Music has been my mental health go-to for years. Whether I'm listening to it or making it, I've always found a way to incorporate music into my life. I was raised on hip-hop, listening to 90s hip-hop in the back of my dad's Cadillac. Since then, I have seen the positive impact of music on us. It is a universal way of communication. It's a beautiful art that is portrayed in so many ways. When I was a sophomore in high school, I knew that I wanted to contribute to the art of music. I began producing and instantly saw the impact. A few of my friends, who were also interested in music, and I created a producer club at school. My teacher, who I found was also a musician, loved this idea and allowed us to have his MIDI controller! I hadn't even been producing for a month then, and I saw how it brought a unique group of people together. Less than a year after that, Covid struck, and we were all forced to stay inside. It was hard for my friends and me to get together and collaborate during this time. Unfortunately, at this time, many of my friends gave up on music, which made me lose motivation, but I kept pushing because I enjoyed making music, and my friends kept supporting me. I took action and began reaching out to producers and artists outside of my community during that time. I reached artists across the world who were in the boat like me! It felt like I found a community, a place of belonging. These random people who I've never met in the person supported me so much, and I thrived off of that energy! I began making some of my best music and improving every day! This past year was my first year of college and my first-year back in person, in a new environment. I dove in and seized the opportunity to meet people with the same passion. I remember going to a rap cypher and hearing everyone get excited when the freestylers rapped over my beat; it felt amazing. I want my music to bring people of all backgrounds together. I want my music to help someone; even if it's just a few people, the music has done its part.

The shift from high school to college was significant for me. There were new classes, a new environment, and many other things to discover. I was very unconcerned with my gym routine at the beginning of the semester. A few weeks in, I decided to go back to the gym. While squatting some lighter weight, I felt a sharp pain in my back but ignored it and went heavier. I would soon regret this as my technique was incorrect, and it led to an excruciating pain in my back where I could hardly move it for a week! Once my back began to heal, I went back to the gym, but I feared implementing my lower body into workouts anymore because it would worsen my back. I went roughly a month without working on my lower body at all! I felt highly unsatisfied with my exercise as my upper body became very worn, and my lower body saw no gain. At this rate, I would no longer feel motivated to go to the gym, which has helped me stay active and improve my mental health. The only solution was facing my fear and working out my lower body. I didn't go in blind this time, however. I watched multiple videos that taught me how to avoid back injury and improve my technique for specific workouts. The day finally came when I had to work on my legs again. I began with a long stretch session, and when it came time to lift those weights, it felt painless; it felt easy. I'm glad that I could get back into my routine by facing my fear and fixing my technique to avoid injury.

Every one of us is an artist. You don't have to be a musician, painter, dancer, etc., to be an artist. I think that expressing yourself creatively through what you love is art. I, personally, am a musical artist, but not in the traditional sense because I barely know how to play an instrument, but I do know how to make beats (oddly enough). Music production has been my artistic calling for years now. But how does this relate to showing up for someone in my community? Throughout my time producing, I have met hundreds of producers. I've seen them come and go for many reasons. It saddens me to see someone give up their passion because of other things going on in their life. Music is often a therapeutic getaway for most. A way we can express ourselves and share it with the world in any way that we can imagine. During the summer of 2020, I began reaching out to other producers to collaborate and increase my network. One day I met a producer who we'll call Jim. Jim and I collaborated on multiple projects throughout the summer. We often bounced ideas off of each other to make each other better. Working with Jim boosted my confidence as I was constantly encouraged to improve my sound. I felt much more confident in reaching out to more prominent and experienced producers by the end of that summer due to Jim's support of my music. Fast forward to the summer of 2021. We had not worked on many projects in the past few months, but I didn't question it much. We were both in school, so that was the number one focus. But now it's summer, and Jim still wasn't working on many new projects. I eventually figured something was wrong and asked him what was up. He explained that the transition from high school to college was a massive leap. He was often stressed and didn't have the motivation to make music. He told me that he was on the verge of quitting music, not because he didn't enjoy it, but because he thought college would take up too much of his time. I knew that feeling of hopelessness all too well—the feeling of wanting to give up on everything that I love. I didn't want Jim to feel the same way. I urged him day after day not to quit music entirely, letting him know that he could make music whenever; there is no time or place constraints to making music. I even offered to send him a ton of melodies that I had made to make it easier for him! It didn't take Jim very long to see my side. He was ecstatic to make a come back to music. The fact that he came back to music didn't surprise me; I knew he just needed that same encouragement he had given me the year before. But what did surprise me was Jim taking the extra step and making his own record label! That is something many people can't pull off, including me, at the moment! To this day, he runs that record label. I'm happy to have played such an essential role in his journey, and I'm proud of how far he's come. I have never met Jim in real life. Our story shows how much impact we can have on someone by showing them constant support and motivation. The following beat is a collaborative Lofi track between producer Lowwfy and me. I would have never sent this melody if it wasn't for Jim's encouragement.

The greatest inspirations in my life are my family. Despite how annoying I think they may sometimes be, I luckily live with both of my parents and love them so much (don't tell them I said that first part). I also am the second oldest of six siblings! Who also all live with me! With all those people in such a small place, you'd be surprised none of us have gone insane yet! My siblings and I have always had a close bond, and no matter how it may seem on the outside, it is unbreakable. And for my parents, I could trust them with anything. They're the ones who would never let me down. My family has supplied an endless supply of support toward my goals. When I played football and track, my mom and sisters would show up to as many games or races as possible. And when they weren't there, I knew they were cheering for me in spirit. I went into every race and game, playing or running my hardest for them. Although my dad couldn't show up to many of my games, he would attempt to pop up whenever possible, and after games, we'd always talk about what happened and break down the game to help me improve. And for my brothers, they were the ones I played against (we all go to different schools), so I don't know how much they were cheering for me. For most of my childhood, I wanted to go to college and play football. My parents have loved and supported that dream since I was nine or ten and first started playing. And although playing football has been a tremendous and endearing experience for me, I realized that I wanted to pursue something completely different going into college. That is music. I've had a growing interest in music production over the past two years. I feel incredibly ambitious to take music as far as I can! When I told my parents about my change of plans, they didn't question me; they understood me and continued to support my new dream! My siblings did the same! My older brother even raps on some of my beats which is so awesome to me. My sisters have also been taking an interest in making music. Just the other day, my seven-year-old sister asks me if she could make a beat of her own. That made me so happy to hear. My family drives me to continue on my path to success because I don't want to just succeed for myself; I want to succeed for them as well. They are the ones who pushed me to be better and work harder since I was young. The ones who always accept me even when I'm at my worst. My siblings, although wild, are my better half. Their positive energy has been all I needed to wake up and be a more remarkable person every day. I love those crazy people.

As a producer and music lover, I enjoy making and listening to a large variety of music. Recently, however, I have been making a large sum of hip-hop/trap beats so I decided that I wanted to change it up! In the beat I submit, 'Barrier,' I give a sad feel with a violin in a minor chord. I also chopped up the violin pattern to make it unique in some sections. It's something that was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed the process of making it. I may have had a little too much fun because I even threw in a motivational sample from the movie 'Mid90s.' Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did making it! Thanks!

The past year has been an exciting journey for me. It has been fantastic to see that I can do a business out of doing what I love. I am a music producer who goes by the name 'prod.kidnxtdoor.' Music and its components that make the final process interested me since I was young. But I began making beats just over two years ago. For the first year after I started, I was a bit inconsistent and didn't show much growth, but I figured I could focus more on music when we went into quarantine. I will admit that starting a business during a global pandemic is not recommended, but me being the smart guy I am, began investing heavily into music during this time. I don't regret it. In the past year, I have met so many other producers and artists internationally who share the same passion as I do! I have been able to learn many different parts of the music industry outside of just the music. I improved my musical ability so much; I still listen to my music from last year to see how I changed. And on top of all of that, I have been able to make some money doing what I love! So far in my entrepreneurship journey, I have learned a few valuable lessons—a few of those being patience, teamwork, acceptance of criticisms, and consistency. Patience is something that I've been working on a lot in the past year. I learned how important it is, especially in the music industry, when an individual you want to work with takes a while to respond, or my music software is loading slow. Either way, having patience has served to be a massive benefit for me beyond just music! As the saying goes, "teamwork makes the dreamwork," is so true in music! One person can make a great beat or song, but when I collaborate with other artists, there are multiple brains in the operations, and it comes out even better! Accepting criticism is another huge lesson I learned! Being able to take criticism has helped me improve and refine my music a lot! Without the "negative" people, I would still be in the same place I was a year ago! The last lesson I learned was consistency is detrimental! Being consistent with music has improved my reach, ability, and confidence. My attitude towards consistency has branched out to other aspects of my life as well! All of these things that I have taken from music have helped me in all areas of my life! It's insane seeing how much I've changed in a year just by taking my music more seriously! The thing that motivates me most to succeed is my family and my future. I want my future to be bright. I work hard now so that I hopefully don't have to work hard later in my life! Music is something that I've always wanted to do, so I work hard at it now to be a successful music producer in the future. I want to supply my family with thanks for all they have done for me in life. My biggest support group is my family, who never questioned me when I express my intention to make it big off of music; they only support me. The past year has, funny enough, been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I am excited to see what the future has in store for me and music.

