"Money makes the world go around" is a simple phrase. Money, however, is the exact opposite of simple. While the actual concept of money is easy to understand, the older I get the more I realize that I do not understand money as much as I thought I did. In a similar way, I see new adults, just like me, also struggling with the world of finance. This problem could easily be fixed. I propose a new course in schools: Finance Without Fear. At the beginning of a child's schooling, they would learn the basics of money. What each physically dollar or cent is worth, the adding and subtracting aspects, and what change is. By the time children are in second grade, parents would have no worries sending their child to the ballpark concession stand to buy snacks. The parent would have the confidence that their child knows how much they have, what they spent, and how much change they should get in return. As children enter their middle school years, the class would go more in depth on money saving management. I can only imagine how much more money I would have now if I knew how to properly save in my younger years. I am an impulse buyer. If I see something I want, I do not think, I just buy. This is a habit I am not proud of, and I am continuing to work on as a personal goal. If children in middle school are taught how to save and budget, they will be prepared for their teen and adult years that will, hopefully, be full of paychecks. Who knows, maybe most kids will even be able to budget and save correctly to buy their first car before they graduate high school. The class in high school would be the show stopping finale of Finance Without Fear. The young adults would learn how the world actually works: adults spend money to live. With this course, teens would learn about bills, banking, loans, scholarships, and debt. As the class continues, the teens would be able to estimate how much their water and power bill will cost each month, how banks work, and how to use borrowed money properly. These are all skills I believe every adult should have, but unfortunately, we do not. The number of young adults who are stumped when it comes to loans and which one works best for them is shocking. Finance Without Fear would put an end to this problem. Yes, money does make the world go around, even if we are not proud of it. In society today, many people are uncomfortable when it comes to their money skills. My new class proposal will give students to confidence of understating money, so when they are adults, they will be able to spend without fear.

Teaching is most definitely not for everyone, and until a career day, I did not think it was for me. In the year 2022, I started working at a day care where I was assigned to be with the K5 class. While I loved the kids and working with them, I dismissed every thought I had of being a teacher. I did not like the thought of the pay, the sass, the difficulty, or the mess that came with the job. Little did I know, one day and one comment from a young girl would change everything. Career day for the K5 class is a day I will never forget. There were kids dressed as police officers, miliary soldiers, doctors, vets, firemen, and more. One girl, who I was very close with at the time, was dressed in an outfit that resembled something I would wear on a daily basis. She even had glasses that looked similar to mine. While the other children's costumes were easy to identify, I could not figure out the girls, so I asked her what she was dressed as. She responded, "I am dressed as you because I want to be a teacher just like you when I grow up." In that moment, all of the doubts that I had suddenly did not mean anything anymore. All that mattered was the impact I was having on these kids. That was the day I decided to pursue a career in education. Unfortunately, she has moved since then, but I know I will never forget her, and I pray she never forgets me. Today, I continue to work at the daycare. I have watched three groups of K5 classes graduate, and I will have a fourth in May 2026. I have worked with over 100 kids ranging in the ages from four to thirteen. Watching them learn and grow has become a big part of who I am. It is impossible to explain the proud feeling I get when they are able to go from counting to 5, to 10, to 50, to over 100. Watching them be able to read words they once thought looked like gibberish makes me feel like I am making a difference in their lives. I never want that feeling to go away. Although some days are hard, like when they simply refuse to listen, the good days certainly make up for it. I will forever be grateful for Career Day. Over the years, I have modeled myself after the teachers that helped build who I am today. From my kindergarten teacher to my college professors, I have had many great role models. I am especially thankful for my second-grade teacher who always encouraged me to do my best in all things. She taught me as long as I am trying, I am learning. As a perfectionist, this was hard for me to grasp. I was convinced if I did not understand something the first time, I was never going to get it right. She made sure I was never hard on myself, or disappointed in my learning abilities. Over ten years later, I am still using her teaching method. I remind my class to always believe in themselves and never give up. No, being a teacher is not for everyone, but it is for me. I plan on being a teacher who is always there for her class, encouraging, kind, compassionate, and present. If I can reach the heart of one little girl, I can reach many more.

