of my time to that interest. For example, I enjoy working out because having something to work towards and improving myself a little bit every single day drives me to keep going. I don't dread having to wake up early in the morning to workout because being able to bask in my own sweat means I worked hard, which motivated me to work even harder tomorrow. Similarly, biology genuinely interests me, so I don't view going to class as something I have to do; it's an opportunity to refine and build upon my knowledge in the classroom, consequently, I can use my skills to help others. I plan on becoming a physician assistant, ergo majoring in biology is a good stepping stone to achieving my goal. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things.

I remember being a gymnastic practice during spring break, hearing my coach talk about the state gymnastics meet and how it might be canceled due to Covid-19. Being the optimist I am, I continued working out, as usual, hoping the meet didn't get canceled. A couple of days later, word came out that my school district was extending spring break for another week due to Covid-19. I was a little disappointed I would have to go a whole week without doing gymnastics, but I continued to work out at home, thinking about how good it would feel to stand on a podium at the state gymnastics meet. A 1-week extension turned into another 2 weeks, then another 2 weeks after that, then my school district extended spring break for another month, due to the increasing cases of Covid=19 in the US. A nationwide quarantine was announced, and later the state gymnastics meet would be canceled. Three years of hard work essentially went down the drain. The country stayed in lockdown for months, but I realized something. Every minute I spent moping around, is another minute the other gymnasts have to train at home. I realized I could still train for the state meet next year, so that is what I started doing. I had to snap myself out of this temporary sadness and focus on the endgame. More importantly, though, I had to focus on the journey to the endgame, which starts with never giving up. Everyone has been affected in some shape or form by Covid-19. It is something that we all have to accept if we want to move forward and work towards a brighter future. I learned that I am someone who will always persevere through any obstacle I come across. Whether it’s being sleep deprived during a test, or getting a flat tired, and learning how to change it for the first time, perseverance is key. I learned that making the best out a bad situation inspires others to do so, which creates a community of people who are willing to move forward, together.

I work as a delivery driver for a Chinese restaurant, and occasionally, there would be a surge of phone calls and people coming in at once, which overwhelms the receptionist. When I recognize this happening, I usually step in and help answer phone calls while the receptionist serves customers filing in. It’s a small, family-owned business, so often times the receptionist is also one of the cooks for the restaurant, and they’re usually running back and forth between the kitchen and the front desk. Covid-19 has decreased the number of staff available to work, so I help out whenever I can, even though I’m just one of their delivery drivers. Not only do my actions help the owners run their business smoothly, but they also inspired other workers to do the same; for example, one day there were 5 orders ready for the delivery drivers to take, but also 3 orders were currently being prepared in the kitchen. I usually group their orders together based on the location of each address they need to be delivered to so that they can arrive as quickly as possible with the limited number of drivers we have working that day. Unfortunately, I was busy helping the receptionist take phone calls, so one of the waitresses decided to step up and fill in for me, while I filled in for someone. The dynamic of people stepping up to help one another is incredible to think about because it all started with me picking up a phone. I’ve seen it multiple times throughout my life, everyone performs better when there is a sense of unity among our peers. When people are helping each other with either a math problem or learning a new skill in gymnastics, the sense of accomplishment gained from helping one another propels everyone involved to continue helping each other. The more guidance that is offered from one person to the next amongst a group, the more successful they can become. Every morning, 5 days a week, I have gymnastic practice early in the morning. It is evident that everyone is tired and still partially asleep, but all it takes is one enthusiastic person to uplift someone’s emotions, then that person will inspire another, and another, like a domino effect. There may be a few groggy souls left who still can’t wake up, but that one enthusiastic person changed the outcome for many people and we ended up having a productive practice; our coach was pleased with us, which uplifted everyone’s mood. I firmly believe that teamwork makes the dream work. My experience in gymnastics and band, where teamwork is required, has broadened my perspective on the key to success. Collaboration is essential for learning, and I will push to have my classmates interacting with each other. Not only that but I will take initiative to get others to join clubs and organizations to have that sense of unity among the community, in return, everyone will be a little more successful at reaching their life goals. I will be attending the University of Texas at Austin to major in biology, then enroll in a physician assistant program. My experiences have taught me that setbacks will occur. I know that I will continue to push forward, no matter what challenges come my way. I am determined to educate myself, then use my knowledge to help others who are struggling, both physically and mentally.