Wow, this was a tricky question for me. There are so many things that mean everything to me, so many things that make me wonder if I didn't have them, where'd I'd be now. But at the top of that list is music. Music means everything to me. I have no clue where I'd be today if I didn't have music in my darkest moments. Music has no barriers, and it's something that anyone can enjoy, from classical piano to K-pop. Music invokes emotions among us. We all have the one song for the breakup, the big moment, studying, or just chilling. There have been so many times in my life where I feel overwhelmed and stressed. I felt like I had no one to turn to, or I had nowhere to go. That's when I would turn on my headphones and zone out. The music would make me feel great. Music helped me release the feelings I had stuck inside. Through listening to music, I realized that I wasn't the only one dealing with the problems that I had. Music made me feel more normal, I felt like I had someone who I could relate to and that would understand. And that's not to add the fantastic community of listeners who could relate to the same problems that artists and I may have. I can't count the number of times I've heard someone say an artist saved their life. I'm so happy that music has had a significant impact on people's lives in a positive way. I see music as its language. But it's one that we can all understand! The rhythm, the tempo, the atmosphere of a song can give us an idea of what kind of song we are listening to. I think that is why so many genres and cultures of music have intertwined through the years, and it's a beautiful thing. New genres are created all the time, and it's been awesome observing how music continues to change. I always have discussions with my friends about who the greatest rappers of all time are. They've introduced me to new styles of music, and I have introduced them to new types as well. I've met strangers, and we can sit and bond over music for hours! Music creates stronger bonds than most of us understand. Think about all the jam sessions we've had with friends and even family! The perfect harmony is different for everyone, but somehow it finds a way to connect us all. Music has had such a massive impact on me that I became a music producer! I wanted to take my love of my music to the next level and create beats to share with the world! The journey has been a blessing so far; I've learned a ton so far! The link below is to one of my favorites beats I've made. It's something outside of my comfort zone I made a while back. It turned out great!

Although I was never much of a basketball fan, Kobe Bryant's passing was terrible, and it shocked and hurt me as well. One thing that he said that will always stick to me is, “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” I live by this quote. It means that every negative can be turned into a positive by turning it into an opportunity to get better, and I love that attitude. As someone who has made plenty of mistakes, big and small, I choose to learn from those mistakes instead of dwelling on them. Often I use the term 'stepping stone' in turn of a setback because, like Kobe, I see all negative has potential to turn into something positive. This mindset has significantly impacted me. I used to soak up mistakes from the past and dwell on them, which wasn't healthy and didn't help me get better! However, I soon learned the benefit of admitting and correcting my mistakes. I also began calling my errors stepping stones, giving me the confidence to build a better future. Turning my negative energy into positive energy made me much more motivated! A great example is when I began meditating and reading. I realized that created these habits would improve my mental health. And because of that, I was able to knock out more music than I ever had before! After learning from the past, I began to unlock and discover new creative ways to make music much more effortless! Kobe's quote has also inspired me to be the best version of myself. I think that by overcoming my challenges and developing from them, I have accomplished much more musically and academically in the past year. My goals have gotten more extensive, and my drive to reach them has also expanded! Becoming more self-aware has changed my life in more ways than one! I have created lasting relationships, improved my physical and mental health, and improved in music production! These profound changes in my life just by reflecting on my past and taking the proper steps to build myself up! It is fantastic to think that the way we frame our lives can be affected by something as small as a quote that has worked for those that turn out successful and one of the greats at what they do. I'm glad that I found this Kobe quote when I did; as I have said multiple times, it has changed my life in such a positive way.

My mental health has had an enormous impact on all aspects of my life. When I'm in a good mental state, I feel more productive, motivated, and confident. Just a year ago, however, I didn't even realize how important good mental health was! The past year and a half have been a tough time but also an excellent learning experience for all of us. At the beginning of being quarantined, I was pretty disappointed, but I hope at the same time. I was optimistic that I would be out of our houses and back to normal within a few weeks, but wow, was I wrong! Months had passed by, and every day felt the same. Life all seemed like a blur, and I became less motivated to do anything, even make music, which is one of my favorite things to do! Days passed, and I could hardly get out of bed or eat, not because I was sick, but because I just felt sad all the time. At this point, my mental health was at its lowest point. All the stress I piled onto myself finally toppled, and it didn't feel charming. Oddly enough, I felt too ashamed to tell anyone, although my family and friends would listen. I figured the environment that I was creating for myself and my family wasn't positive; it wasn't bringing the same energy I normally like to bring. I knew that my mental health was getting worse when I wasn't making new music for days on end and hiding my true feelings from those closest to me. Then is when I realized I had to take the first step, I had to make a change! From then I started doing things I wouldn't normally do, such as read, exercise, wake up early, and meditate. Of course, when I first started doing these things, it wasn't easy, but I kept encouraging myself to become better! My family was in full support of all the things I was doing to better my mental health, even if that meant that I might accidentally wake up my mom at five in the morning. When I started focusing more on my mental health, everything seemed to fall more in line. Finally, I was able to get a consistent routine that I felt was effective and productive! Before, I didn't write out goals or have any organization to my extremely stressful thoughts! But, after organizing myself, I felt more efficient. As a result, I've been able to accomplish more than I could ever imagine academically and musically within one year! In addition, I feel more determined to out and get what I want through the hard work I put in. Sticking to the goals that I set for myself has made me much more confident. I now feel like I can trust myself more! I have created many long-lasting relationships by looking at the mistakes I may have made and correcting them. Unfortunately, I used to make the same dumb decisions and mistakes repeatedly, not really thinking about how they affected me alongside other people. Now I reflect on the past and see it as a learning lesson! I began talking to more people to improve my social skills, and since then, I feel less pressured or judged by other people. I have learned to love myself and not worry about others' opinions, which is another reason my confidence has improved so much in the past year. I also learned to be more open; why I feel more comfortable sharing about my old me with the world. Because I learned to work on my mental health, I became more comfortable with myself, and in turn, I have created many lasting relationships. For years I never realized how important my mental health was. I always threw something to the side, but all the negative obviously didn't throw itself to the side. I had to learn the hard way how hard it is to deal with anxiety and depression. Although it was tough, I'm glad that I made it through that. I know that something similar to what happened over the summer could happen again, but now I feel more prepared! I hope to show someone who may feel how I felt that they could escape that pit that feels like it keeps getting deeper. Everyone has their own struggle, and I'm optimistic that we will get through them.

Values are the things that I stick by no matter the situation. A value is something that we hold dearly, and overall it dictates how we react to specific environments and situations. Our core values control our lives in either a positive and progressive or a negative way. My core values are humility, self-love, patience, and acceptance. These four values are critical because each represents a part of my personality that has helped pave the best path for me so far. Humility is so important to me because I want to be a humble individual who can see circumstances from different perspectives. I would much instead give other people their praise than have all the credit for myself. Admitting my mistakes and correcting them has helped me so much, especially in the past year. I am not ashamed to say that I have made mistakes, and I think that people feel more open and trusting towards me because of that. Humility overall has a more significant positive impact than being a selfish and prideful person. Self-love is so important to me because we have to love and accept ourselves before anyone else can. The journey that was 2020 taught me a lot about why loving myself is so important. Learning to love me has made me increasingly confident. Once we learn to accept ourselves and not worry about others' judgment, we can achieve so much; there are no limits. Patience is one that I've been building for years now. I will admit that this one isn't always easy. Those slow online zoom classes were a true test. Improving my patience has helped me control my mood because when I get impatient, I tend to get a little annoyed and sometimes even angry, but I have learned to control myself and my patience a lot more! Patience not only with ourselves, but other people is a necessity in life. And last but not least, acceptance. I could go on and on about how significant this value is! Everyone should have this as a core value, in my opinion. It is not fair to judge someone because they are different than us. You never know what a person may be going through or what they have dealt with because of their race, gender, sexuality, etc. Instead of being the problem, we should all be the solution by accepting everyone! Plus, there is so much to learn from people who are different than you! I promise they are the most interesting! I apply these values everywhere I go. Building relationships has become easier and more comfortable for me after gathering a sense of self-love. And my value, acceptance, has guided me to a place of non-judgment and keeping a broad friend group filled with people of all different backgrounds. I can't think of a better place these values have helped me, though, than volunteering. Volunteering with children on multiple occasions in other places, you see an array of cultures, social lives, and socio-economic status. But to me, none of that matters. I enjoy showing children that we can all have fun together, even with some stranger your hanging with for just one week. That's all it takes to create a friend for life. Using my four core values, I hope to show that loving and accepting yourself alongside others can create a positive community in which we share nothing in common but everything in common at the same time. We are all human.

Here's a video submission :)

My name is Keon Marcus, a seventeen-year-old kid originally from a little city in Washinton State called Everett. I don't remember it much because I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina when I was around two years old to be closer to my family! The beauty of Raleigh has grown so much since I moved here. I recently graduated from Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy, a sixth through twelfth-grade school with excellent opportunities such as smaller classes and the chance to earn a load of college credits during our junior and senior years (I took advantage of that). I think that the early-college classes have prepared me more for a real college environment this fall! I can't wait to see. I also enjoy making music; during the past year, I have attempted to take my music production to the next level and turn it into a business. My first year was quite successful, and I hope to experience more growth in the coming years. The past year has granted me plenty of opportunities beyond music as well. The past year has obviously been different for practically everyone in the world! Everything went online, and it was a chaotic way to go into spring break 2020. We each took this international quarantine differently; some more positively while others not so much. I think that I took it pretty well overall other than the fact that I may have binged Tik Tok a few too many times. I will admit that quarantine didn't start very easily for me. I was not too fond of the idea of having inline classes considering I was in the midst of taking college-level calculus! I was disappointed when we went online, but I understood it was for our safety, so I sucked it up and finished the last quarter of my junior year online. However, the disappointment continued as the quarantine continued to be extended as the number of Covid cases rose rapidly throughout the United States. Again, I decided that this was only for safety, so I accepted that I would have to stay inside a little longer. I saw it as an opportunity for me to focus on music. But time continued to pass, and we were at least two or three months into quarantine. My optimism began to fade, and I was losing faith that'd We'd be able to see the light of day anytime soon. At this time, I began to become more paranoid and got a lot sadder. It got to a point where I was hardly able to get out of bed or eat! I wasn't feeling motivated to make any good music or talk to any of my friends or family. I thought I had hit rock bottom at that point, and I could only go up from there but nope. I can still remember all of the headlines and news covering the George Floyd situation. It was horrible; I couldn't watch any more news. I didn't want to accept that that kind of inequality and police brutality existed. Within days there were protests across the entire United States. Many led to some violent acts by police or rioters, and everything was chaotic. I was heartbroken that we still had to protest basic human rights in 2020. I remember a riot in Raleigh, and I couldn't do anything but cry that day. Never in my life have I been more sad or anxious than I was during May and June 2020. I felt defeated like I couldn't do anything. I hated the feeling of helplessness and the negative atmosphere it created, especially from me, who was usually positive and optimistic. I knew that my anxiety wasn't good for my health, and I wanted to improve myself. I decided that I would begin doing things I never do to distract myself and build my mental health, such as reading, meditating, exercising, and waking up early (5 am may have been overkill). Even though I wasn't very motivated, I pushed myself to do these four things consistently. And it worked! Within a few months, I was feeling at the top of my game again! During the summer of 2020, I learned the importance of taking care of my mental health and many other things about myself. Before quarantine, I had no idea how important taking care of my mental health was. It sounds odd to say out loud, but it's true. I wanted to suppress my sadness and tears; that wasn't healthy. I'm glad that I finally faced my problems because I'm better for it! With the life lessons I learned during 2020, I hope to achieve higher levels of self-love and self-confidence. I realized that these were two problems that I suffered from; I think they are part of why I was anxious and paranoid. With greater self-esteem, I know that'll I'll be able to do so much more! I also hope to show people that there is always light, even in the darkest of situations. There were plenty of people in a similar or maybe an even worse situation that I was in, so I am confident that thousands can relate and learn something from my story. The past year has been more than just a roller coaster. It has been so intense for every single person. It has been a great chance for us to spend more time with ourselves and find out who we really are.

