Keep politics out of education. Every student deserves access to fair education. Teachers and administrators have turned to trying to please the board of education or community leaders instead of actually trying to educate kids. They only care about the kids and how they are excelling in school when they can benefit from it. They should celebrate the good grades and hard work students put into school and thrive off of that! All the meetings and media attention in the world can not replace a teacher that is there to teach, not there to get social media attention or attention from people to donate money to the school! No child should be told by an administrator that grades are just a number and dont matter. That sports or pageants or "fun" things schools do are where the money is at! There needs to be milestones for kids to reach and pride enstilled in kids for succeeding. Not politics for administrators to try to impress for personal accolades. If we want to make education better for future generations, we need to get back to the basics where teachers teach and administrators hold them to the high standards of educating our children. No social media or politics leading the curriculum, just educating our children. To quote Winston Churchill, " those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it."

My maternal grandmother is paranoid schizophrenic and manic depressive, so i have grown up seeing the affects of mental illness. I have seen how it not only affects her, but everyone and everything around her. She is never the same as the last time you saw her. From an early age, i shivered when the phone rang. I never knew if this was the day I would lose her. Did she end her life, or someone elses? Did she get lost because the voices told her to go somewhere else? The diseases are never textbook! I am constantly walking on eggshells around her. You never know what may cause her to lose control. As i grow older, my fear fas turned to nurture. I want to help her and everyone else battling these type of diseases, live life to the fullest. I want the stigma of mental disorders to go away. I want people to not be afraid to reach out for the help they need and deserve! The diseases shouldn't define who they are or how anyone sees them. I am now currently in a relationship with someone who is battling body dysmorphia due to trauma. I knew going into the relationship, that she was under the care of a psychiatrist. That is how we started talking. I wanted to know more. I wanted to help her. I know this is my calling. I know this is what my purpose in life is. My journey to be a psychiatrist is going to be a long one, but it is my passion. I am excited at the thought, that one day, i will be able to help people get their lives back. My grandmother, my girlfriend and anyone else i have the privilege to meet, will one day been seen for the beautiful people they are, not their disorders.

Academics as a whole have always came pretty easy for me, so when i started dual enrollment and advanced classes, i had to learn how to study. Also, learning via computer because of the pandemic, has made me have to learn to study instead of just listening and paying attention on class. As a young child, my mom had me put things in song or rhyme to remember them. I still sing those silly songs. But that, of course, gets a little more difficult the further in my education i go. For me, i have found that if i re-write my notes or any information i have on a subject, i remember it a lot better than just reading it over and over again. I can't just sit down and read about something. Writing makes me slow down snd pay attention. I'm sure my techniques for learning will continue to evolve. No one method is fool proof, but as long as i have a passion for what i am learning, i know i will succeed.

I have spent my entire academic career trying to avoid the cost of college. I finished middle school 7th out of 125 students just to he told by the high school principal that grades are just a number. I knew they were so much more! My grades represent the hard work and dedication i have put into my academics. My mom always told me that i needed to work hard to get as many scholarships as possible to graduate debt free. I got the presidential scholarship, but because of Covid, the school has decided to require all students to live on campus for 3 years. I live close enough to commute so i can live at home and maintain my job, but this new requirement will cost me $17k a year more than anticipated. I dont know what to do now. I can't afford to live there, so i am applying to as many scholarships as possible and working extra hours at work to cover some of it. Now i hope my academic standings and hardwork get me more scholarships so i can go to the college of my dreams, Birmingham-Southern.

When I was in was in middle school, my shoulder blade started sticking out. It seemed to happen overnight. At first, my pediatrician thought it was probably just muscle damage from a traumatic birth and put me in therapy. He told us to give it a year and the muscles would relax and pull differently to make it lay down. My mom never let me miss a therapy session. I worked really hard. After several months, it wasnt changing. Me and my mom called the pediatrician and requested a specialist, they denied the request. So the journey to get another answer began. After several failed attempts at other doctors, someone suggested a chiropractor. This saved my life! Within five minutes of my appointment, he grabbed my shoulder blade and felt the tumor instantly! He immediately sent me to an arm and shoulder specialist. This led to the diagnosis of an osteosarcoma. It was removed immediately and labs revealed that, given a few more months, it could most likely metastasized. It was growing into what could have been a cancerous tumor. Had me and my mom not been persistent, i might not be here. I now live my life knowing that if something doesn't seem right, always question it. It could save your life!

My entire life had been built on the belief that you can do anything. My mother enstilled in all the kids that you are beautiful, you are kind and you are brave. When i was in middle school, i had a large mass on my back that made my scapula stick out. We went to countless doctors trying to figure it out. My mom never let me be scared for what it may be, she always made me laugh and be brave! When we found out it was an osteosarcoma and would need it removed, she told me everything without hesitation. We faced it together, bravely. I knew i was going to be ok. I am so grateful for the confidence and support my family has given me. I know that no matter what happens, the end is inevitable and you can either face it scared or face it bravely. I choose bravery!

Since the pandemic, there has been a rise in mental health issues. I have chosen to pursue psychology with intentions of being a psychiatrist, to try to help. I have seen the stress a pandemic can put on both young and old alike. I want to be a source of hope and help for anyone struggling with mental issues. I want to help them get back on track to a fulfilling and happy life.

