My name is Kinsey Mounts, and I am a senior at Westside High School in West Virginia. I am the valedictorian at my school and am involved in a plethora of activities that contribute to community involvement. Two of these wonderful extracurricular activities are my school's BETA Club and my school's student government. BETA Club is a wonderful organization that values many wonderful qualities such as academic and artistic talent, leadership, and service. To honor these qualities, my chapter has been involved in many events that help the community. The events that I have aided heavily in are a local community cleanup, a school cleanup, the local town's Veteran's Day parade, and a shoe drive. The local community cleanup and the school cleanup involved the BETA Club students getting in the community to help clear litter and other unwanted objects in the community. The local town's Veteran's Day parade allowed BETA students to pass out candy and help boost local morale for the veterans. The shoe drive involved the BETA students collecting old and slightly used shoes to be distributed to third world countries to help boost their economy. The student government prides itself on advocating for the student body and being representatives for the school. As a representative for my class, I was able to help the local middle school with their "Get a Life" program and assist in a flood distribution. The "Get a Life" program required the student government to volunteer their time to create a simulation of life after high school and college. The simulation taught the middle school students the importance of doing well in school and getting a good education so that they can live prosperous lives. The flood distribution was for my region of West Virginia that was recently decimated by a horrendous flood. The student government aided in creating food bags and donating helpful supplies to be distributed to those affected. By being a part of these amazing contributions, I am able to be connected to my community and give back to those who have supported me so diligently. I come from a family of four in a small, rural town in West Virginia. My father never completed college and works as a coal miner, while my mother resides in the home. I have my eyes set on attending college to become a doctor. Medical school is very costly, and I will need every amount of monetary support that I can get. I am the first in my family to be attending a four-year university and the first in my family to become a doctor, so this support is greatly needed and appreciated. As someone who is involved in many leadership positions, I believe it is my responsibility to provide support to those who are affected by bullying. I do not condone any form of disrespect, harm, or threatening behavior to anyone, regardless of their background. To keep my community safe from bullying and its various forms, I always lend an open ear to those who need to talk about their frustrations, and I utilize the ability to communicate concerns to my authoritative figures. For example, if I believe a child is being bullied, I believe it can be difficult for me to step in and resolve the situation. However, I know that I can approach trusted adults with my concerns and advocate for the children affected by bullying. All in all, I believe it is up to me and my fellow leaders to use the resources we have available to us to provide safety for all.

From singing karaoke with friends to watching musicals to singing at my church, music has greatly affected my life during high school. Music is one of my all-time favorite hobbies and I partake in music in many different ways. I am a karaoke superstar, an avid musical enjoyer, and a musician at my church. I am always finding ways to sprinkle melodies and tunes in my daily life. Music has kept me grounded, focused, disciplined, and content while in high school, without music, I would not be the person that I am today. To start, I have always enjoyed music. Even from adolescence, I have been singing and making my own songs. I often reminisce about the times I would get my friends together and we would try harmonies, group songs, dances, and all kinds of musical endeavors. Today, my relationship with music consists of singing to the top of my lungs in my car, dancing in my room, singing with my friends, playing songs, and listening to my favorite songs any chance I get. Without this musical connection, I would lose my joy, spunk, and creativity. Being so involved in music while in high school has impacted my performance as a student as I likely would lack focus and drive without an upbeat tune in my ear. Music involvement has also solidified my friendships with others and gives me a common interest with many. While in high school, despite not being in the theatre program at my school, I discovered the magic of musical productions. My first "real" musical experience was watching the musical "Hamilton" on my own during my freshman year. This musical inspired me to watch other musical productions and I found myself quickly enthralled by the wonder of musical theatre. This style of music has greatly impacted me as a person. It has allowed me to indulge in new forms of art and has brought me closer to people in my life. Musical theatre has been such an enjoyable hobby for me and I have a great appreciation for all things musical theatre-related. My father and I attended a live showing of "Hamilton" together, this experience allowed him and I to get closer and now we have hobbies over which we can bond. When I was twelve, I began to learn the ukulele and started singing and playing for people. This love for music eventually began to take root at my church and I performed solo routines at my church. My passion for music was so strong that I consulted my Pastor and asked her permission to begin a praise team at my church. In my sophomore year, many adults and youth came together to start a wonderful team of musicians to perform music for God. This form of music has impacted my life by allowing me to serve my God, others in my community, and has brought me closer to the people in my church. In conclusion, my life would not be what it is today without the joy of music. From early childhood to early adulthood, I am completely consumed by music no matter the style, form, or genre. Without the spark of music, I would not be as joyful, dedicated, driven, or inspired. The lack of music in my life would also result in the loss of relationships in my life. All in all, music is one of my greatest inspirations and without it, I would be a shell of the person I am today.