When quarantine started, I figured that I should step up my music game. I decided to take music production seriously, so I started an Instagram account dedicated to my beats. I commit myself to daily networking to expand my brand. It has grown over one thousand followers in the past year! I also opened a store devoted to selling beats online. My journey in entrepreneurship has not been the longest one, but the past year has been an enormous learning opportunity. I am a music producer that goes by the name 'Prod.kidnxtdoor.' I sell services such as beats, vocal engineering, drum kits, and melody kits to artists and other producers. Over the past year, I have made hundreds of connections in the music community. It has been a great experience getting to meet so many people from across the world who share a similar passion. I'm looking forward to what the next has in store for me. I've been teaching myself about business, entrepreneurship, and marketing through a plentiful amount of videos and books over the past year. Still, I hope to take some marketing and entrepreneurship classes when I get to college to get a more complex understanding of business, especially in the music industry. Making music has been my most fun hobby, and the idea of turning that into a full-time business is incredible! Living comfortably while doing what I love and being my own boss has heavily driven me to be an entrepreneur. Sharing my music with the world has never been easier, so why wouldn't I take advantage of the blessing that is the internet? Being an entrepreneur has made me become more of a leader and feel more confident in myself. I have raked up goals that I hope to achieve in the next day, week, month, year, and more! A few of those goals include making six figures off of music, getting a platinum plaque, and working with some top artists. Those are some of my long-term goals, but I feel confident that those goals are very realistic if I continue with the same consistency and effort. Those goals are boil down to making enough wealth from music to live comfortably, but of course, I have other plans besides wealth! I hope to inspire other musicians, young and old, that they can climb their way to the top! We all have to start at the bottom and work our way up. That goal is not a tangible one, but if I can convey that message to even one person, it'll feel better than anything tangible. And of course, every achievement has its obstacles that we must hurdle, or else it wouldn't be as satisfying when you finally hit that goal. I face plenty of challenges to reach the goals I want to achieve. Many people would say I'm too young to try to accomplish that much. It is too much status or money for someone young. It sounds odd that anyone would try to discourage us from our dreams, but unfortunately, it happens all too often. Another challenge I may face is financial challenges. It isn't always easy to put ourselves out there or keep up with others in our industry if we don't have the right gear! I have faced this problem a few times before, but it simply inspires me to work harder. Proper marketing is something that I feel I struggle with, and if I could market better, I'd be able to get my content to thousands more! As well as time management. I haven't had too much of an issue with time management recently, but sometimes my schedule may get overwhelming, so I have to figure out times to squeeze my business in with the rest of my life. I don't consider "competition" a challenge because I don't like to think of other music producers as competition. I'd much rather considered them my partners as we can help build each other! Even in entrepreneurship and business, everyone should get a chance to win!

My biggest role model by far is my father. He is kind and humble. Though I can't say things have always been perfect, we have gotten through it, and I respect him more for that. I can't think of anyone who works harder than he does. Being the only person to work full-time in a household of eight, I'm sure, isn't easy, but he manages to do it, and when he gets home, he dedicates himself to us. It almost seems like he doesn't even get tired after moving furniture all day. He always tells my siblings and me that he wants us to better than him. He admits that he was never very focused in school and wasted many of his gifts when he was younger. I'm glad that he pushes and motivates my siblings and me to be the best version of ourselves. And I can't forget that he is the one who introduced me to music. In the seventeen years of my life, no one has taught me more than my father. I have taken so much from him that I apply to this day. A few things that I have learned from him are that hard work always pays off, the benefits of honesty and loyalty, treat everyone the same, and having humility. Of course, they are plenty more things he has taught me, but these four stand out to me as they are the ones I implement into my life the most. Since I was young, my father has always shown me why working hard will help me get what I want in life. He emphasizes starting to work hard at a young age, so I don't have to in the future. I chose to eternalize everything he told me. I began working harder in school after realizing how it would benefit me so much in the future. I honestly never would have thought I'd get into my dream school, but because of the consistent hard work I put into my education, I got in! I didn't just apply working hard in education. I also used it in sports and music production. As a sophomore, I started running track, and I wasn't very fast. But through multiple years of hard work, as a senior, I am one of the fastest 400m sprinters in my conference, and I hope to work my way up to the state championship! And on the music production side, I work on new beats daily. My consistency in music had paid off as I have had extreme improvement from this time last year. From experience, I can see that my father couldn't have been more right. I'm confident that if I have a goal, I will work hard to reach it. My father used to talk to my siblings and me about loyalty to each other. He doesn't like it when we fight and is against fighting, especially those closest to you. He also stresses honestly quite often. One quote he repeatedly says that I like is, "It starts with a small lie." Because of my father, I would much rather be upfront with someone than lie to them. I can't remember the last time I lied to someone; it gives me such a terrible feeling. My honesty has proven to pay off quite well as people genuinely respect my feedback and trust that if they ask me something, I will be straightforward with them. When my father speaks of loyalty, he is usually referring to family. Still, that strong loyalty I have for my family has helped me create some fantastic friends and last relationships. Being an honest and loyal person has helped me reach so many goals as I would have never accomplished, let alone start my goals without the undying support of my friends and family. I would see someone not associating themselves with another student from elementary school to high school because they were quiet or "weird" or just different. I have never liked the idea of discluding someone simply because they are different than me. I would instead love to embrace their uniqueness. This is an attitude I can easily say I got from my father. He indirectly taught me how to treat everyone equally. Ever since I was young, I've seen him show respect to everyone he interacted with, down to how he talks to people. From him, I learned how to interact with people. I think that is why I feel comfortable talking to strangers and decide not to look at someone differently no matter the race, ethnicity, gender, etc. Through nonjudgement, I have been able to meet some awesome people of many different cultures. I have made so many mistakes in my life—big and small ones. I can't say I'm proud of some of the things that I have done before, but my father also taught me humility. He is one, to be honest with himself. He knows his faults and isn't afraid to admit them. I take highly to that, and my father has enabled me to accept my mistakes instead of suppressing or deflecting them. Because I admit my mistakes, I can correct those wrongs and become a better person for them. Having humility has been tremendous in reaching all of my goals. I have been correcting mistakes and taking in new ideas, which helps me adjust and perfect my goals. I hope that my humility proves that we are all human and makes me someone easy to approach. My father has taught me so much in my lifetime. It would be impossible to fit it into a one-thousand-word essay. He has inspired me to never settle for less than the best. I love him for everything he has done and continues to do for my family and me.

It was seventh grade. I wasn't too interested in school. I was perfectly ok with getting the bare minimum to pass. Even after coming off of a pretty good sixth-grade year! I had a rather negative attitude where ever I went. The first quarter of the year was smooth, mainly because it felt like we hardly did any math! Our math teacher had left just one week into that seventh-grade year. A great way to start the year, right? In my mind, that sounded amazing. We had a substitute for the entire first quarter, and I don't recall turning in a single homework assignment; still ending that quarter with an A! Well, reality hit me that next quarter when we finally got a math teacher. Once we finally got into actual math work, it seemed to pick up so fast. I was not prepared for the work at all! I showed up to class confused every day, sometimes even scribbling random numbers in for my homework. It was clear I had no clue what the heck was going on. My teacher attempted to help me as much as possible, but I don't think I was getting the hint. The quarter was coming to a close, and I wasn't caring enough about my grades. It didn't help that I got suspended before that winter break for fighting. I missed my only chance to even slightly recover my grade. I ended that second quarter with the lowest passing grade I've ever had. A D, yeah, it wasn't good. I guess I took that grade a little more personally than I realized at the time. I came back from an extended winter break on a mission. I wanted to start taking myself more seriously and invest more into getting good grades, especially in that math class. Third-quarter, I was in the zone. I was more focused and determined to pass my classes. I took more detailed notes and paid more attention in class. This time around, I got an eighty-nine. I remember that so clearly because I was just ONE point off a ninety, an A. I was disappointed but optimistic at the same time. Going into the fourth quarter, I was shooting an A. Unfortunately, some of the topics continued to baffle me, and I couldn't cap the year off with an A in math, but I sure wasn't complaining about a B. I knew I had an eighth-grade year to make myself better (the teacher was the seventh and eighth-grade math teacher). My seventh-grade year had some vast takeaways for me. I finally realized my potential if I put in the effort. After that year, I never doubted myself. An example is my junior year. I heavily questioned how well I would do in college-level algebra and trigonometry, but I kept telling myself I could do it and that I would put my total effort into that class. At the end of the semester, I pretty much aced the course; I had never had such a high grade in math before. I felt so confident I decided to take college-level calculus the second semester of my junior year with no questions. I loved the idea of a challenging math course that would make my brain work. A year earlier, I would have looked at myself like I was crazy for taking such a class. But I went in feeling confident and impressed myself with how well I did. Since seventh grade, I have stopped doubting my ability because I put in a lot less effort when I doubt my ability. Everything I do now, I go into it knowing that I will succeed in some way! Who knew that a math class from 2015 would still hold such a significant weight in my life. I wondered how my attitude would be different if I didn't go through such a tough time in math class. This is something that I don't think I'd say in any other circumstance, but... I'm glad that I got a D in math (it's a one-time thing, don't worry).

