Growing up, I did have a lot of influences in the field that I am pursuing today. While I always enjoyed creative activities, such as drawing, singing, and dancing, I did not have someone to introduce me into the world of art. Both of my parents were in STEM majors and did not come from an artistic background; however, they still encouraged me to pursue what would make me happy. Going into middle school, we all had to pick an elective for our schedule. At the time, someone I looked up to was starring in the high school musical at the time, so I decided to try drama, even though I was incredibly shy and introverted at the time. My first Beginning Drama class in seventh grade was absolutely terrifying - acting like animals and improvising events from the summer in front of a classroom of people I didn’t know? That’s the definition of an insecure middle schooler’s worst nightmare. Little did I know that I would grow to love acting and that I would end up studying screen acting at my dream college and working on films and shows in Los Angeles. All of that started with my middle school drama teacher, Mr. Ashford. Mr. Ashford was such a fun teacher who was interesting, comedic, and really easy to relate to. He was a geek growing up, like a lot of us in the class, and his dream was to be a screenwriter for films. While my school only offered theatre programs, rather than film, he implemented a lot of film work in our classes, due to his knowledge and passion for it. He not only introduced me to acting as a creative outlet, but to the entire world of film. Throughout middle school, he directed me in my first shows, granted me the Performer of the Year award, and recommended me for auditions at the high school. After I moved on to high school and he moved to a different school to teach, he would still check in on us and come to our shows to support us. We had become a family in a way. Even now, as I am studying screen acting in college, we keep in touch about our projects and the film industry. He invited me to the screening of his first feature film, gave me advice on a long phone call when I was having concerns about a certain film set, and even reached out to me about a new project he is developing. He wrote a feature film that combines all of his passions and favorite genres from when he was growing up, and I was so honored that he asked me to be a part of the staged table reading he was going to hold in a few months, in order to get concept photos and see the script come alive. I think that this is what I love most about the arts - the community. Although I took Mr. Ashford’s class in middle school, I did not just move on and never speak to him again. Everyone involved in the arts is a tight knit community and is incredibly supportive. You never lose these family members; they will be there for you to lift you up, encourage you to keep going, offer new opportunities, and collaborate with one another. Art is such a unifying experience, and I hope that one day, I can inspire someone else to join and study the arts, just as Mr. Ashford inspired me.

I consider myself insanely lucky in the fact that I got a built-in best friend by the time I was born. My best friend in the whole world is my older sister, Caetlyn. My whole life, she has been there for me as a friend, a mentor, an idol, a cheerleader, and a parent. She has been there for me to lift me up at my lowest points, to guide me when I needed help or reassurance, to make me laugh when I needed light in my life, and to celebrate my wins and cheer me on when I succeeded in something. I genuinely don’t know where I would be in life without her. Ever since we were little, we were incredibly close. I followed her everywhere, copied everything she did, and tried in every aspect to be more like her - granted, this did annoy her a bit at the time, but she came to realize that it was simply because I looked up to her so much. As we grew older, we only got closer. We started to find our own passions in life and create our own paths, but we never let that separate us. I helped her study for her classes at home and celebrated when she got accepted into grad school, and she showed up to all of my plays and film screenings, despite the fact that crowds overwhelm her. On paper, we were two completely different people and shouldn’t work as a pair, but in reality, we are platonic soulmates. Around early 2020, as COVID became a widespread pandemic, my sister got really sick. She was having difficulty breathing and could not get her heart rate down, and we did not know why. I remember one day, when I was on a Zoom call for my high school math class, she walked out of her room and said that she was having trouble breathing. I could not drive at the time and was panicking about what to do. After calling my dad and getting her rushed to the hospital, she was stuck there for days. Because of the COVID regulations, we weren’t even allowed to visit her. At the time, so many people were losing loved ones for many reasons, and I was terrified that I would lose my sister and my best friend. Luckily, the doctors figured out what was wrong, and she made it out okay. She ended up getting diagnosed with some heart problems and had to undergo many tests and surgeries, but in the end, she was all right. Since that day, I have made an effort to never take her or our friendship for granted. When I got into my dream college and she got into grad school not too far away, she decided to move in with me, and we have been living together since then. Together, we have struggled through financial hardships, mental health issues, and the anxieties that come with navigating adulthood away from home, but we have also been together through celebrations, trying new things for the first time together, exploring our new lives together, and more. My sister is my best friend in the world, and I could never ask for anyone better. We have already gone through so much together, but I can’t wait to experience the rest of my life with her, from traveling the world, to having her as my maid of honor at my wedding, to introducing her to her niece or nephew. If I have to share my life with someone, I am so glad it is with her.

When I was in first grade, I loved my teacher so much. While she was strict about staying on task and making progress, she deeply cared for each and every student, supported us in our educational journeys, and always knew how to have fun once our work was done. My favorite day out of the whole week was our “Fun Fridays:” after all the tests were completed, everyone had free reign in the classroom to read our own books, draw whatever we wanted, or even play board games she had in class. Many times during our Fun Fridays, my teacher’s daughter, Sydney, would visit us. Sydney was a fifth grader at the same school as me, and I thought that she was the prettiest, coolest person ever. After a year of Fun Fridays with Sydney, I developed quite the attachment. As we both grew, I focused on my grades and school, but became quite shy and drawn back; she, on the other hand, became a theatre kid. When I was in sixth grade and deciding what electives to pick for middle school, I attended the high school’s musical, “Anything Goes.” Sydney was a sophomore and was playing the leading role, Reno Sweeney. While I had only decided to go to the show to support her, I unexpectedly fell instantly in love with theatre. I was in complete awe of the colorful lights, the beautiful sets, the detailed costumes, and the stunning singing and dancing. There was no question in my mind that I wanted to do theatre, too. I hugged her after the show, and explained how much she inspired me to pursue this newfound passion, which in turn, inspired her to keep pursuing her love for theatre. On the first day of drama in seventh grade, I was absolutely terrified. For most of the first year, I struggled with stage fright; I hated singing in front of people and improv was my worst nightmare. Although I grew to love theatre, I wasn’t a natural like my friends, who had been involved in shows since they were six years old. As the year went on, I started to realize how much this new hobby of mine meant to me. When I would hang out with my friends outside of school, we would make music videos or short films, and when I was at home alone, I would belt out “Defying Gravity” or sing every single part of “One Day More.” After six years of taking dance classes and singing lessons, watching musicals, searching for monologues, performing in shows, trying to understand Shakespeare, making short films, and tap dancing down the aisles of grocery stores, I am a proud, full fledged theatre kid, who is in college as a theatre major. Through it all, Sydney has been by my side, attending my shows, helping me with college auditions, and giving me tips on how to simply navigate life. Although she started out as my first grade teacher’s daughter, she has become a mentor, friend, role model, and truly like family. I know for a fact that without Sydney in my life, I would not be where I am today, and for that, I will forever be grateful.