As the youngest child of the youngest, I have witnessed many family members suffer from medical issues, the most common being neurological conditions. From Alzheimer’s disease to dementia to intellectual disabilities, none are foreign to me. As I write, my last living grandparent is tortured with dementia. The enigma of the brain, or the cause of these, have led me to study medicine in the field of neurology. Therefore, it’s no wonder I have passion for medicine. Growing up, I struggled to overcome my fear of blood and needles. As a result, I grew an interest in other careers such as veterinarian, roboticist, and engineer. However, as maturity set in, I realized that since I overcame my fears, I am capable of being a doctor, at which I can help my community – my own people. Being raised in Southern West Virginia has its advantages and disadvantages, and a harrowing disadvantage is the lack of medicinal assistance. Therefore, by becoming a doctor, neurologist to be exact, I can bring that medicinal assistance back to my roots and help those in dire need. In addition, I will be able to help my own family members - a big goal since childhood. Throughout the years of preparing for medical school, I have been intrigued by issues within the brain. Fighting for cures of neurological disorders, such as dementia, drives me to study so that I can bring even more to the table. In turn, neuro patients will be able to live healthier and longer lives. Ultimately, being a doctor will allow me to join the small, yet mighty, team of doctors in my community who fight daily to find cures and treatments and ways to make living healthier and better for those who suffer. My strongest inspiration in life is my mother. My mother is one of the strongest people I know. She lived a very troubling life with the hopes of providing a better life for me and my older sister. She pursued a career as a pharmacy technician and this has helped me to become acquainted with the medical field. My mother has pushed me to not only be a good student, but the best person that I can be. Without my mother, I find that I would often be lost in hustle of life, but she has acted as my anchor and if I could be half the woman she is, I will have done a wonderful thing. In summary, my interest in medicine is rooted in helping and understanding neurological disorders in order to help my community and family. Becoming a successful doctor through determination and the support of my outstanding mother is my ultimate goal so that I can contribute to the mystery of the medical field and provide care for the people in my community. I hope that with the new knowledge I will receive as a student in medical school I will be able to make a difference for all and protect my future family members from the tragedy of neurological disorders.

As a West Virginian Native, I love everything about my beautiful state of West Virginia. Many times I have been told by people from out of state to leave and find a more meaningful life outside of West Virginia because "there is nothing here," or I have heard Native West Virginians speak frantically about how they cannot wait to leave West Virginia. This is heartbreaking for me as these people have villainized and demoralized this beautiful state. West Virginia is so much more than a part of Appalachia with "rednecks" and "hillbillies," being a West Virginian, to me, means that I have been instilled with the values of togetherness, kindness, and love. For me, West Virginia embodies the spirit of togetherness - being raised in a close-knit community has helped me learn to value what it means to have a family. Whether they are a blood relative or a neighbor, in West Virginia, everyone is family. This trait is not seen in urban areas, big cities and large communities usually foster a sense of self-interest, but West Virginia embraces close-knit communities. By having the value of togetherness instilled in me, I can use this value in the world. I know that wherever I go, I will look to make genuine connections with everyone. Togetherness also goes hand-in-hand with kindness. Growing up in West Virginia has allowed me to be more personal and empathetic to those around me. When you enter a store, you can hear the busy chatter of the people as they shop and talk to those around them. Or when you sit down in a diner, it is all too common to see West Virginians making casual conversation across tables. Walking the streets, you will see people giving money to the homeless or setting out food for stray animals. This is the embodiment of kindness. Though it seems so minor, these interactions can change lives and alter people. These are just a couple examples of sincere kindness in West Virginia, kindness can be found all around here. As a result of living here, I have been completely exposed to this sentiment and carry it deep within my heart to share with those I am exposed to, no matter who they are. Lastly, being a West Virginian to me means that I am full of love. In West Virginia, since the people value togetherness and kindness, that means they are full of love. Since I am around them, I have also come to learn love. This love does not stop at people, I love all things. Animals, the mountains, the skies, the rivers, and more. This love is greatly rooted in appreciation for all. Whether that is my mother's cooking, my father's work, my grandmother's hugs, my cat's loyalty, or the flowers I stare at, I greatly love and appreciate all of the factors in my life. Fortunately, West Virginia has nurtured this value so greatly because love is the driving force of my being. In everything I do, I do with love and people will hear of my love for the rest of my days. In conclusion, it is such a grand honor to be a Native West Virginian even when people discredit its beauty. For me, being a West Virginian means I am the embodiment of togetherness, kindness, and love. I genuinely believe that all West Virginians embrace these qualities and that is what makes West Virginia the greatest state in all of the United States.