Hello! My name is Keon Marcus. I am a seventeen-year-old senior that goes to Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy, an early college sixth through twelfth-grade school in Raleigh, North Carolina! I have attended Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy since Sixth-grade! It has been a great experience to meet the other students in my senior class, students older than me, and many younger students. I moved to Raleigh when I was around two years old; I am originally from Everett, Washington! I hope to revisit the west coast someday. I was also recently accepted into UNC-Chapel Hill, which was my number one choice school! I am excited to begin school in the Fall and begin making new relationships, beginning my computer science career, and building my music brand. I am a music producer that goes by 'Kidnxtdoor' after a recent name change. I've been heavily interested in music and the creation of beats for the past two years and even before that! I got my chance to focus more on music when we went into quarantine, and I had more free time. I began to hammer down on making connections with other artists. My musical ability has improved drastically during the past year, and I've never felt more confident with my abilities. Along with music, I have been engaged in sports. Over the past year, I've played Tennis, Football, and Outdoor track. Sports has been an excellent experience for me as well. I learned to be a better team player and how to be more ambitious through playing a multitude of sports. I believe in the past year, and I have come so far from where I was before. I have grown physically, mentally, and spiritually. I have learned to make the most of every situation. I'm always attempting to find the opportunity. My dreams are never anything short of massive. Dreaming big is the only way to do it! I hope to one day produce music full time. I genuinely believe that that goal is highly achievable with the right mindset and work ethic, which I know I have! Every day, I set goals to make a certain amount of music and network with a certain number of other artists. I continually work to grow as a person and a producer. Learning from my mistakes has helped me dream more significantly than I could have imagined just last year. I am also a person to never give up on my goals because of minor setbacks, especially if it is something that I am passionate about. Even before I knew music was for me, I knew music was for me (if that makes sense). I have always had an interest in music composition ever since I was young, not to mention I listen to music a lot (like all the time). Many people say that I have a lot figured out for someone my age, but I don't. I'm still taking it one day at a time and watching myself take off. While I take off, I want those around me to do the same. Everyone deserves to win! I have five siblings at home, and I love to start with them. My family before myself! I work to help them to be successful in whatever it is they decide to do. I want to encourage them to be confident and proud of their work. I hope to encourage their heart more than anything. Having a positive impact on even just one person is contagious. My siblings can take that positive energy and spread it to their friends. We can create a better world, one person at a time. Outside of my family, I also love to help in the community, whatever it be. I've worked in community projects as small as picking up trash to something as big as helping implement more housing into neighborhoods. I think of all my service in the community; my favorite was always the ones I interacted with others, especially those younger than me. Me being able to guide elementary, middle school students down a positive road makes me feel so happy, and it gives me a feeling of nostalgia. I might enjoy helping others, but I can never forget about myself! I learned that the hard way early in quarantine, but I have worked much better to take care of my mental health specifically since then. These days I write down my goals for the day, month, and year along with notes on the positives and negatives of the day (positive always outweighs the negative). After waking up nice and early, I meditate and then exercise. I also read daily! If you had told me last year that I would be reading every day within the next year, I would have laughed! Things do change. I have learned that my mental health is the core of my strength and positive energy. Even as I write this, I am paving a road for the bigger picture—my future aspirations. Everything I do now is for me later (future me can thank me later).

I was 15, standing outside of Big Ed's two glass doors knocking for some to let me in. I had just been hired as a busser. I have never been the most talkative person, so working in a restaurant with strangers would entirely new to me! I wasn't nervous, but I wasn't sure what would happen when I walked into those doors for the first time. At first, the lady at the cash register thought I was a customer; she told me that they didn't open for another hour. I then told her I was here for the busser job and her eyes instantly lit up! I was surprised about how happy she was to see me, and I've never even stepped foot in the restaurant before! She offered me breakfast, insisting that the chefs would start ahead of schedule for me. I declined, but mostly because I had eaten before I got there. The waitresses were next to welcome me in. They were all so polite to me, showing me where everything was and helping me if I needed it. There was another busser who was way more experience than me, and I would consider her my bussing mentor. I learned all the "hacks" to cleaning tables from her to help me flow more. I use many of them to this day as I'm currently the only busser. I can still remember my first day. I had asked a group of people if they wanted me to grab any plates before they had any at all! I don't know what I was thinking; it still makes me cringe to this day. Regardless of that awkward blunder, the waitress all congratulated me for a great first day! It felt good that I was doing well for just my first day. My confidence really improved! Over the next few weeks, I continue to improve at cleaning tables (I know, it's a flex). Each day I had continual encouragement and positive energy from the wait staff. After roughly eight months of hard work, Covid rolled around and temporarily put me out of a job. Once I came back towards the end of the summer, I was surprised by how much the waitresses missed me! I walked into the building to at least five hugs! It made me feel great that my presence and work were that important to them! To this day, I continue to work hard ensuring you sit at the cleanest table you've ever sat at! If they didn't have the positive energy from the moment I walked in, things could have gone very differently. Maybe I wouldn't even be working there! But I'm glad that the waitresses were able to accept someone inexperienced in the industry and were practically still a kid. Their openness to giving me a chance means more than they may ever know!

Hello! I am Keon Marcus. Born in Everett, Washington, in 2003 and moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, when I was around two or three. I have lived in Raleigh since then! I have five siblings and two amazing parents. Yes, living with all of those people can get very chaotic. I still can't believe I have survived all this time with them! I've gone to Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy from sixth grade to now, twelfth grade. My senior year. It's pretty crazy to think all of those years have passed by already. I can still remember my sixth orientation. Shaping everyone up, we were all new. Since then (and before then), I have made lifelong friends and had so many great experiences. Now I'm on to a new chapter of my life. I'm looking forward to having more great experiences and even more lasting memories as I leave for Chapel Hill in a few months! Over the past few years, some of my favorite things have been music, computer science, and athletics. I also have a growing interest in marketing, the music industry, and investing. However, Covid-19 is a pretty tragic event in the past year, and some change now. I have been trying to take full advantage of being stuck in a house. I began to look into the stock market, take music more seriously, focus on my mental health, and, funny enough, exercise more. I've been learning to take advantage of every opportunity and blessing, even in the worst situations. Oddly enough, I think it took this quarantine to see what I truly want to do in life. It was a bit unclear before; my mind felt clouded. I hope to one day be a successful music producer. I have always found making beats to be such an engulfing process. When I was in elementary school, I was always excited to go to music class. I was excited because we had Ipads which had the music software. 'GarageBand' on them. GarageBand had a ton of instruments that I could play with and try out new things. I remember always wanting an apple device to use GarageBand. I was looking for an equivalent replacement, but nothing came close! I gave up my drive for creating music for a few years, although I continued to collect and expand my taste for all types of music. It was freshman year when I saw one of my friends and another student producing beats. That's when I knew that I could get back to making music. I asked them what software they were using, and later that day, I downloaded 'Lmms.' Which I proceeded not to open for another year (I know... took me a while). But finally, I got bored and decided to watch a few tutorials and make some beats. I fell in love. I regret not starting earlier. I began producing music daily, showing my friends my progress. We eventually made a music club where we would show others how to produce. In retrospect, I was nowhere near good enough to do that, but it was fun. Soon, I moved to a new music software call 'FL Studio.' I knew I was ready to take the next step. $200 for music software was the most I paid for anything at the time. I knew it'd be worth it. Over the past two years, I have met so many producers who share a drive and passion like my own, and I love that! Every day I look to work with new people and show that hard work and dedication will pay off 100% of the time! I want to be a heavily successful producer that inspires young people (not just producers) to chase their dreams in my lifetime. I hope to show people that your dream doesn't have to be "realistic" or "normal" for it to be yours! If more kids understood that they are the 1% of people who do that fantastic thing, we would have some of the most impressive people in the world everywhere. I prepare myself to achieve this goal every day by networking with other artists. I continue to set goals and grow my brand while helping others who are smaller than me grow. Not only do I network, but I also practice making beats daily! I attempt to remain as consistent as possible, even with sports and school, that I also focus on. I better myself on the networking and producing side and the business side of music. I have done the research, and I know the basics of the music industry and business. I feel so confident that if I continue to do what I am doing now, I will achieve my dream, and so will everyone else who is doing the same!

We all like music. This isn't a guess; I'm sure it is impossible not to jam out to at least one tune. 'Party in the U.S.A.' is everyone's guilty pleasure. Ok, maybe that one is just me. For as long as I can remember, I've been listening to music. My dad always played DMX and a ton of other rappers on the radio when I was younger. I remember in my free time; I'd grab the CD player, pop in some album I found, and listen to it all the way through. Heck, I'm even listening to music as I write this! I can't think of much other than my family that has impacted my life more than music. I genuinely do not know where I'd be without it. Music has been around for thousands of years (talk about longevity) and has changed over generations. I love music because it is a universal language. Music is a symbol of peace, love, war, culture, and more. Music tells a story. It is one of the few things in life where there are no boundaries, no guidelines for how it is or isn't supposed to be. There are an array of genres that may represent a person's personality or mood. Some may overlap and create a wicked unique sound that we never thought possible. But again, music has no boundaries. It is all in the ear of the listener. Similar to a well-written poem, music can be heard in plenty of different ways. Someone may think that song A is sad, while I don't think it is. Music expands our creativity and ability beyond belief! Music has changed my life in more ways than one. As a music producer, I use music to express myself and share it with the world. Being a music producer has opened my eyes to so many new artists and genres of music! Every day I seem to absorb more knowledge just by listening to music! I use that newfound knowledge as inspiration for future beats that I make. Making music, to me, isn't just some hobby. It is a passion. The creation of music is therapeutic. After a stressful or tiresome day, I get to zone out for a few hours and go crazy with creativity! I make whatever I feel sounds good. Through music production, I have gained hundreds of friendships. During quarantine, I hit up hundreds of artists and fellow music producers. Over the past year, I have created special relationships. I would love to meet these artists who share a similar passion and make some great music! Also, through music production, I have found some of my biggest inspirations. One of those who I look up to is Nick Mira. He is a multi-platinum producer at age twenty. He produced one of the most iconic songs of the past decade (Lucid Dreams - Juice WRLD) at seventeen! Nick Mira is proof that anyone who truly loves what they do and has the drive to succeed will succeed no matter the age or boundaries. Music has also changed my life in an even more personal way. Through quarantine, I have listened to a variety of music that matches my mood. Listening to music calms me and gives me a euphoric feeling at the same time. Of course, before quarantine, I heavily listened to music, but I realize how much I used to take it for granted in retrospect. When quarantine started, and I was at my lowest point that I've ever been, I used music as a way to boost my mood enough to motivate myself to do more. Music Is the one thing that is always by my side when I feel that no one else is there. When I had beats headphones, my mom would always poke fun at me for wearing them all the time (it was pretty funny). The headphones were never to block anyone out, but music gave me a sense of purpose. In 2020 I had just over a month of total time listening to music! I hardly go anywhere without my headphones. I want music to change the lives of others the same way music changed my life. I want people to use music as a therapeutic tool. I want people to use music as a way to express their creativity. And I want people to find community, find friends through music. As a music producer, I would love to reach the world with my sound. I hope that throughout music, and more specifically my music, even one person can be touched positively. I believe that one day, not war, rage, hate, or anger will unite us, but music and love will bring us together. I feel so blessed that I was raised in an environment where music was important. I have learned so much through music, and I hope to continue to learn. We all have something to gain and nothing to lose by diving into a new culture of music. Trust me, trap rock music isn't that bad!

