The question that every high schooler is asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. After much consideration, I finally set my sights on optometry. To me, being an optometrist means being a caregiver. I was born twelve weeks early, so I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. At Boston University Eye Associates, I was diagnosed with amblyopia and worsening near-sightedness, which sparked my curiosity about science. Serving as an SAT tutor and Book Club President deepened my commitment to helping others. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. I also plan to minor in business so I can run my own practice. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I became president of the Taunton High Book Club, I faced a lack of membership and direction. To solve this problem, I chose books, created a reading schedule, wrote discussion questions, and worked to increase membership. Now, the new members and I read to local elementary students each year. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me how taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience taught me how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities and reinforced my ability to lead and shine my light. Last year, I helped develop an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. The course covered the sections of the SAT through guided practice and drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I noticed his positive and determined personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and pursuing an education in the United States while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to cultivate my legacy by creating a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. My goal is to give people both a literal and figurative lens through which to see a better community. My experience guiding and teaching others showed me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building on my leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and in spreading genuine kindness within my community.

The question that every high schooler is asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. After much consideration, I finally set my sights on optometry. To me, being an optometrist means being a caregiver. I was born twelve weeks early, so I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. At Boston University Eye Associates, I was diagnosed with amblyopia and worsening near-sightedness, which sparked my curiosity about science. Serving as an SAT tutor and Book Club President deepened my commitment to helping others. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. I also plan to minor in business so I can run my own practice. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I became president of the Taunton High Book Club, I faced a lack of membership and direction. To solve this problem, I chose books, created a reading schedule, wrote discussion questions, and worked to increase membership. Now, the new members and I read to local elementary students each year. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me how taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience taught me how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities and reinforced my ability to lead and shine my light. Last year, I helped develop an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. The course covered the sections of the SAT through guided practice and drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I noticed his positive and determined personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and pursuing an education in the United States while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to cultivate my legacy by creating a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. My goal is to give people both a literal and figurative lens through which to see a better community. My experience guiding and teaching others showed me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building on my leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and in spreading genuine kindness within my community.

