In February 2025, I went to the doctor's office for a wellness visit. I got my blood drawn, and my parents and I wanted to see if I was still allergic to fish because they believe I may have grown out of it. When we went back a week later for the results, everything was normal. The doctor said the only fish to which I’m allergic is Codfish, and I also found out that I was slightly allergic to sesame seeds. But she also informed us that my blood pressure was higher than usual, and I was pre-diabetic. I was honestly shocked and scared to hear the news. Before getting tested, I stopped consuming sugars like candy and junk food, so I thought that I was having a good diet. However, in reality, I was unaware that rice, pasta, and bread were contributing to my high blood pressure. I was oblivious of the impacts each nutrient has on the body, and eating an excessive amount of carbs was altering my body. I researched what diabetes is and the health risks that come with it. I found out that people with diabetes have a higher risk of stroke and heart disease. I didn’t want to live with diabetes, and I didn’t want to die. So I made a change. I cut down on the bread and other carbs I ate and was intentional about the foods I put into my body. I began riding my bike and exercising. I also joined my church in their 100-day fast and didn’t start eating until 3 pm. This was my first time fasting, and some days I wanted to give up, but I had to remember what I was striving for. From this experience, I learned about the importance of discipline. I realized that regardless of whether you feel like doing something, you have to do it. This experience opened my eyes to being conscious of the foods that I consume. Too much of anything can be bad for you, even if it seems harmless. I learned about the different food groups and what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. I also recognize that the course I take now will impact my future, and I must adapt accordingly if I want to have a well-lived life. Now I’m feeling better and eating healthier. I’m glad I was able to catch it early and had the chance to adjust my lifestyle. I have a different outlook on life and don’t just consume things out of spite. I made my physical health my priority, and it shaped me for the future.

Hello there, I am Kingsley. I am a hardworking, dedicated, and empathetic young man with a strong sense of ambition. I am confident. I am not cocky. I work hard for my accomplishments. My healthy attitude enables me to excel because I work diligently and consistently. But I wasn’t always like this. I credit my parents for encouraging me to strive for excellence beyond what I thought I was capable of. For a long time, I never had the hunger or the fight to acquire what I wanted. My parents gave me many speeches to get my priorities straight. Sometimes I didn’t want to listen, but it was what I needed to hear. They always saw my potential, even when I didn’t see the vision. When it comes to my passions, creating videos triumphs above the rest; it seemed like something that I was destined to do. I was inspired by the YouTubers I watched when I was young, and a spark ignited within me to create my own videos. Looking back at old videos that my family recorded of me, I was always a character. It's my passion, and I love making videos because I can use them as a time capsule that I can look back on when I’m older and see the memories and progress I've made. Looking towards the future, I have my eyes set on becoming a movie director. Being able to immerse others in a world and express emotions is a beautiful thing to think about. I desire to lead a team and create classic films. Being a movie director is about listening to others' ideas and crafting the best path to make the best movie possible. It may seem like a stressful job, but it's a challenge I’m willing to take on because the final result will be worth it. Another thing that I aspire to do is to create my own recreation center. In the future, I aspire to create a space where children can be safe to play and grow. Kids deserve to be kids, but since we are in the digital age, kids don’t have the luxury of that. Children are exposed to more things than ever before and are forced to grow up and leave their youthful spirit behind. But that shouldn’t be the case. I want to be behind a place that allows kids to be kids—a place where they can run, play, and enjoy time with their friends. I want to offer summer camps that will enable them to explore different career paths, so they can discover that there are more opportunities available than they currently know about. I want to build a better tomorrow and help kids unlock their full potential. Getting a little brother ultimately shaped me into the person that I am today. Having someone who looks up to me and follows in my footsteps forces me to be better and strive for greatness. After watching my videos, he was inspired to create his own animations. He's brilliant, and sometimes I almost think he’s too bright. He watches movie breakdown videos and the behind-the-scenes process of animated movies. He has an eagerness to learn more, and he is constantly asking me questions about animation. And sometimes I have to do my own research just so I can help him. We have already discussed working together to create our own films, and I am confident that we will achieve this goal one day. It would be special to showcase the creative mind I have the privilege of working with every day.