I hastily run and punch the gymnastics floor with my aching feet into a forward somersault, promptly landing gracefully onto the blue mat. Dull pain in my lower abdomen refused to subside as I inch my way through the early morning practice. “It’ll go away eventually,” I tell myself. One morning, after consecutive weeks of sporadically enduring the abdominal pain, a gruesome abnormality woke me up at 5 am. My stomach felt constricted and I winced from every movement I made due to the extreme throbbing pain. Eventually, I passed out, then later awoke to find my stomach ache just borderline tolerable. I stayed in this state for a week until my dad was finally convinced that I needed medical help. I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, not like many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful happening. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my own room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all-day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are apart of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable. I plan on becoming a physician assistant. I have already been accepted into The University of Texas at Austin with Biology as my major. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things.

I hastily run and punch the gymnastics floor with my aching feet into a forward somersault, promptly landing gracefully onto the blue mat. Dull pain in my lower abdomen refused to subside as I inch my way through the early morning practice. “It’ll go away eventually,” I tell myself. One morning, after consecutive weeks of sporadically enduring the abdominal pain, a gruesome abnormality woke me up at 5 am. My stomach felt constricted and I winced from every movement I made due to the extreme throbbing pain. Eventually, I passed out, then later awoke to find my stomach ache just borderline tolerable. I stayed in this state for a week until my dad was finally convinced that I needed medical help. I staggered into my local health clinic, where they did some blood work and took a urine sample—the test came back abnormal. The doctor stated with a worried expression, “I’ve never seen someone’s white blood cell count so high.” Generally, a high white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting off an infection, which would include symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, none of which were present. I was then promptly rushed to Medical City for further testing. At this point, my stomach pain hasn’t gotten any better and I still had to slowly waddle, like a penguin, to obviate the tenderness of my abdomen; yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the THSGCA State Gymnastics Meet coming up. I had been working hard all year, attending 6:30 practices in the morning, and showing up to optional afterschool workouts. After a couple of minutes of reminiscing, I had arrived at the hospital. I waddled my way to the front receptionist desk with my dad, where we filled out a couple of forms, then I would be officially admitted into the hospital as a patient. The lobby area was quiet and peaceful, not like many of the TV shows I had seen where there was always something eventful happening. I was rolled in a wheelchair to my own room, where they performed a dozen other tests on me. After 4 hours of checking my emails and doing my best to complete my homework, the doctor informed me that I would have to stay the night for more testing, “I guess I can’t go to the gym anymore,” I sighed. Early in the morning, a nurse crept into my room and politely asked me if she could take my blood, though I know that it was not up for discussion. A few hours later, my doctor came in to discuss how he is going to handle my diagnosis, then he informed me that I was not to eat or drink anything after midnight. This went on for 7 days; until a test had finally given promising results that would aid in my treatment. I had a procedure, in which the doctor would surgically cut a hole in my back, then insert a tube inside it to drain out an abscess located behind my bladder. Two days later, I was discharged, but I still had to keep the tube attached inside of me. My initial question was, “So can I start to work out again now?” Unfortunately, my physician informed me that I would not be able to for at least a few weeks. After I got cleared to resume physical activity again, the road to recovery was strenuous. I wasn’t able to comfortably walk for over 3 weeks while in, and before going to the hospital, so I stayed in bed virtually all-day; I would barely move a muscle. I fell into a state of near depression, due to being cut off for eternity from something I love to do. Once I got the tube ripped out of my back, the blood that squirted out from me woke me up. I realized I couldn’t let one setback define my entire life. All the countless hours of pumping out blood, sweat, and tears are apart of who I am, and anything that defies it is unacceptable.