After avoiding the pressure behind the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” for years, I finally put thought into my answer, which came surprisingly quickly: an optometrist. To me, to be an optometrist is to be an eye doctor, a care giver, and an inspiration. I was born twelve weeks early, weighing only two pounds and measuring thirteen inches, so as an adolescent I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. From early childhood, doctors’ offices became a familiar setting. Included among them was Boston University Eye Associates where I became fascinated with eyes and the science behind treating vision problems. These visits resulted in a diagnosis of amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye, and worsening near-sightedness. Ongoing visits sparked my academic curiosity in mathematics and science. Over the years, I recognized my appreciation for optometry, yet I continued to explore academically to find where my field of interest lay. Serving as an SAT tutor, Link Crew Leader, and Book Club President refined my intellectual discipline and deepened my commitment to helping others succeed. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. My experiences in high school prepared me to handle the academic rigors of college, strengthened my character, which will aid me in interpersonal relationships, and laid the foundation for my career as an optometrist. I have watched and grown to appreciate my older sister’s architectural specialization throughout her college career. My older sister, Avery, is a junior architecture student at Roger Williams University. In her freshman year, Avery was producing models that were ambitious but somewhat rudimentary. Targeted instruction and comprehensive projects allowed Avery to hone her skills and designs, creating efficient floor plans alongside models of high architectural caliber. I hope that over the course of my undergraduate education I will gain a similar level of expertise and specialization in the medical field as Avery has in architecture. In terms of optometry, this specialization would involve understanding at a deeper level how the eye processes visual information, how mutations, shapes, and injuries affect the eye, and how to treat such cases. Also, I want my education to greatly develop my patient communication skills and use of clinical equipment. College will challenge me to become more independent and adaptable, not just academically, but personally. Independence and guidance are incorporated in equal measure in the college experience, so it is the right environment for growth. In comparison, the workforce typically expects workers to be effective while not providing resources to boost independence and performance. I look forward to building relationships with professors, collaborating with peers, and learning to manage my time with discipline and accountability. In preparation for being an optometrist, I plan to major in pre-medicine and utilize advising to create a schedule that fulfills the prerequisites of entering my dream graduate school New England College of Optometry (NECO). In the short term, I will take classes such as biochem, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, physics, and more to create a strong medical knowledge foundation. Additionally, I intend to minor in business, so I can successfully operate my own private practice in the future. I have been accepted to Wheaton College and Bryant University. Both of these schools are partnered with NECO which means that NECO will provide input on my schedule and my fourth year as an undergraduate would double as my freshman year at NECO. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I unexpectedly became the Taunton High Book Club President I faced a lack of membership and direction. Prior to my ascension to President, the Book Club was composed of readers who, ironically, did not read a book together as a club. To solve this problem, I chose books to read after surveying members and created a reading schedule for the group to follow. Additionally, to make meetings more engaging I wrote discussion questions and brought snacks weekly. Next, I tackled our low membership by spreading the word through the announcements, conversations, and reading initiatives. Now, each year, the Book Club reads to local elementary students. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me that taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience has sharpened my understanding of how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities, and reinforced my ability to lead in challenging situations. My compassion and dedication to community service led me to help my mother, the owner of a private tutoring business, create and streamline an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. In the end, our materials made up nearly three hundred pages. The course was split into four three-hour sessions that covered the math, reading, and writing sections of the SAT in detail using guided practice and individual drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I quickly got a sense of his wholesome and charismatic personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. I want to emphasize how much time and effort Jeff expended for his studies: he would finish track practice, meet with me for two hours up to three times a week, and then do individual practice. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and trying to obtain the best education possible here in the US, while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. Since then, Jeff has received his new and improved score. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. My leadership extends beyond formal positions. Throughout high school, I have consistently supported classmates who needed help understanding difficult material. Because of this, my AP Precalculus teacher, Ms. Doherty described me as “a true support system for her peers. She was often out of her seat helping a classmate work through a tough problem, always with patience and respect”. My friend Charisma often contacts me to help her understand Statistics homework or look over essays because she qualifies me as “the most professional person [she] knows”. I am excited to extend my commitment to helping others to my college community. Taking over Book Club and rebuilding its membership, outreach, and significance myself taught me how to make thoughtful group decisions and communicate effectively as a leader. Preparing myself for the SAT required me to handle independent work diligently. Tutoring students for the SAT is meaningful in many ways. Personally, tutoring has tested and built my time management skills as I put time aside to meet with students, efficiently convey information, and prepare my lessons. Routinely helping my classmates illustrated to me how important inclusivity and a growth mindset are to making positive academic and social change. My skills and values will be indispensable in college as I take on coursework, group projects, internships, and career environments which respectively require time management, collaboration, handling pressure, and independent work, all of which have been tested and heightened over my time as a leader at Taunton High. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. As a college student, I hope to see my value make an impact among my friends and classmates. I will know I made a difference when my friends feel they are meeting and exceeding academic standards while maintaining a positive attitude and good self-esteem. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to create a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. College is a purposeful step in my journey to spread health and positivity throughout my community, introducing me to new people, experiences, and lessons that will clear my path to personal and professional success. Optometrists inspired me to be my best self and help others, so my primary goal is to follow in their footsteps by giving people a literal and figurative lens to see a better community through. My experience guiding and teaching others demonstrated to me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building upon the foundation of my previous leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and spreading genuine kindness within my community.

The question that every high schooler is asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. After much consideration, I finally set my sights on optometry. To me, being an optometrist means being a caregiver. I was born twelve weeks early, so I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. At Boston University Eye Associates, I was diagnosed with amblyopia and worsening near-sightedness, which sparked my curiosity about science. Serving as an SAT tutor and Book Club President deepened my commitment to helping others. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. I also plan to minor in business so I can run my own practice. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I became president of the Taunton High Book Club, I faced a lack of membership and direction. To solve this problem, I chose books, created a reading schedule, wrote discussion questions, and worked to increase membership. Now, the new members and I read to local elementary students each year. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me how taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience taught me how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities and reinforced my ability to lead and shine my light. Last year, I helped develop an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. The course covered the sections of the SAT through guided practice and drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I noticed his positive and determined personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and pursuing an education in the United States while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to cultivate my legacy by creating a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. My goal is to give people both a literal and figurative lens through which to see a better community. My experience guiding and teaching others showed me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building on my leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and in spreading genuine kindness within my community.