Honestly, my true journey of self-love didn't even start until we were forced into lockdown. We all got time to ourselves, and I took advantage of it. I hope everyone else did too. Before quarantine, I was anxious about what other people thought of me and how they would feel if I said or did something. Going into quarantine it was more of the same, except I began to get more anxious and paranoid until I went into a pretty bad depression for a month in which I hardly got out of bed or ate. Luckily, I could see how my depression made my life and everyone else's life around me worse. I figured the only way to get better was to do the opposite of what I was doing. It wasn't easy because I was so unmotivated, but I started writing down goals, reading, exercising, waking up early, and meditating. And it worked! I think that nothing helped me more, though than meditation. Even if it was just ten minutes, I could close my eyes and take my mind off of everything. Through meditation, I found more acceptance of myself. I stopped overthinking all of my actions and learned to love myself. My self-love journey has taught me that mental health is far more critical than most people make it. I had never seriously focused on my mental health before the quarantine. The journey has also taught me that it is ok to make mistakes; they can be taken as lessons to build off! Through self-love, my beliefs have completely changed! Before, I would do whatever the minimum was to get by, especially in school. I was relieved that that would not get me anywhere. I changed my mindset to one where no matter what I'm doing, whether I like it or not, I will go above and beyond. Since the summer, I have not broken that promise. I always go 110%. I believe now that anything is obtainable with the excellent work put in. With this mindset, I became much more confident. I repaired a broken friendship with one of my good friends, and I got to spend more time with my family than I was before. I still wasn't the most talkative person, but my friends would often call me, which helped me. I've never been great at creating relationships, but another goal I made for myself was to talk to more people and be more open. With my confidence and self-love, this was hardly an issue. During the summer, I met and built relationships with hundreds of people online! My self-love journey hasn't been very long, but it has been heavily impactful. I've learned more about myself in the past year than ever before. I'm glad I got the opportunity to give myself a "mental reset." Loving ourselves first is the greatest accomplishment because when we love ourselves, only then can we love others and achieve our desires.

I can already imagine what life for me would be like if money wasn't a problem! The first thing that comes to mind is music. I love music production, and throughout the past year, I've met so many people online who share a similar passion. It has been a fantastic experience so far. If money wasn't a problem, I can almost guarantee I would spend most of my time making beats on a brand new laptop with an array of the best sounds. Music means a lot to me beyond just making it. It is something that I would never give up, no matter how much money I have. It'd still be pretty awesome to work with prominent artists. And now, with more time on my, I can dedicate more of myself to my craft and improve even more than I was before! Not only would I create a ton of new music, but I would also learn to play some instruments. I would start with acoustic guitar as that is an instrument that I've always wanted to know how to play. I've never gotten the chance to learn it because I have no time to do so. Me being able to play an instrument such as a guitar will up my production quality and expertise. Not to mention, I'll be able to flex my guitar skills. But that's beside the point. Another thing I'd love to do more of if I had more time is spending time with my family and friends. I keep myself quite busy throughout the day, but I would give much more time to building relationships if I were financially worry-free. I also think that it would be cool if I could teach my siblings how to produce music! A few more things I would do if I had the time would improve my chess play. I have recently gained interest in the game and would love to spend time playing chess and improving. And the last thing I would do is read more. I read daily, but I don't get to read as much as I'd like to because I have little time. Having more time would benefit anyone. I wouldn't take that free time for granted. I would use it to continue to better the well-being of myself and the ones around me. I would use all my time as though it genuinely mattered rather than waste away the minutes.

Covid-19 has had an enormous impact on lives across the world. We have all been forced to be inside for our safety. I think that society has changed in every possible way. Nothing has been the same in the past year. In healthcare, doctors put their lives on the line for the greater good. Healthcare will and has changed in pretty much every aspect. I will admit that if one good thing came from Covid, it is the fact that people pay more attention to their cleanliness. However, fevers are much more heavily monitored. Just think about the days when Michael Jordan could play a game of basketball with a fever! There's no way that would fly now! Covid-19 also accelerated telemedicine. Telemedicine is health-related services and information through telecommunication technology. And speaking of telecommunication technology, technology was heavily impacted by Covid-19. Covid-19 called for more advanced tools to make the process faster and safer for the individual. I had never seen the temperature gun until Covid-19 happened. The temperature gun is just one example of technology used to improve safety and efficiency. Computers and phones are enormous during this pandemic (as if they weren't huge before). More meetings began to occur online, raising the demand for services that could provide large group online chat services. I think the need to do more without leaving our houses' safety created a lot of technological progress over the past year. As someone with extensive public bus transportation experience, I can say transportation has changed so much in the past year! Public transport became free for everyone; they began to require masks, one person per every other seat, added hand sanitizer dispensers, and recently added masks on the bus if someone doesn't have one. I have ridden the bus a lot throughout the past year, and it seems that people have adjusted well to the new requirements as they are for the safety and convenience of the passenger and driver. I haven't taken many taxis or car pickup services, but I have noticed that many install a wall to divide them from the passenger for safety. People also more conscious about cleaning their vehicle after someone else is in it. Social interaction has also changed immensely. Social distancing guidelines were created for public places. At some point in time in the East year, we were all in discussion with someone standing six feet away. Masks were also heavily implemented because of coughing and sneezing, which has always been gross but kind of went unnoticed before Covid became so widespread from things like that. It's great that people have been able to adjust so well to social distancing rules and the other rules regarding social interaction. Few people were meeting in person, and more were texting/talking online. I don't think I ever really called anyone until quarantine started! Talking to friends and family online was the safest way to see them. Hopefully, at some point soon, we can go back to regular communication. I can still remember how disappointed I was when I found that we would start taking classes online. At the time, I was taking college-level calculus! Going to online education was a massive jump for most people (lucky homeschoolers). Some people didn't have adequate access to a computer or the internet at home. The county had to make quick decisions to ensure that everyone was safe and do their school work. Wake County decided to give each student a laptop, and at the end of the year, each student had the option to drop the grade for any class if it wasn't where they wanted it to be! At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, it was more of the same. We slowly began to get students back into school in groups. Currently, most schools are entirely in person where students must wear masks and social distance. In the Fall of 2020, football was delayed and moved to the winter of 2021! I didn't expect that as many other states were proceeding to play football. I had to wait over a year to get back on the field. The season was decreased to seven total games, we had to wear a mask while we played, and coaches were meticulous about following guidelines so the football program wouldn't be canceled for the year. Now that I think back, I realize all of these changes were simply for everyone's safety. Covid cases could have been drastically higher!

Legacy, to me, is the memory that you leave of yourself where ever you go. A legacy is permanent. A legacy is memorable. Our legacies are what defines us to the stranger that may never meet us. We choose whether we leave a legacy or not. I like to think that most people want to leave a positive legacy across the world. We are not required to leave a legacy before our journey ends, but those who create a positive legacy are those who stepped above and beyond. They are the ones who brave enough to be different. Stand up for what was wrong. Work harder than the person next to them. Be the most passionate and confident. Martin Luther King Jr. is the perfect example of a positive legacy. He was bold enough to step up to one of the biggest challenges of his time and fight against racial injustice. Or Tom Brady, who came out of the back end of the NFL draft. He wasn't expected to be much of anything. Tom Brady has changed the game by acquiring seven Superbowl rings and still going strong after twenty years of playing football at the professional level. A legacy doesn't have to lead one of the most significant civil rights movements or be a professional sports all-star. There are also family and community legacies. As long as we're doing something to help others and people can say after we pass that we were great people, then we have a legacy. I think to leave a legacy; we are leaving pieces of ourselves on the earth. It is a sign of the fantastic things that we have accomplished in a lifetime. A legacy is meant to inspire the youth of the generations to come. To leave a legacy is to do something outside the box and outside of the comfort zone for others. A legacy can't be selfish; it is shared with the world. I think leaving a legacy is important while we are here to cherish it but even more important when we are gone, and others are left to cherish it and carry it on. There are many different types of legacies. There are activist legacies, such as Mahatma Gandhi (who inspired the great legacy of MLK!). There are sports legacies, such as Jackie Robinson. There are educational legacies like Albert Einstein. Religious legacies, such as Jesus. There are too many types of legacies to go through and list them all, but one thing each of these has in common is that they all inspired people to be great. These are all names that have endured the test of time. And will continue to do so as we look up to these people for inspiration. I think it is amazing that the legacy of someone else can impact us so heavily. I've noticed that individuals have a larger drive to achieve their goals when working for something beyond themselves, such as their family, friends, or audience. Working selflessly for a positive impact is what paves our path to a legacy. I want to leave a legacy that shows my determination, resilience, and patience. I want to be a successful music producer. It is not always easy to be at the top of my game to ensure my success, but I always do my best to keep a positive spirit and push forward. I hope that one day people will see that all my hard work and work ethic was not simply for myself. I did it for my family, siblings especially. I want my siblings to see that hard work through the trials and tribulations will always be the key to success. Never give up on your dream, even if you feel it is out of reach or unrealistic. Nothing is unrealistic! If you want to be the first woman on the moon, do it! If you want to break the male plank record, do it! Show the whole world your gift without a second thought. That's the legacy I hope to leave on the world when I pass.