My name is Lana Orr, and I am extremely excited to pursue education. I currently work at a daycare that is giving me lots of practice, and it is helping know what I can expect as an educator. One thing that as a student myself I simply can not stand is boring classes. Most kids, teens, and adults a like have short attention spans. When we get bored while watching a movie, we will go on our phones. When we get bored driving, we will listen to music or a podcast. If we get bored during class, we may miss out on important information for upcoming tests, homework, or, from the point of view of a high school senior, information that can help us in the real world because we get lost in our own thoughts. I plan to never lose the focus of my students in a fun and unique way. As I have said earlier, working at a daycare has really helped me learn how I want to teach. Games are always a winner when it comes to my kids. One game that always keep them engaged is an educational game, and the best part is that they do not know that I am quizzing them on what they know. The game works like this: I will sit in a chair in front of the kids holding index cards. On each card, there is a letter, I have 52 cards in total with upper and lower case letters, and I put them above my head where I can not see the card. I give the kids a three second count down and start a timer for two minutes. The kids immediately start making the sound of the letter. While they are making the sound, I have to guess what the letter is, and if I can guess it, it gets added to the winner stack. However, if I can not guess the letter, which is because they are not making the right sound, or someone says the letter out loud, it gets added to a stack that will not be counted. At the end of the two minutes, we count the winner stack and see how well we did. I think it is safe to say that everyone loves this game. It has inspired me to create more for when I become a teacher, so my students are engaged. I also have learned, that every child loves crafts. If it involves glue, paint, crayons, glitter, or scissors, it will win over a crowd of kindergartners. I already have planned a great math assignment. While we learn different math skills, like adding, we will do color-by-number sheets. If the kids can add the numbers correctly, it will make a pretty picture. Just like the letter game, the kids will be kept engaged while practicing skills in a fun way. I can not wait to become a teacher. This scholarship can help me pay for college to pursue my career and teach for years and years in a fun creative way. In the meantime, my job will continue to help me grow, and become more prepared for the future.

Netflix is the best streaming service to have for great entertainment. There is something to watch for all ages. It contains documentaries, movies, t.v. shows, and even games. Everyone gets to have their own profile, so you can stream without messing with what other people are watching. Parents like it because there is a kid friendly profile already set, so their children can watch without worry of them watching the wrong thing. Although all Netflix Originals deserve some kind of recognition, there is one that stands above all the rest. 'Money Heist' is easily the best show ever on Netflix. It is action packed, drama filled, and has multiple love stories in a setting where love seems like the last thing to be worried about. Although it is originally in a different language,Spanish, you can watching it with an English overlay, by reading subtitles, or by knowing how to understand Spanish. Anytime someone asks for a new series recommendation, I always recommend 'Money Heist' because there is something for everyone to enjoy. It follows the story of Spain's best robbers as they try to pull off the biggest heist of all time. During some scenes, you will be worried for your favorite character, and you will be questions if they are still alive. You also have characters that you will hate which I think is great to have in a show because it keeps you entertained. In other scenes, you will be shocked at what is happening. Needless to say, every emotion will be felt while watching, so have your popcorn and tissues ready. The only bad thing about the series is you will never get anything done because of how much you will spend binge watching it. Some episodes leave you with a cliffhanger, so you have to watch the next one to feel at ease. It is a genius way to keep the viewers invested. I also would not recommend watching it around children unless you want them to see how babies are made, or learn some new words that may not be so kind. For mature audiences however, it is perfect. 'Money Heist' is the best thing to watch on Netflix hands down. It is full of surprising twists, crazy gun fights, secret identities, and unexpected love. The best part is you will be routing for the "bad guys" to succeed in doing something illegal. If you are looking for a new show, 'Money Heist' is the way to go.