The question that every high schooler is asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. After much consideration, I finally set my sights on optometry. To me, being an optometrist means being a caregiver. I was born twelve weeks early, so I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. At Boston University Eye Associates, I was diagnosed with amblyopia and worsening near-sightedness, which sparked my curiosity about science. Serving as an SAT tutor and Book Club President deepened my commitment to helping others. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. I also plan to minor in business so I can run my own practice. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I became president of the Taunton High Book Club, I faced a lack of membership and direction. To solve this problem, I chose books, created a reading schedule, wrote discussion questions, and worked to increase membership. Now, the new members and I read to local elementary students each year. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me how taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience taught me how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities and reinforced my ability to lead and shine my light. Last year, I helped develop an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. The course covered the sections of the SAT through guided practice and drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I noticed his positive and determined personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and pursuing an education in the United States while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to cultivate my legacy by creating a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. My goal is to give people both a literal and figurative lens through which to see a better community. My experience guiding and teaching others showed me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building on my leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and in spreading genuine kindness within my community.

My compassion and dedication to community service led me to help my mother, the owner of a private tutoring business, create and streamline an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. In the end, our materials made up nearly three hundred pages. The course was split into four three-hour sessions that covered the math, reading, and writing sections of the SAT in detail using guided practice and individual drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I quickly got a sense of his wholesome and charismatic personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. I want to emphasize how much time and effort Jeff expended for his studies: he would finish track practice, meet with me for two hours up to three times a week, and then do individual practice. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and trying to obtain the best education possible here in the US, while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. Since then, Jeff has received his new and improved score. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. My leadership extends beyond formal positions. Throughout high school, I have consistently supported classmates who needed help understanding difficult material. Because of this, my AP Precalculus teacher described me as “a true support system for her peers. She was often out of her seat helping a classmate work through a tough problem, always with patience and respect”. My friend Charisma often contacts me to help her understand Statistics homework or look over essays because she qualifies me as “the most professional person [she] knows”. I am excited to extend my commitment to helping others to my college community. Preparing myself for the SAT required me to handle independent work diligently. Tutoring students for the SAT is meaningful in many ways. Personally, tutoring has tested and built my time management skills as I put time aside to meet with students, efficiently convey information, and prepare my lessons. Routinely helping my classmates illustrated to me how important inclusivity and a growth mindset are to making positive academic and social change. My skills and values will be indispensable in college as I take on coursework, group projects, internships, and career environments which respectively require time management, collaboration, and independence, all of which have been tested and heightened over my time as a leader at Taunton High. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. As a college student, I hope to see my value make an impact among my friends and classmates. I will know I made a difference when my friends feel they are meeting and exceeding academic standards while maintaining a positive attitude and good self-esteem. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to create a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. College is a purposeful step in my journey to spread health and positivity throughout my community, introducing me to new people, experiences, and lessons that will clear my path to personal and professional success.

The question that every high schooler is asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. After much consideration, I finally set my sights on optometry. To me, being an optometrist means being a caregiver. I was born twelve weeks early, so I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. At Boston University Eye Associates, I was diagnosed with amblyopia and worsening near-sightedness, which sparked my curiosity about science. Serving as an SAT tutor and Book Club President deepened my commitment to helping others. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. I also plan to minor in business so I can run my own practice. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I became president of the Taunton High Book Club, I faced a lack of membership and direction. To solve this problem, I chose books, created a reading schedule, wrote discussion questions, and worked to increase membership. Now, the new members and I read to local elementary students each year. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me how taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience taught me how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities and reinforced my ability to lead and shine my light. Last year, I helped develop an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. The course covered the sections of the SAT through guided practice and drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I noticed his positive and determined personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and pursuing an education in the United States while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to cultivate my legacy by creating a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. My goal is to give people both a literal and figurative lens through which to see a better community. My experience guiding and teaching others showed me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building on my leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and in spreading genuine kindness within my community.

