I have been a fan of Wicked for several years. The music and powerful characters have truly changed how I view people. I believe Wicked encourages viewers to look past the appearances of people and their pasts. The moving music and strong choreography have impressed viewers for years. By continuing to show how one's perspective can easily become warped through bias, the show further proves the point of getting to know people before you make a decision about them. Judging others can be all too easy to do, and I find the theme of the show helps to remind us to show everyone kindness and grace which can in some instances change us for good. I love how in depth the show goes into the character's lives, and I get to experience what they are going through and what they are feeling. Overall, Wicked reminds viewers that no one is perfect, and sometimes the most popular people are the exact opposite of what we may believe them to be. I have not yet had the opportunity to see the show in person, but I look forward to the day I am able to experience it first hand and further connect with my favorite Broadway show.

"And everybody's keeping it up so you think it's you." In the song "Pretty Isn't Pretty" by Olivia Rodrigo, she talks about not feeling like you are enough. I believe this captures how many teenagers feel while maturing. Whether male or female, most adolescents struggle to live up to impossible expectations they have set for themselves. I struggled for years to fully feel confident in my own body. Even though I still have days where I do no feel like I am enough, I have grown into myself and now appreciate my own beauty. When so much pressure is put on being merely "pretty," we loose touch with ourselves. Teenagers can often feel very alone and do not realize their peers are going through the same experiences. It is easy to believe everyone else is confident and has their life together while you are failing. However difficult growing up is, all adolescents must find their own inner beauty, even if its corny. Once you are comfortable with yourself, you can truly experience growth and self appreciation. Olivia Rodrigo presents an interesting take on the tumulus times everyone experiences growing up. She allows you to see the anger within but also to see growth. She has made many listeners feel less alone, and she reminds us even superstars can be just as insecure as the rest of the world. It is easy to be so caught up in the glamour of others lives that we forget to appreciate our own. If only teenagers would appreciate themselves more and focus less on others opinions they may find an inner confidence. However, with time I believe people grow to love themselves and forget to listen as much to the world. Although not all days will be filled with the pretty image we all want, striving for a contented persona can make all the difference. By saying "so you think its you," Olivia reminds us not to single ourselves out as failures. Every teenager has struggles and new problems to face. At a time in your life where you barely know yourself, bombarding yourself with others opinions will only stunt your promising future. By simply accepting ourselves and truly loving you, teenagers can grow. Learning from life's experiences is how we as people improve and become who we are, and the teenage years are all about learning, growing, and accepting the pretty side of everyone.

I love math because of the challenges it presents. I have always enjoyed challenging my mind, and math encourages me to work harder. Most of my subjects in school have come with ease, but early on I struggled in math. I did not understand why I was having such difficulties until I realized the root of my problems. I needed to know why I was working a formula a certain way. Once I understood the steps and knew why I was using them, I was able to correctly solve the problems. With English, there can be multiple answers depending on your point of view, but math is always one simple answer. I learned to enjoy the process of breaking down a math question, assigning a formula, and working until my equation became an answer. Algebra is my favorite branch of math. Forming an equation and working it out has always been extremely satisfying for me. I love the aspect of math's diversity and came to realize the importance of being challenged. The logical nature of math intrigues me as answers are never impossible to discover. Many aspects of life are debatable, but math is solid and dependable. Math is important due to it being used in everyday life. Basic math skills like adding and subtracting are necessary to function in the modern world. More complicated math has assisted in technological developments, and we would not be where we are today without math. In day-to-day life math or the benefits of math are used without us even realizing it. Overall math is a challenging subject that can lead to great rewards. The satisfaction of working through a problem until I find the correct answer has always been important to me. I find the challenge invigorating and appreciate being able to use my mind differently. Math has made important impacts in both my life and the world today. Math's contributions to our modern world have allowed us to go forward and discover formulas, technology, and new learning opportunities. Society has always used math, and mathematics has continued to grow and change with us. Even though I struggled with math, the clear benefits have led me to push myself and grow in knowledge. The opportunity to develop my intellect has benefitted me academically, and math continues to help us. I have found the positives of math in helping me learn and understand problems.

I have been a part of the National Beta Club for eight years (fifth through twelfth grade), and I have gained valuable experiences from my time serving in my community. Beta is a nonprofit organization supported by schools throughout the country. I have contributed to food drives and nursing homes, cleaned at schools, chosen Christmas donations for children, and volunteered at different events. My favorite community service event has been the Lauren Roger's Art Festival. An art museum in my community hosts a yearly festival for children to come and experience different crafts. Several centers are set up, and children can go from group to group to create their masterpieces. I enjoyed setting up the booths and assisting the children with their projects. The festival was free and open for all to come which I found extremely important. My time spent volunteering has greatly impacted my life as I have realized the importance of giving back to my community. Beta has helped several organizations and inspired the influence of supporting each other within the community. I have enjoyed the time spent serving others and making a difference for those in need. The art festival's goal of spreading the joy of art to children has always been special to me. The importance of children being able to enjoy crafts for free and learning about different art styles and cultures has taught me the benefits of volunteering. I was happy to help where I could and contribute to children's joy. The influence on young minds is extremely important, and I was inspired to assist in teaching new creative outlets. I have taken art classes for four years and appreciate the opportunity to share the joy I feel while being creative. Beta has allowed me to positively impact my community, and I believe we all should do what we can to help. Helping others, whether big or small, will always cause a change in the community. By giving to those in need and donating my time, I have changed others' lives and created new opportunities. The ability to help others has always been open to me, and I feel it is my responisbility to do what I can for others. Knowing I have influenced others in my community inspires me to continue to volunteer and help where needed. My community will continue to positively change as I, along with other members of Beta and other organizations, continue to give and create opportunities for those in need.

If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, I would choose Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. I read the book about four years ago, and the story had a major emotional impact on me. The simply told story of a girl with dyslexia introduced a new viewpoint I had never seen. I immediately connected with the characters, hating her bullies and appreciating her teacher who never quit caring. I learned how many children with disabilities or difficult situations could be misunderstood, and I try to incorporate this belief in everyday life. I believe this book would positively affect all readers and introduce a new sense of kindness in the world. I feel that many forget to show the amount of kindness and support needed to improve our world. Without love, children will struggle to grow as individuals. Kindness has always impacted my life, and those special moments should be available to all people. The emotional tone of the book shocked me and was a reminder to always be ready to help. If someone is struggling, I want to be available. This lesson would be beneficial to everyone, and kindness would grow. Hunt's book has won several awards, and the change she is making in the world is admirable. I hope as a population we can continue to grow and develop in a way that is open to all people. We never fully know a person and should always be slow to judge. Fish in a Tree taught me to give people a chance and help them whenever I can.