Who is the best Spider-Man? This question has caused division between Marvel fans for years. After all, we have been given great candidates for this debate, and it is not an easy choice. Tobey Maguire started it all. Without him, who knows what the world of superheros would even look like. Andrew Garfield did the next adaptation, and he quickly became loved by the fans because of his looks and acting skills. Tom Holland is the most known Spider-Man among the new fans. He became a fan favorite after working with Tony Stark. So who is my favorite you may ask? Well that is an easy one. Andrew Garfield did the best playing Spider-Man in my opinion. Acting in a suit where your face cannot be seen is hard. He did it perfectly. The audience can see through his expressive body language what he is feeling in each scene. To me, this helps bring the character to life in a whole new way. His love story is also my favorite because I did not expect Gwen to die. I really do not like talking about it. Luckily, Garfield's Spider-Man got his chance to save the girl in the newest movie 'Far From Home'. The best part of the movie for Garfield lovers. While all three actors did an amazing job playing their character, Andrew Garfield did the best playing Spider-Man. Now if the question was "who played the best Peter Parker", I would have to give it to Tom Holland. Do not worry, I am not leaving out Tobey Maguire. After all, no Tobey would probably mean we would not have Spider-man the way we do today. Andrew Garfield is the best Spider-Man.

Olivia Rodrigo's 'GUTS' album is the perfect album for any teenage girl. For me personally, it perfectly describes what it is like to be a girl in her youth. For example, some songs, like Get Him Back, are the definition of female rage, and that are perfect for screaming at the top of your lungs. She also has songs that are perfect to sing in the car while it is raining, like Vampire, so you can be dramatic while looking out the window, watching a rain drop go down. My favorite song from her new album is a perfect mix of both. It also contains my favorite lyric. All-American Bitch is an amazing song with great lyrics. It has some slow parts that quickly turn fast. This makes it so much fun to sing in the car with friends, family, or even by yourself. My favorite lyric from this song is "I pay attention to things that most people ignore". I love this line because it is true for me. I do pay attention to things that most people do not even realize is happening. For example, I notice when people are having OCD ticks. Certain things that people do scream OCD to me, but others do not see it. Sometimes I do not think that the person having the tick knows why they are doing what they do. I think that this lyric hits me so hard because I am so young compared to some of Olivia Rodrigo's other listeners. I am around people with mental heath issues all day at school, so I have learned to notice things about people. I believe that this skill will help me in life, especially when I become a teacher. I will be able to tell if my students are going through something by how they are behaving, even if they are hiding it. This lyric come to life can also bring a challenge. I see it, but I might not have the power to help. If I was having anxiety, I would not want someone pointing it out. Therefore, I do not always say anything to the person needing help. I hope that this is a worry I can get over, so I can be more helpful. If anyone asks for new song recommendations, I point them towards Olivia Rodrigo's 'GUTS'. It is perfect for anyone who needs a good scream, or a good ballad. She describes perfectly what being teenage girl is like through her lyrics. The all time best lyric is definitely "I pay attention to things that most people ignore" from All-American Bitch.

Having a relationship with Jesus has helped my life majorly. Around the age of 7 I "gave my life to Christ", or so I thought. I really was just scared of Hell. For the next 9 years I was convinced I had Jesus in my heart, when I really just knew who Jesus was. At a church camp, I heard a message that changed my life. The speaker had 3 chairs, and each one represented a different seat Christians sit in. The first was the world chair which was no Christ at all. Second was the lukewarm chair meaning you knew who Jesus was, but you did not know him. Last was the Christian chair where people who know who Jesus is personally get to sit. I realized I was in the lukewarm chair, and I wanted more than anything to change my seat, so I did. I gave my life to Christ, and ever since I have gotten to know him on a personal level. I believe that education is a great way to spread the love of God with others. In some schools, there are strict rules about sharing God with kids. Even though I will respect this rule, I will still show the kids the love the God can give them. When someone is in the Word, praying, and overall just spending time with God, there is a light in that person that believers know. This was the fellow Christians in my class will be able to tell my beliefs. The nonbelievers will not be left out. The best thing about this light is nonbelievers can also see it, and question why I have it. If they can see the joy I have in my heart then they may want the same joy. If I get lucky, I will get a school system that believes in the sharing of the Gospel. I will take it to my advantage and bring God into my classroom everyday.The best way to do this is to show how a Godly women acts. I will try my best to be patient, kind, considerate, and loving to each and every child. My philosophy as a teacher will be to make Heaven crowded. That is my goal as a person as well. God has been a big part of my life. I have been happier since I have given my life to him. I also have realized my purpose of being a teacher. I can not wait to see what God has in store for me in college, and in my classroom. I plan on making Heaven as crowded as it can get.