So many communities fail and can never seem to grow while others thrive! Why? Because in the communities that thrive, there are always people active in the community working to benefit it! Communities aren't just our neighborhoods. They are our schools, sports teams, churches, and heck, even your fellow gamers. Those who involve themselves in their community are selfless, and they want to create a better and safer environment for everyone! I think that involvement in a community is essential because a person's engagement in taking care of their community makes it a better environment. Being involved in a community builds more than just success for the tangible community but also creates relationships. Working and applying ourselves in our communities goes beyond what we see in front of us. It is something contagious. Seeing one person work for their community turns into two people, then four, then eight, then sixteen, and so on! By becoming involved in our community, we create a bond with the other community members who share the same passion for seeing the community thrive. Involving ourselves in our community also helps children! Who doesn't love children?! A better environment for a child increases their chances for success and safety. It takes a village to raise a child. Now imagine there was no village! Getting involved in our communities also helps the literal environment. Things as simple as trash pick-ups can create an immensely healthier community, and that only requires a trash bag and gloves! We can all work to make our communities better! I have helped my community in many ways. I feel passionate about my community. I hope to leave my community in better condition than it was before. Before Covid-19, I was helping tutor middle school students. My school is a 6-12 school. I went back to the main campus where the middle schoolers were and took that opportunity to support them in whatever class they needed help. Tutoring was one of my favorite efforts to affect my school community positive way. Not only did I get to meet the newest additions to our fantastic school, but I also got to build relationships with those students. To this day, I can drop by the main campus and say, what's up to those guys! A few months ago, I worked with my fellow National Honor Society members to do a trash clean-up in our community! Most people may see a trash pick-up as gross, but I thought beyond having to pick up someone else's litter. It was a chance for me to bond with my brothers, who I haven't seen in what felt like years! I also felt good because even though it was just a few roads, we slowly made the world a cleaner place. I feel kind of like a superhero or something. Another opportunity that I was given to improve my community was a bit larger scale. Going into a community in the Southeast of Raleigh, other students and I researched to help a non-profit organization. The non-profit faced a dilemma with deciding whether they should create more low-income housing or keep the community gardens after weeks of research and interaction in the community. We decided it is best to keep the garden that was thriving. The garden was beautiful. It created engagement in the community and provided a fresh food source to a food desert area. Simultaneously, the other garden that seemed to be dying would be replaced with low-income housing, which the community's people seemed to love. I'm pretty confident that the head of the organization loved the idea! Back in my freshman year, my brother and I learned to assemble computers. We used this knowledge by volunteering our time to build computers for those who were in need. We did it for around a month and sent out over twenty computers. There's always satisfaction in helping others. I hope to be a successful music producer in the future and also have experience in web design. I plan to open a charity with my family to help low-income children who may need free tutoring, school tools, and food for those who may not have a meal! I've met many students who struggled during quarantine, not because the classes were challenging but because they didn't have the proper tools for a situation like Covid-19. I never want that to happen to a kid again. I dream that I can create a highly effective charity that makes children feel a bit more comfortable with their situations. I've never experienced the feeling, but I'm confident that not knowing when your next meal is is no fun. And I know from experience that not having the proper tools for online school is stressful and scary. I also wish to create a website where musical artists across the world can interact and get to know each other. Sometimes I find it challenging to connect with other artists properly, but I hope to one day eliminate the challenges that I faced and make it easier for the kids my age (or even younger) to be prosperous. A community can be anything. We could create our communities if you wanted to! It's an opportunity to help others and make connections that you may have never thought possible. Involving yourself in any community is a blessing for those you are helping and yourself.

I could go on and on about extra-curricular activity, but two of my favorites are football and music production. Football is in the spring of 2021 instead of the Fall of 2021, but I'm not complaining. I'm glad we were able to play football this season. I play the safety position. I also enjoy making music a lot. A hobby I picked up a few years back, but over quarantine, I turned it into a passion, meeting and working with 100s of other artists. I've recently been trying to perfect a few hip-hop styles and dive more into the music industry's business side. All the new information is so exciting. One volunteer experience that I miss is working with the 6th and 7th graders at my school (My school is 6-12). After school on Thursdays, I would help students who needed help in certain classes. It was cool meeting the younger generation; it was like a sense of nostalgia. I also got to make a lot of new friends with the younger students. It's unfortunate that Covid took away tutoring for those students. Although the tutoring situation was unfortunate, I was fortunate enough to go back to work last year. I work in a restaurant, so the experience now compared to before Covid is very different! Either way, I've learned so much and made many relationships that have made me a better person. I have five siblings, my mom is back in college, and my dad is the only one who works full time. I respect his grind, and it inspires me. My parents always say, "don't worry about the financial side of college," but I'm still thinking about that aspect. I've been saving money since I first started working a 15 to help pay for college. My dream is to finish college debt-free. Along with any others I'm offered, this scholarship would be game-changing and help me so much! I've applied for so many because I know each one has the chance to change my life just that much more. When I graduate high-school, I want to pursue a 4-year degree in computer science and a minor in music, specifically music production. An aspiration I have is to create a giant network and meeting new people in college. Expanding my network is what I am most excited about upon attending college. Hopefully, I can find people who share similar passions as I do and work together for success. After I graduate college, I want to go into a job where I can create video games or websites. It doesn't necessarily have to be a big company either! After college, my other plan is to pursue my other music career by working with more prominent artists and producers. This is my favorite option, personally. Music and computer science are both things that interest me a lot, but music is like my life! Everywhere I go, music comes with it; it's a beautiful art.

My all-time favorite movie is 'Zootopia.' Zootopia is about a bunny named Judy Hopps who aspires to be a police officer in the city of Zootopia. She first has to fight the odds in training camp to make the force just to be put on the sideline, assigned to parking tickets. But soon, a case comes in; many of the predator animals are going feral for an unknown reason. The inferior animals are now in fear of their lives. Judy Hopps believes she has a lead on the case and is given a chance to prove herself to the force. The chief gives her a deadline to crack the case. She is on the clock, but she, along with an unlikely partner, solve the case. This is my favorite movie because it shows that no person is incapable of doing something if it is their dream. Judy Hopps is just a tiny bunny; no one, not even her parents, believed she'd make the force. I find it satisfying that she fought through the criticism and her doubt to crack the biggest mystery in Zootopia. 'Zooptopia,' although a kids movie, inspires me to be the best version of myself. If I have a dream, put everything forward to chase it. Don't listen to those who doubt you. And most importantly, don't doubt my ability. There are no goals/limits that can't be reached if you believe you can reach them!

A misfit has an attitude that sets them apart from everyone else, someone who stands out. My hustle mentality has made me feel like a misfit. I believe every opportunity should be taken in full stride as a way to get better. I think that all my losses are lessons and take losses as a way to get better. I don't think so many people my age and some older than me are doing what I am to get better and focus on their future. This is not me showing off by any means; it takes a lot of dedication and sacrifice to have that kind of hustle mentality. I'm a bit of a "mental misfit" as I act apart from the teenage crowd, so to say. I barely ever watch tv or play video games anymore! I'd much instead read a good book or make some beats! I won't allow other people to tear me down because I'm not doing what's popular. I feel confident in everything I do, as I know it isn't just for me now but for me in the future. Also, as a music producer, I receive plenty of positive feedback back, which is excellent! But I also receive negative feedback. I choose to take it with a grain of salt, and it won't touch my confidence. If it's constructive criticism, I don't get offended; I take it and find ways to improve my music. And as someone who makes music without knowing any instruments and minimal music theory, I get a substantial amount of funny looks. Music is my passion; I would not allow anyone else's opinion of me to tear me down. I used to let other people's views get the best of me. I tried to impress others. I've learned it's not healthy to live my life for other people. Being a misfit has made me a more confident person. Focusing on my goals instead of worrying about other people has helped push my music production to highs I would have never thought possible just last year! I want to use my perspective to help people who may have anxiety, depression, or low confidence in themselves. I want them to see that being themselves is what matters. I want to show people that they have to care about themselves and what they think about themselves before worrying about anybody else. Be a good type of selfish, someone who puts themselves first and treats other people how they wish to be treated. I want everyone to become a misfit; I want everyone to be their own person! No following the leader! Do you love yourself and win!