Being a first-generation college student is something super important and special to me. My parents have always encouraged me to strive for excellence and guided me on a path to achievement. They are my number one supporters, and I want to earn a degree because of them. My parents weren't fortunate enough to go to university. My mom had a baby when she was young, and my dad didn’t have the funds to attend, especially being the oldest of four. Another factor contributing to me wanting to obtain my college degree is my little brother. He looks up to everything that I do, and I want to become better because of him. My family is my biggest motivator, even though they can be a little annoying, I still love them and want the best for them. It is a special privilege to be a first-generation college student. In college, I plan to pursue a degree in computer science. I have always been fascinated with the inner workings of computers and wanted to know how they function and everything that goes on behind the scenes that we don’t know about. I took a coding class where I created my own functioning website, and it definitely boosted my eagerness to learn more. As far as long-term goals, I have a few. I have a passion for film. I have been creating videos since I was 11 years old, and I loved editing them and sharing them with my family. I posted my work to my YouTube channel, and my younger brother enjoyed it every time I uploaded. He would watch all my videos and even forced me to make more. I inspired him to want to be an animator when he grows up. Well, he already is one. At first, he started with the classic stick-figure animations. Then, he received a drawing tablet for his birthday, and that was a complete game-changer. Now he posts his animation journey to his channel, and I’m proud to see it. A goal I aim to achieve is collaborating with my brother to create movies that will be cherished for generations to come. It would be an excellent opportunity to work with that brilliant kid on the big stage. Another goal that I’m striving to achieve is being a devout Christian. I want to be led by my faith and not be swayed by the world. Many people tend to become disconnected from God as they enter college. Their parents aren’t there to monitor them, and they don’t take it upon themselves to connect with God, which can lead them down a dark path. I want to keep my faith and center God in everything I do so that I can be guided in the right direction. A personal goal of mine is consistency. I want to show up every day, no matter what I do. I have shown signs of greatness in the past, but not consistently. I will become a person who consistently shows up, regardless of whether I want to or not. I want to become the best version of myself, and it all starts with consistency.

“No one has ever come back from 3-1” Mike Breen declares as the Cavaliers hang their heads in defeat. All hope was lost. The city of Cleveland has been in a 50 year drought, and their hope for a championship wasn’t seeming to be coming anytime soon. But there was one man that believed, one man that put the city on his back and prevailed. LeBron has defined all odds at all stages in his career, his perseverance and sheer determination has made him the greatest player of all time. Let me take you back, the year is 2016, and Golden State just had the greatest regular season in NBA history. They were just coming off a championship and easily looked like they were going to go back to back. The Warriors were the giants out west; their three headed monster consisting of Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Steph Curry were an unstoppable force. The Splash Bros were blowing teams out of the water, and their shooting ability was breaking scoreboards. In the Western Conference Finals the Warriors faced off against the Thunder. Golden State came back from a 3-1 deficit and were heading back to Oakland to take on the Cavs. Back in the bay, the Warriors took care of business at home, by securing Game 1 & 2 in the Finals. In Game 3 the Cavs came out swinging and won with a 120-90 blowout win over the Dubs. Then… the city went dark… “No one has ever come back from 3-1.” It was over. The Warriors were getting the champagne ready and were going to be at the top of the mountain once again. But there was one man that goes by the name of LeBron James that did what he does best, and that is give people hope. See LeBron has been counted out his whole career, matter of fact his whole life. He has been criticized and scrutinized, and has always had the Michael Jordan comparison looming over his head. Regardless of the situation or circumstance he has always found a way. Equipped for battle, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland army marched into Oakland, and stalled the Warriors championship parade. The Cavs headed back to Ohio with a 3-2 deficit, and they only needed one more game to tie the series. And they did just that. With a juggernaut 41-point performance by the king, the tide began to shift. The sun started to shine on a once dark city and hope was flowing through the streets of Cleavland. Game 7 altered the course of history, and changed the trajectory of LeBron’s career. With 2 minutes to go in the fourth quarter Andre Iguodala grabs the rebound and sprints down the court. Iguodala appears to have an open layup, but that is where he messed up. It is never an open layup when 23 is on the court. The 250 lb locomotive barrels toward the basket and levitates through the sky. He comes up with the block that is heard around the world. His partner in crime, Kyrie ices the game by hitting the dagger three pointer over Steph Curry. “BANG, BANG!” Cleveland became the city of champions and Lebron cemented his legacy as the greatest to ever lace them up. All in all LeBron has weathered the storm throughout his career. He has given people something to believe in and carried his team through treacherous journeys. He is the reason I fell in love with basketball, and he inspired me to rise to the occasion no matter what giant stands in my way.