My goal for my career is to be a teacher for elementary grade kids. Everyone needs a great teacher in their life, and that is what I plan to be for my students. I have learned a lot about who I want to be from teachers portrayed on film. Teachers on film are either represented as being really good at their job, or being really bad. For example most shows on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon always have their teachers acting like a mess because it is funny for their younger audiences. While more mature films and shows have their teachers either be a big part in the student's life, or have them be there because it makes sense for classroom scenes. The best films have a teacher who very clearly love their job, and teach in a unique way. In my opinion, those teachers are the best, so I will do the same. There is one teacher that always comes to mind when I think of how spontaneous I want to be as an educator. John Keating from the Dead Poets Society showed his students that not everything had to be done by the book. He was outgoing, and he treated his students like people and not like robots, unlike the rest of the staff. He shows his class that you need to be bold and be strong. I want to show my students the same thing, and let them know that life and education can be fun. After all, desks are no just for sitting. Another a great teacher comes to mind when I think of educators in films. Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World made sure that his students felt listened to. He had the mindset of making sure his students were well educated in school and in life. While teaching, he would help them solve their problems. I want to be like him because he was well trusted among his students. They knew that when they had a problem Mr. Feeny would be there to give them guidance. What good is a teacher who does not help you in life? Teachers play an important role in how students grow up and learn. John Keating and Mr. Feeny are two great examples of great teachers form films. They showed their students that a good educator cares not only about you education, but about you life as a whole. I want to be the same, and show my students that I care about them, not just their grades.

If there was a supernatural threat, I would choose arguably the best characters on Stranger Things. This team does take careful consideration because of all the amazing characters in the show. I have to pick characters that are going to do there best to stop this threat. After all, the fate of the world is in their hands. First, I would have to pick 011. She is strong, and she is a supernatural herself. I believe that against a threat she would not stop until the world is okay like she has done in the past for Hawkins. She could use her powers to protect citizens, and to take down the creature. 011 has proven herself multiple times against villains, and she has proven that she has drive to make things right. 001 is next on my list. He has powers just like 011, and he is ruthless. I think that against a big threat, you need someone who is not afraid to get their hands dirty. He is defiantly not afraid. He has proven himself to be powerful, strong, and a villain himself. This could come in handy when it is time to make a plan. 001 is perfect to save the world, even if he tried to destroy it. My team is looking pretty good, but it is missing a team mom. Who is better for that than Steve Harrington? Steve has shown loyalty, even when he did not have to. He has protected others from attacks, and he has mastered the skill of using a nail bat. He has strength, and he will do his best to protect the world, especially a group of kids, who he has learned to love. He also can get others involved. Since he was popular in high school, he has a following. He also is attractive, and he can entice others to join them. If there was a threat against the world, 011, 001, and Steve would be the best team to go up against it. They would use their powers, strength, loyalty, and overall will to protect the planet. The threat would not even stand a chance.

I am very passionate about early child education because I already have a job where I work with children. I currently work at a daycare where I keep K4-5th grade safe by watching them when they play, and by always making sure they do the right thing. I also help them learn when they ask me, or when I notice that they need help with something. Even though the daycare is open to older kids, my group is K4 and K5 students. Although they can drive me crazy, I love them all like they are my younger siblings. After all, what is a little sibling if they do not drive you crazy? My job as made me realize my passion for teaching young minds. During my afternoon at work, we play, watch movies, do crafts, and we talk about God. Needless to say, we have a good afternoon everyday. I always look forward going to work because of how much fun we have. I do not know how many people can say they enjoy going to their job, but I am glad I am one of them. I am also glad that in the future I will enjoy my job. When it is warm and sunny, we go to the playground, and we play games in the perfect weather. I always have crafts for them to do, but around the holidays I have even more. My favorites are crafts where I turn their hand prints into something cool and fun. For example, one time I did a dinosaur, and the kids loved seeing their hands turn into the Jurassic creation. I love hand print crafts so much because their hands are only so small for such a short amount of time. This way parents have a cute and memorable way to see the small hands, and the kids can see how much they have grown. After college, I plan on continuing my career working with children. I feel like I will be a good teacher because I am already preparing myself by working at the daycare. I love watching them learn new things and achieve new goals. I am very excited to have my own classroom that will be like a second home to my students. I have already planned on having a Disney themed room that is cute and comforting. I am very happy that my passion for teaching will help me in my future career of being an educator.