The question that every high schooler is asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. After much consideration, I finally set my sights on optometry. To me, being an optometrist means being a caregiver. I was born twelve weeks early, so I was closely monitored for potential medical conditions. At Boston University Eye Associates, I was diagnosed with amblyopia and worsening near-sightedness, which sparked my curiosity about science. Serving as an SAT tutor and Book Club President deepened my commitment to helping others. In post-secondary education, I intend to pursue a pre-medicine or pre-optometry major at a four-year university before entering the New England College of Optometry. I also plan to minor in business so I can run my own practice. As an optometrist, the difference that I hope to make in my community is to promote kindness and increase access to eye healthcare. When I became president of the Taunton High Book Club, I faced a lack of membership and direction. To solve this problem, I chose books, created a reading schedule, wrote discussion questions, and worked to increase membership. Now, the new members and I read to local elementary students each year. Leading the club deepened my confidence, taught me how to guide others, and showed me how taking initiative can create meaningful change. This experience taught me how inclusive leadership creates stronger, more engaged communities and reinforced my ability to lead. Last year, I helped develop an SAT Prep course for Taunton High. The course covered the sections of the SAT through guided practice and drills. After the course was completed, I began offering free peer SAT tutoring. During my first meeting with Jeff, I noticed his positive and determined personality. At our second meeting, he welcomed me with, “I was just bragging about you”. The night before the exam, it appeared that Jeff’s efforts may go to waste because he was struggling to find a ride to the test. But there was no way I’d let that happen. As I drove him to the exam, I learned that he is living with his aunt and pursuing an education in the United States while his parents are living in Haiti. His persistence reminded me of the importance of empathy in leadership and deepened my commitment to using my future career to support others facing challenges. I am so proud of him and excited for my chance to now brag about him and his ultimate kindness, dedication, and success. I want to be a community-focused leader who supports both the physical and personal well-being of others. Later, as an optometrist, I hope to create a practice where patients feel supported, respected, and cared for. My goal is to give people both a literal and figurative lens through which to see a better community. My experience guiding and teaching others showed me how meaningful supportive relationships can be. Building on my leadership experiences, I will succeed in college, the optometry field, and in spreading genuine kindness within my community.

I am Kaisten LaValle, a senior at Taunton High School, a diligent learner, an avid reader, a competitive card player, and a dedicated student musician. Using my skills as a leader, mentor, and musician, I strive to strengthen and give back to my community. Through the Key Club, I continually participate in community service projects such as volunteering to serve food at events and reshelving the library. Since the founding of Taunton High’s Link Crew I have been a committed member who mentors incoming eighth graders to help them adjust to high school. As President of Book Club and Game Club, I have worked to increase outreach and create safe, fun spaces for my peers to connect with one another. Each year, the Book Club reads to local elementary students and creates literacy initiatives. Recently, I collaborated with a tutoring company to create a free SAT prep course for my high school. Using a blend of guided and individual practice, the course provided students with strategies to build confidence. After the course’s completion, I offered free peer tutoring to ensure continued academic support, often working with struggling students referred to me by the Guidance Department after school on SAT practice tests. Money has always been an issue in my household. My whole life my parents have essentially lived paycheck to paycheck. Since my parents’ divorce, our finances have been spread even thinner. My mother works to stay afloat as a sole proprietor, new homeowner, and parent of one college student and one incoming college student. Therefore, due to my family’s financial circumstances, aid is crucial for me to enter higher education and continue serving my community. Bullies tend to target people that they do not know or understand. The best way to prevent bullying among the youth is through education and interaction. Through education, children learn about how other cultures and people differ from them in terms of facing human struggles. This establishes a knowledgeable foundation for them to experience sympathy. Interaction fosters acceptance and respect among individuals. Interaction opens the door to the realization that the differences between people are negligible in terms of shared humanity. I would keep the youth safe from in-person bullying by teaching these principles in schools, informing students and staff how to identify bullying behavior, and implementing scaled in-school consequences for perpetrators. In Game Club and Link Crew, I have seen how interaction reduces isolation and exclusion, which are the precursors to bullying. Cyberbullying runs rampant with impunity because it allows bullies to remain masked in anonymity and safe from pointed personal consequences. To combat cyberbullying in schools, educators must ensure that identifiers of one’s true identity are included in students’ usernames, so that they can be held accountable for their words and actions. Additionally, two-step verification of one’s identity via facial recognition or email confirmation would ensure that the account’s owner is truly the author of the posts. This method eliminates any reasonable doubt about the bully’s identity. With these checkpoints in place, schools can teach their students the aforementioned principles as a preventative and ongoing measure, while executing constructive, yet impactful punishments on bullies. Overall, in order to keep the youth in my community safe from any form of bullying, I would have schools teach a foundational knowledge of other people and cultures. Then, expand to the concept of sympathy from peers and staff to humanity as a whole. Together with ongoing lectures on how to identify and verify bullying behavior, I believe students in my community would feel more seen, respected, and safe.