I’ve seen it multiple times throughout my life, everyone performs better when there is a sense of unity among our peers. When people are helping each other with either a math problem or learning a new skill in gymnastics, the sense of accomplishment gained from helping one another propels everyone involved to continue helping each other. The more guidance that is offered from one person to the next amongst a group, the more successful they can become. Every morning, 5 days a week, I have gymnastic practice early in the morning. It is evident that everyone is tired and still partially asleep, but all it takes is one enthusiastic person to uplift someone’s emotions, then that person will inspire another, and another, like a domino effect. There may be a few groggy souls left who still can’t wake up, but that one enthusiastic person changed the outcome for many people and we ended up having a productive practice; our coach was pleased with us, which uplifted everyone’s mood. I firmly believe that teamwork makes the dream work. My experience in gymnastics and band, where teamwork is required, has broadened my perspective on the key to success. Collaboration is essential for learning, and I will push to have my classmates interacting with each other. Not only that but I will take initiative to get others to join clubs and organizations to have that sense of unity among the community, in return, everyone will be a little more successful at reaching their life goals. I will be attending the University of Texas at Austin to major in biology, then enroll in a physician assistant program. My experiences have taught me that setbacks will occur. I know that I will continue to push forward, no matter what challenges come my way. I am determined to educate myself, then use my knowledge to help others who are struggling, both physically and mentally.

I admire Elon Musk, but not because of how successful he is. I admire him because of how he doesn't at inauthentic. Despite being a celebrity, Elon Musk has not let his status affect his personality. His Twitter is filled with jokes and brilliant replies to other people, which is something rare to see in people at his level of fame. I have not met a single person who disliked him and is the best role model I can think of. Not only is he extremely intelligent and successful, but he wants to extend his experiences to others by working towards a way to have public space travel. His biggest role models, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin disapproved of his dream for public space travel, but that has not stopped him from pursuing it. Most people who quit if their biggest role models publicly stated that they disagree with a project that person was working on, but Elon persevered through adversity and is following his dream; at the same time, not letting society alter his playful personality.

Biology is a topic that I find intriguing. I remember being in my 5th-grade science class and learning that we share approximately 98 percent of our DNA with gorillas. In my 7th-grade science class, I learned about natural selection with Darwin's finches. As I progressed through my academic career, I found myself reading about all the biological discoveries ever made, and how they were discovered. No other subject could capture my interest in how science could. When I find something that genuinely interests me, I devote hours of my time to that interest. For example, I enjoy working out because having something to work towards and improving myself a little bit every single day drives me to keep going. I don't dread having to wake up early in the morning to workout because being able to bask in my own sweat means I worked hard, which motivated me to work even harder tomorrow. Similarly, biology genuinely interests me, so I don't view going to class as something I have to do; it's an opportunity to refine and build upon my knowledge in the classroom, consequently, I can use my skills to help others. I plan on becoming a physician assistant, ergo majoring in biology is a good stepping stone to achieving my goal. I am confident in my ability to succeed in the classroom, in hopes of bringing my talents to the medical world and doing great things.

The malicious alarm clock goes off, the time is 5:30 am. As groggy as I am, I roll out of bed and get dressed for my 6:30 gymnastics practice I have 5 days a week. After 2 hours of vigorous exercise, I drive to school then drink my pre-made protein shake. It is always important to nourish your body with vitamins and nutrients before and after workouts. I enjoy watching YouTube videos of gymnastics competitions because it keeps me motivated to work hard every day. I strive to achieve the level of success the gold medalist does. After completing my school work for the day, I stretch then do a quick 20-minute workout before supper. Stretching is an essential part to keeping your body in shape, and also reduces the risk of injury when performing aerobic exercises.

I wore a dress for the whole day in high school because I believe people shouldn't be afraid to express themselves. I was talking to a friend about how society typically shuns people who are different, and how people should feel free to express however they feel. Not only did my message reach many people, but actually brought the community closer together. It was amazing to see total strangers laughing together at me, but also accepting the words of wisdom I broadcasted. Incredible things can happen when we support one another.

@itslejames

@itslejames Caption