A moment I'm sure changed everyone's lives was the quarantine. I'm sure at this time last year no one would have expected we wouldn't be able to see our friends or family for months. That millions would lose their jobs. That we'd have to wear masks everywhere, we went. That life would be this different. It was late March when Wake County decided that going online would be the best and safest option as we advance through the early stages of the virus. I was very frustrated with the decision because, at the time, I was taking one of my most challenging classes, college-level calculus. I preferred to be in-person to understand better, but I understood that it wasn't worth the risk. Although I was not too fond of the idea of online classes, I felt I adapted pretty well compared to most people. My number one goal was passing all my classes. I also thought it'd be the best time to advance my music production career, so I started focusing a lot more on my music as well. A month had passed, and we were still in quarantine, which was two weeks longer than the original time. That month had been pretty smooth for me, but I feared the worst, which is not a good sign because I am usually optimistic. I began to become paranoid. My parents had me go into the store to get some food, and I nearly had a panic attack! I began to be scared; I didn't want to go outside. As May progressed, the Covid-19 situation didn't get any better as cases continued to grow. Throughout May, my paranoia grew, and I began to become very tired. I started waking up around noon, sometimes later. I hardly ate. I wasn't motivated to make, post, or grow my music at all. I knew I was falling back down the slope as new relating to Covid became worse. But I felt trapped; I couldn't do anything. June rolled around, and the situation got even worse. America has battled police brutality for ages, but the light was seriously shed over the issue when George Floyd was killed on camera by a police officer. The outrage was massive, protesters who wanted to get the message across. And rioters, who destroyed everything. The sight of people burning down and looting buildings hurt me. It made the BLM movement look like a terrorist group or some danger, and I hated that. Witnessing the chaos and separation in America, I think, pushed me over my edge. I fell into an abyss. I was deeply depressed and felt no purpose for living. I knew that my mindset was unhealthy and broken; it needed to be repaired, but I felt stuck. Like I had dug a hole so deep that I couldn't escape. Never in my life had I paid close attention to my mental health, now it got the best of me. All my pain and rage was exposed at once. By mid-June, I was at the point where practically anything I did was a task. I have no clue what happened, but one day in late June, I decided that this needed to change. I was aware of what was happening, but I have never stopped it. I always overthink. I knew it'd be a steep slope to climb up, but I felt a burst of motivation to better myself. The depression had me wanting to do nothing, but I had to push the bully back. And that's what I did. I started writing down daily goals; I flipped my schedule. I began waking up at 5 am, reading books, exercising, learning Spanish, and meditating—anything to boost my mental and physical health and overall morale. It took me a while to refine and get comfortable with this routine, but by August, I changed. I was up at 5 am sharp, doing my exercise routine, reading, and meditating daily. I always found some way to improve myself, big or small. I was more motivated. I felt I could do anything. Because of this, my music also showed extreme growth. My inspiration soared through the roof. I was happy again. Fall was coming, so was school, this time entirely online. Somehow that made me feel even better because I was able to learn and also be more productive. And productive I was, completing so many of the goals I set for myself, making myself proud every day, from the little wins to the big wins. Now it is January, and I got accepted into my number one school, UNC-Chapel Hill. A year ago, I would have never thought I had a chance at getting in! I have never been happier or more proud of myself in my life. I had to become aware of what dangered me the most, myself. My mental health is so much better now, and every day feels like a new blessing, a new challenge ready to be conquered! My complete 180 didn't just surprise me but also a few friends who said I had inspired them to be better. I now know how important mental health and self-care is. Going into the future, I won't ignore my health because I now understand how detrimental it is. I hope that I can encourage anyone else who is facing the same I was. I want to show people that you can change, and you can be a healthier version of yourself. If there's one thing I want for everyone in life, it's for them to be happy. Bad mental health is the brick wall that wants to stop you from being happy, and I don't like that.

Since I was young, I've always expressed an interest in music, but I never got beyond listening to it. However, in February of 2019, I broke that barrier and created my first beat. I am a music producer that goes by the name Crustymadeit. There is not much of a background behind the name, just something my friends and I came up with for fun. Throughout the year following, I grew a lot. I learned a lot of new things, including how to improve my final mix and music theory. Although I experienced a lot of growth, I was on and off producing. Every second was enjoyable, but I just felt I didn't have enough time to accomplish my goals musically. At the time, I even had 2,000 followers on Instagram, which was exciting to me! Soon Covid-19 struck and forced all of us inside. With no hesitation, I saw the light in this terrible situation. Wasting no time, I wanted to take a deep dive into music, but I felt like I needed a fresh start. I deleted my Instagram and made a brand new one! I created more beats and uploaded more consistently, eventually beginning to work with other producers. Within the first two to three weeks of quarantine, I met plenty of people who shared my passion and felt I improved my music a lot. With music, though, there is so much to learn. I watch tutorials and continued collaborating with other producers, learning from them. After about two months of hard work, I scored my first beat sale on a collaborative project. Although selling beats isn't why I make music, it felt amazing that someone thought my music was good enough to purchase! My confidence was improved immensely within a few months. I began feeling confident enough to get in contact with artists to get some smaller placements. This wasn't very successful, to be honest, but I continued and eventually got on a beat and dropped the final. I was so enthused. By July, I was improving my beats, collaborating with artists and producers, and selling beats! Now, I continue to grind even harder than ever to make music production more than just a quarantine hobby. Producing is my passion, and I want to treat it as such. All of this to say that if you have a passion or something that you've always enjoyed and you want to share it with the world, DO IT! Nothing is stopping you except yourself! I realized that when I used to overthink many of my decisions. Create an ambition and go for it! Put all of your heart and emotion into what you do. I hope that people see that I put my heart into every beat I make, and if it is released, it deserves to be there. Just because something doesn't go your way initially doesn't mean quit; that means to learn and go even harder than before! Every day, set a goal to get better, just 1% better at your craft. You will meet every goal you set for yourself. I wouldn't be making three to four, marketing, collaborating, networking, and posting beats daily if I didn't genuinely believe hard work pays off. I don't think vital is the right word for it, but I think the world should hear my music. I believe this because it can be used as motivation for anyone who feels like giving up because they haven't hit that diamond yet. I want to prove that you will achieve whatever you set out to do as long as you stay consistent and work hard. I also want to convey that staying patient and remaining humble when blessed are keys to success. Like Miguel says in 'Skywalker' "Good things come to those that wait up; But don't wait to jump in too long; Don't sleep, you gotta stay up." The decision to be great lies within your grasp; I hope people will see that through my music.

I want to major in computer science and minor in music. Computer science has always interested me since I was a kid. It would be awesome to create a video game; it gives me that nostalgic feeling when I played video games a lot more. I also find the intricate process behind coding websites, programs, etc., intriguing. I want to use technology someday to benefit society as well. Specifically, to create a better environment for the future, our future. Our future is dependent on what us. I want to be a part of the people who end the environmental damage. Music has held a place in my heart since I was born. My dad was heavily into hip-hop and reggae; that is how I was introduced to music. When I was young, I played piano but soon stopped because I didn't find it as enjoyable as listening to music. Fast forward to sophomore year of high school, and I regained the interest in making music under the producer name Crustyboibeats. Since then, I have made hundreds of beats, and it is my favorite passion that I hope to one day turn into something more. I love that I can express my feelings and share them with other people who also enjoy music. Having a passion is great, but sharing it with others is inspiring. I'm excited to find like-minded music creators/artists when I get to college. No matter what I do, I want my studies to be something I enjoy and something that positively impacts the world.

I am most interested in studying many of the technical software aspects of a computer. The intricacy of coding has drawn my interests since I was young. One of my most enormous goals is to help in the creation of a popular video game. I think that would be really cool, and it would give me the nostalgic feeling of being a kid when I played video games a lot. Being on the internal creation of software and networks seems like being in the future of society! Computer science is innovating and becoming increasingly fascinating every day. We have all seen how far technology has come since the start of the twenty-first century; imagine what technology will be like in another twenty years! I'm excited to see, and that is something that I surely want to be a part of—the innovation of technology in modern-day history. We have used technology to make so many medical leaps that would be utterly impossible without the evolution and adaptation of new technology. I'm excited to see where we will be. But for us to make it another twenty years we must take excellent care of our environment! I hope to one day help solve the problem of toxic chemicals being let into our atmosphere, the air we breathe. At the moment, it seems as though we don't care enough about our planet; there's not a new one to live on yet. Creating more energy-efficient items to replace fossil fuels and coal, along with other forms of dangerous energy, is something I'd love to do with more experience in the future. Through this, I want people to start taking better care of our planet. I'm confident that we will meet this goal shortly as many of the youth see the effects of pollution on Earth. I also want to reduce the amount of trash we have on the planet because it is outrageous. Although I don't have a clear idea of what I could create to reduce this issue, drones seem like a great idea. Programming drones to pick up the massive trash amount of trash in the ocean could be interesting. I believe that the future has a lot to hold for technology, and I am excited to one day be a part of the continuous technological advancements.

Hello, my name is Keon Marcus. I am a 17-year-old senior at Wake Young Men's Leader Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina. I am originally from Everett, Washington but moved to North Carolina to be closer to family. One day, I hope to go back to the west coast and truly experience it as I moved away when I was only two. I am very interested in music production and a future in computer science. I've always thought it would be really cool to make a video game since I was little. I think it'd be interesting to make a DAW (music software) similar to FL Studio, Ableton, or Logic Pro. I also really enjoy playing sports. I've played football, baseball, track, and tennis. Although I cannot play most of those at the moment, I continue to train for when I can again. My biggest hope for going into a STEM career is to do something memorable or innovative. STEM careers are some of the fastest growing and developing globally; new changes are being made every day. They play a significant role in the economy and is critical for the future of society. STEM creates better thinkers and innovators! To me, that sounds like the best job! I believe STEM careers are making some of the biggest impacts on society in the twenty-first century. Creating a positive impact on society with something that was practically non-existent just thirty years ago feels amazing. We literally have all the information we need at the push of a button! I want to be someone who can contribute to that change positively while doing what I enjoy. It could be something as small as making a new video game that gives someone a chance to relax and distress or as big as programming a drone that targets and kills cancer cells. Also, creating environmental change would be exceptional. As someone who will hopefully be living on this planet for many more years, I want to take care of my planet. Decreasing the amount of carbon monoxide we release while improving in the solar and electric energy field is my goal. I want to stimulate my creativity and intelligence. I want to be challenged by the constantly growing industry. Doing something above and beyond the norm takes hard work and dedication. Like many of my peers, I am up for the challenge. Another hope I have to pursue a STEM degree is to give back to my community. I enjoy volunteering in my community and tutoring the younger students at Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy. If I can one day give back to my community, it is an opportunity I am taking. I don't just mean donating money either; I want to give back in any way possible such as improved technology, better education, and improved safety. Within my community, I have seen many people prosper, but I have seen many more fall. I think that their situation is a part of that problem. Helping more children understand STEM at a young age will significantly improve education. Getting better technology into less fortunate communities is essential and would be a blessing! We've seen how many people struggled because of Covid-19. Their limited access to technology and the internet put them behind. I want to allow equal opportunity for everyone. STEM is such a broad range of careers. I am excited to see how much it will grow in the near future. I'm confident that I'll be working in the STEM field that I enjoy while working with others passionate about the same objectives for positive change.