I plan on inspiring the youth by being a role model for my future students, so they have someone to look up to. I currently work at daycare where I help K4-5th grade grow and learn. One thing I have learned from working is that not every child has someone to look up to at home. Recently I had a new child come into my group. I quickly learned that he has had a rough life, and he was only 4. It broke my heart. I knew that I had to be a role model for him, so he could see how adults are supposed to act. I also have made it my mission to show him what love is like. He needed to know that love does not hurt, but it is a good thing. As he continues to grow, I see a new kid who is way more happy than he was when he first arrived. In my classroom, I will be a kind, loving teacher because not every child gets to experience that at home. I will make sure every child has a snack, and that every child has what they need to succeed. I hope that when they see how I act that they will want to do the same. My career will have the youth inspired by how I act as a role model.

In October 2022, my life changed for the better. I finally got my first job because my mom decided that I had too much downtime. Even though I did not want to admit it, she was right. After all, I only went to school half a day because of dual enrollment, and my class was online, so I was always home. After endless searching, I finally found a job I was interested in that accommodated students and their hours. I came across a daycare that was hiring that is an easy drive from where I live. Thankfully they hired me, and after taking a TB test and filling out applications, I began working right away. I quickly realized that this job was not the easiest, but I made it work with the help of my colleges. The kids could be crazy, and I learned to love it. In fact, this job worked out so well that I still work there today, and I am thriving. Before I found my job, I wanted to own a bakery. This was my dream, and I was ready to live it. It sounded perfect because I could make my own hours, and I could do something I loved. This dream changed however when I realized how much I loved working with kids and helping them grow. Now I am very excited to have my own classroom, and be able to prepare kids for the future. I even have Pinterest boards on what I want to have in my classroom, and for ways to help teach. My personal goal for my future is to be the educator that each students needs to help them be ready for whatever comes next. I would not be the person I am today if it was not for my job. It has helped me grow in my own life, as well as helping kids grow in theirs. I have also learned that I was put on this Earth to help kids. Even though I had to give up one dream, I found one that I am much more excited and passionate about. I am very thankful for every opportunity I have been given, and I appreciate my work place for allowing me to work there. In 4 short years after college, I will be ready to be a teacher, and to start the next big chapter of my life.

When I was little, I loved watching shows on Nickelodeon. My all time favorite was ICarly. It followed the story of Carly, Sam, and Freddie, who stared a comedy internet show, as they go through junior high together. It has always been a comfort show for me. Well, it was until I learned the dark truth behind one of the actors. Jennette McCurdy took the world by storm when she released her book, I'm Glad My Mom Died, exposing the trauma she went through. In I'm Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy speaks up about how she was mistreated by her mother. She abused McCurdy mentally, and she tried to live vicariously through her daughter. McCurdy also talks about the dark secrets that Nickelodeon tried to hide. The producer of her show acted very odd towards her. He even took pictures of her in a bathing suit that he claimed would be to decide which suit she should wear. After her book released, more child stars started to speak out about their experiences with the same producer. I believe that everyone should read I'm Glad My Mom Died because it is a very eye opening book. It helps people see that abuse is not just physically. Mental abuse is a real thing that people suffer from. McCurdy also shows how she overcame the problems her and her mother had. If she can do it, so can you. Her book also exposes people for who they are. It brings awareness to parents to notice signs that respected adults are showing, like taking pictures of your child in minimal clothing. I'm Glad My Mom Died is a book by Jennette McCurdy that everyone should read.