To be independent for me means that i choose my life path carefully. I must weigh and consider all consequences to my actions. I chose to take dual enrollment at an early age in school and skipped sports so i could work full time. This allows me to prepare for my future. When you make your own money and set your own boundries, you appreciate more. I will be funding my education and any scholarships i can get will be much appreciated and will help me build for a better future

My future in psychology was a destined one. Several family members on the maternal side of the family has dealt with mental issues. My grandmother is schizophrenic and manic depressive, one cousin has autism and one aunt is bipolar. I have always wanted to understand what makes them have these issues, but not the rest of the family. I want to help them live a full life with hope for better day. Since the pandemic started, these issues seem to be more prevalent in our society. This only made my desire to help even stronger. I know i can make a difference.

My freinds and family fuel my life. I wake up every day knowing that once all my work is done, i get to spend time with the people i love. From a new adventure to just hanging out watching movies, they are the things that keep me motivated. Everyone in my circle encourages me to always be my best. They bring me up when i am down and ground me when i need it too! Knowing that no matter what happens, they are there, is the best feeling!

Every day i wake up ready to take on the world. My desire to become a psychiatrist to help those that fight the interal struggles we can only imagine, reminds me to take nothing for granted. One smile, or one good morning to the person who is struggling, could change their entire day. My girlfriend struggles with body dysmorphia and i know first hand how one word or one gesture, can change her day. It can either set her back to feeling self conscious or encourage her to be care free. In my journey to become a psychiatrist, i strive to open people's eyes and minds to being more aware of how they affect others. I want to encourage everyone to be more kind. Thank you

My name is Josh Stone. I am a stong willed, independent young man. I am calm in demeanor, but headstrong when faced with obstacles. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed. I love to cook! My favorite hobby is to find old cookbooks and try all the old recipes. I got that from my grandmothers. I love my friends and family. I also love video games and adventures! Im not athletic, but do enjoy being outdoors. I also love old vinyl records. I have a huge collection. I shop thirft stores to help fill my collection.

I believe the most important quality i possess is the ability to see past someone's outer shell. I don't base any opinion or idea of someone by what i see on the outside. I like to make my own decisions about a person. I like to get to know someone for myself before i believe anything. I think this quality will help serve me better as a psychiatrist. No one who walks in my office shall ever feel judged. I want to feel acceptance and reassurance. This will help make the therapy and help i can offer them, more affective. Without the stigmas or judgments based solely on looks or preferences, I feel i can help people move forward with their lives.

My maternal grandmother is schizophrenic and manic depressive. I have watched her struggle my whole life. My parents tried to shelter me from her episodes, but as i got older,it became harder to hide. She has had suicide attempts where we found her in cattle trailers on the farm and even locked herself in a chickenhouse. I, myself, began to see my mental stability be threatened. Seeing her difficulties made me question how i handle the problems i faced as a teenager. The pressures of being bullied and fearing i would harm myself as she has tried to do. Is it genetic? Will my children face mental disorders? I want to delve into the world of psychology work to help others in these circumstances.

When i was in middle school, i started having pains in my shoulder. My mom knew something wasn't right. She started taking me to doctors and trying to get a referral to a specialist. My coaches and teachers really weren't any help. Mom pushed for them to help me with daily tasks because of the pain i was in. No one took it seriously. At the beginning of my 8th grade year, we finally got the medical answers we were searching for. I had an osteochondroma under my scapula. It required immediate surgery due to it's close proximity to my heart and the limited usage of my arm. We scheduled my surgery and since we knew how everyone reacted to our requests for help early on, i was out of the hospital and in physical therapy the next day. I worked hard to prove to everyone, including my self that i could do this. I was back in school and healing knowing we didn't give up, even when no one believed us.

My favorite way to help others is to be the person they can rely on to listen. I try every day to keep an open mind and open ears for anyone. Sometimes someone may not need you to solve their problems, they just need you to listen. Let them talk about what is troubling them. Not judge or solve anything, just listen.

I want my legacy I leave on the world to be that I was always there for anyone. I want to be the sympathetic ear to someone who just needs to talk, or the advocate for the person with a small voice. My path to become a therapist or psychiatrist will allow me to be that person. I have friends that battle with their own minds daily. I want to make the world a better place for them and the many more people out there battling every day.

"Be kind, you never know the impact it may have on someone" There are too many people in this world that are fighting battles you may never know about. Just because someone looks ok, doesn't mean they are. By just being kind, you may make their life worth living. My grandmother has schizophrenia and to most people she looks fine, but she battles her own mind every day. One smile or one kind word may be all she needs to face the world. You dont have to know what is happening in someone's life, you just have to be kind!

Making others happy, makes me happy. My love for psychology and how the mind works fascinates me. It allows me to understand people and get them to open up. My grandmother has schizophrenia and is manic depressive. I have always wanted to make her happy. When she is happy, she is the best grandmother. She smiles and all her mental disabilities seem to melt away. I want to show the world how to smile again. Making people happy, makes me happy!

I aspire to be a psychiatrist. My entire life has revolved around my maternal grandmother's struggles with mental health. From her childhood trauma to her mental breakdown after a botched hysterectomy, she has been fighting for her mental well-being. That all led to me to watch behaviors of others to better understand how people deal with problems differently. I want to help people like my grandmother cope with all the stressors and just basic life problems. I want to make the world a better place for people who are simply wired differently than you or i. Why do i have a mind that can cope with life, while others simply can't? Why can i reason with my fears, while others cower from a figmentation of their own imagination? These are the questions i strive to answer. This is why i want to be a psychiatrist or psychologist.