My business is a bit unorthodox. I sell beats online. I am a music producer that goes by the tag @crustyboibeats. I started making beats around a year and a half ago. I've found making beats fun for a long time, but I only just started making them. It was more of a hobby; I would make some and post them on Instagram, youtube, and Soundcloud ever so often. As 2020 came around, I wanted to take it more seriously but never got the opportunity until covid-19 forced us into quarantine. I was extremely disappointed I wouldn't be able to finish the school year in person or do the other things I wanted to do during the spring, but it gave me a spark of realization. I realized early in quarantine that being inside with nothing to do gave me the chance to take music seriously and grind as much as possible. That is what I did. Every day I was getting on FL studio, a music software, and making beats. I was also learning new methods to make my beats better and learning about marketing to get my content out to more people. I started by reaching out to other producers who were a bit bigger than myself for collaborations. A lot of those producers got back to me, and we've worked. Since April, I've had around 70 collaborations with other producers. Once I began feeling a bit more confident in my beats, I started reaching out to as many artists as possible! It takes time and patients to find artists that fit the right genre and have realistic means of communication, especially for how small I was and still am. I felt so confident I opened up a beat store for people to look through for my beats and buy. About a month later, I was able to sell my first beat through another producer's collaborative effort. I continued posting beats on youtube daily to maximize growth; I'd post that same beat on my beat store. I still remember getting the email confirming the sale, "congrats, Crustyboibeats! You have made a sale! $22.50." That was the happiest I've ever been, especially over quarantine. That $22.50 change my attitude towards selling beats; I knew I could do it! I now have made a fair amount of money off selling beats (not quite a living yet) for my first year, and also, multiple songs with artists have been released, and 2020 isn't even over! To add on top of that, I wanted to reach out even more. I began uploading my music to Spotify through Distrokid, a music distributor. I also make money through people listening to my music on Spotify. I don't put it on any other platforms, but I plan to put beats on other platforms by 2021. And I collaborated with 15 different producers to create a loop kit that had over 100 melodies. This kit was completely free! We wanted to give back to those who were helping us grow. At the beginning of this month, I even dropped my free loop kit that contained 15 melodies that I made myself! I have no shame in saying I am incredibly proud of coming in less than a year. Although I have so much more to learn and improve on, I am happy with where I am after only half a year of focusing on music! The year isn't over; there is still so much I can do before the year ends, which excites me greatly. I do not believe that making music is all about making money because I would've quit long before I sold my first beat. Making music is fun and therapeutic for me. The money part is just an addition and a way of showing my improvement. The music business is similar to most other businesses. It doesn't instantly build traction (I've hardly built traction yet!); it takes a lot of patience and dedication. I love the feeling of working hard and receiving a positive outcome for all the work I put in. I will continue to be humble going into my future endeavors. Music is a growing business, and I'm happy to be a part of it.

The purpose of my playlist to show the diversity in my music taste. I don't like to discriminate even in music! I love it all! My playlist shows multiple music genres that drive me to continue making music. Also, being up to and experimenting with new styles. I love listening to music all the time; I'm listening to music while writing this! It's therapeutic for me. I get my emotions out by listening to music and creating it. Music is the best form of communication, with so many unique styles that can fit anyone. Enjoy the playlist :)

It was halfway through kindergarten. A new kid had come from Chicago; he had a fractured arm and a cast. He looked like a pretty cool kid, though, so I introduced myself. His name is Ike Husick. Ike has been my best friend since the day I met him in kindergarten. We have always bonded well together. I remember the days I would go to his house, and we would play videogames all night. Halo was probably our favorite. In elementary school, we were always tight, but middle school came around, and we went to different schools, but to us, that didn't matter! I would still visit him often and see how he was doing and vice versa. At one point, we even took a trip up to Virginia to visit his Aunt! It was super fun. Distant couldn't break our relationship. Halfway through middle school, though, he moved away from North Carolina to D.C. and then Chicago. We kept in contact, but we didn't talk as much. I hadn't seen him for years. But my mom decided one day we would take a trip up to Chicago and visit! I will admit I was slightly nervous. I had no clue if we would get along as well after so many years. My doubts were wrong! As soon as I saw him, we burst into discussion and laughter. It was almost like I saw him the day before! Not a day seemed to have passed. That day is shown in the picture below. By looking at us in this one picture, we may seem like opposites, but we aren't! We enjoy the same music, videogames, interests, and even clothes (which you can't tell by this picture). I don't think most people would see us as best friends since kindergarten. But we are! We've always encouraged and pushed each other to be the best version of ourselves. I think our friendship shows that you shouldn't be quick to judge anyone no matter their style, race, religion, culture, etc.

My favorite places to shop online are Sweetwater, Splice, and Amazon! Sweetwater and splice are music-related websites, I love going to them to find sounds and instruments.

1. Graham Stephan - youtube 2. Biaheza - youtube 3. CBS / CNN financial sections Extras: 1. The Hustle - Financial advice about stocks through email 2. Ryan Serhant - youtube (Not really personal finance but interesting real estate information)

Over 1,300 feet in the air, hanging over the beautiful city of Chicago there, I was. In this picture, I am in the gas skybox in Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. As someone who has never been fond of heights especially this high up, I was not very comfortable going into the glass box, which was over 100 stories in the air, but I quickly grew to enjoy it and even hit some cool poses!

At the age of twenty, most people would probably be in college or looking for a job/career. But there is one twenty-year-old; I know that followed his passion instead of doing all of that. Of course, some people, including myself, have a passion for going to college. His name is Nick Mira. He is a music producer with well over twenty platinum records. He has also contributed to some of the biggest songs in recent memory, such as "Lucid Dreams" by Juice Wrld and "Ransom" by Lil Tecca. He's worked with the biggest names in music and was voted 2020's producer of the year. As well as a record deal with the highly popular and in-demand producer collective "Internet Money." Since I began producing, I have looked up to Nick Mira. He was around my age when he and Juice Wrld released "Lucid Dreams," which, since released in 2018, has collected over one and a half billion plays on Spotify alone. I find it inspiring that someone at such a young age could accumulate such a mass amount of success in the music industry. An industry that takes time and patience to make significant placements and differences. Seeing Nick Mira be able to top the global charts on multiple occasions shows the boundaries that are continuously broken in music. About a year ago, when I was a bit less experienced in music, I looked for Nick Mira content for inspiration. His tutorials and deconstructions made everything about making music seem so easy, and I loved that. I've seen so many producers over complicate the process or make me feel like I'll never succeed in music. With his calm and humble attitude, Nick Mira shows how easy it is to produce music. That eases my nerves. Nick Mira is, as I said before, a very humble person. I like that about him because while many producers will show off one plaque, Nick Mira hardly even mentions the surplus he has. Nick Mira is not the type of person to dwell on one placement; he moves on to the next collaboration like he is still trying to get his first one. He focused on longevity. Nick Mira doesn't even like to be called a "legendary" producer; in his own words, "stop comparing us to legends; it's only our 3rd year out here." I respect that mindset; I think I want to have a perspective similar to him in making music. Nick Mira gives back to the producer community a lot. I would point out that his tutorials give back to the producer community, but some may disagree. So to add on top of that, he gives away free melody loops. Melody loops are already made instrumentals without the drums. Although I try to limit my use of these loops, I always find his melody loops super handy if I'm ever struggling to make a melody. Nick Mira pushes many young producers to be the best we can. Every day he spreads positivity on Instagram and Twitter with things like, "today i challenge u to go on whatever music streaming platform u use and press play on something u would never open typically. get inspired n get out of ur comfort zone." That is a quote directly off of his Twitter. Nick Mira loves to see others be successful, which is why he wants producers to step out of their comfort zone. Nick Mira is like my push to be a better music producer every day. I know that there is something I can improve or learn every day. I can honestly say Nick Mira is one reason I continued to produce music even when I felt like giving up or it was a waste of time. He has to me the value of being humble, respectful, and patient in the music industry. If I continue to work on my craft, then the opportunities will come. If you hear the tag "Hehe, nick you're stupid" at the beginning of a song, then I guarantee you that beat is excellent!

I saw this scholarship and instantly knew yes, I have to do this. Music is more than a passion for me. It's practically a lifestyle. I've been extremely interested in music since I was 5. With all these years of listening to absolute bangers, it's hard for me to choose just one song! It took me forever to filter down to one song, but I think 'Infinite' by Eminem has had a pretty substantial influence on me. 'Infinite' is such a great song, from lyrics to beat to delivery. Everything about the song makes it an outstanding listen to me. Well, to be fair, a lot of songs I listen to have great beats, lyrics, and delivery, so what makes 'Infinite' different? When listening to this song inspires me. I am a music producer; I started last year, so I'm still relatively new. Some days it feels harder to make music and stay consistent, but then I listen to 'Infinite,' and I feel infinitely more confident and optimistic about creating a new beat. The beat is super relaxing and almost therapeutic in itself; it gives me a chill, spaced-out vibe. I feel like nothing else is on my mind, but the beat and stress is relieved. Doubt is gone—negativity vanquished. Then Eminem's lyrics come in with a little intro to tease the mind. Unlike most hip-hop, which starts with a catchy hook, Eminem goes directly into a verse. "Ayo, my pen and paper cause a chain reaction. To get your brain relaxin', the zany actin' maniac in action." I love these first two lines of the first verse because it describes exactly how I feel when listening to this song. Then the hook comes in, "You heard of Hell, well, I was sent from it. I went to it, servin' a sentence for murderin' instruments. Now I'm tryin' to repent from it, but when I hear the beat. I'm tempted to make another attempt at it. I'm Infinite." When I listen to the hook combined with the fantastic beat and Eminem's calm delivery, it makes me feel like I'm "infinite," like I can do anything that I attempt. And what makes this song even more inspiring to me is that it was the first song of his debut album "Infinite," that dropped in 1996! Being able to listen to Eminem evolve from his very first song and become one of the most successful and relevant rappers of all time encourages me to push forward in music and anything else I do. I believe that we all have to start somewhere, and this song has taught me the power of patience and consistency. Even after years of listening to music, it is insane to me how music can hit all emotions and speak louder than any other form of communication. I'm blessed to have music in my life. Its possibilities are infinite.