As I am quickly approaching graduating from high school and starting high school, I am starting a new chapter in my life. This chapter will be confusing and complicated because that is how I feel life is now. You will never know what will happen next, and if I am being honest, I love and hate not knowing. The question everyone is wondering is what I will call my chapter. Well, as of right now, I am not sure. I have some ideas, but I think my mind could do better. After all, naming the chapter sets up the whole idea of what the next section of my life will be about. I need to do this right, and that will take some thinking. What I have to think about first is what kind of feeling I want to give off with the chapter title. I could go with excitement, thrill, emotional, or overall confusion. These vibes would give off what I am feeling. The only issue is, I feel all of them at the same time. Which one do I go with? Decisions like this should be thought about carefully, and not made on the spot. I also have to take into consideration books I have read in the past, for some inspiration. For example, Candide by Voltaire tells you exactly what will happen in each chapter, and I know for a fact I do not want to do that. Everyone loves a surprise, and what will go on in my college chapter will be full of surprises, especially for me. After careful consideration, I have decided what my chapter will be called Chapter 15. The other 14 chapter are about my birth through my senior year. I have chosen something basic and simple for a reason, and not just because sometimes I can be a tad lazy. The reader will have no idea what to expect. In the same way, I have no idea what to expect. Naming a chapter now when I have no idea what will happen seems like I am setting myself up for failure. If I name it something like "The Best Years of My Life", I could very unintentionally give the reader and myself a false idea or hope. Anything and everything could happen in this chapter, so I am giving a title where anything could happen, so be ready for the unexpected.

Success is a feeling where you feel accomplished by what you have done with your schooling, career, or your life. What makes a person successful can be different for everyone. To me, being successful means that I am overall happy with how I have chosen to live my life. If I am not happy with what I have done with myself, then I am not successful. After graduating from high school, my plan is to go to Wallace State Community College. I have chosen this because I will be able to live at home with my parents and my dog, who really needs me. Graduating from college is something I look forward to. Ever since 8th grade, when I started high school, I have kept my eyes on the future and thought deeply about my next level of schooling. After long consideration, Wallace is the place for me. When I finish school there and transfer to another school, which is not yet decided because I am only taking one step at a time, I will have been successful for the first part of college. After going to college for 4 years, I will be ready to start the next step of my successful life. My job plan is to be a teacher. I simply love the idea of teaching young minds, and helping them in their school careers. I plan on being the teacher that they need to grow. I know I will be happy with the path I have chosen, but that is only a small part of what will make me successful. The rest of my success will be determined by the happiness of my students. If my kids feel like they cannot speak up in class, are unprepared for the next grade, or are overall sad, I have not done my job as an educator. Lucky for me, I plan on being a teacher that makes kids excited to learn. My Disney themed classroom will feel like a second home to my students. When all of my students are exactly where they need to be, or even a little more, education wise I will have been a successful teacher. When the next school year starts, I will get to start the cycle all over again. Success does not just come from jobs or school. It can also come from your home life. Getting married is something every girl looks forward to from a young age. From the beautiful white dress to the flowers, marriage is an experience that most people want. Even though I am only 18 years old, I have many factors of my wedding picked out. Although the wedding is a big milestone, having a good marriage is what can make you successful. My mom has told me to get married to someone I could not even imagine getting a divorce with. I think that is some good advice. When I picture a successful marriage, I think about my parents. They have loved each other for over 20 years, and they still act like they are young. They make fun of each other, share work drama, talk about their children, and binge watch their favorite shows together. I hope to find a man who loves me as much as my dad loves my mom. When this happens I will find a whole new level of success. After marriage will most likely come kids. I want to raise children that are kind. They will learn from a young age that Jesus died for everyone, so everyone needs to be treated like such. Now no kid is perfect, but it is not the mistakes that I or my kids make that will make us an unsuccessful family. What will make us successful is how we solve the problem. I hope that everything will be talked about with love and understanding. This is a successful family. The opportunity for this scholarship will help me meet my successful goals. I will have more money for college because as we all know, college is not cheap. College is the start of my success plan, so anything that can help me pay for it will be appreciated. I want to leave this writing about success with final thought : success is different for everyone, but to me if you are not happy, you are not successful.

As a senior in high school, I am given many different opportunity to help myself be better educated for life. Currently I am doing CO-OP. This is where I go to school for half a day then I leave and go to work. This has helped me be more prepared for the future than just staying at school all day. I currently work at a day school where I help K4 through 5th grade learn and grow. This job has really helped me be able to use my leadership skills in a positive way, and I hope to continue this behavior later in life. One way that I use my leadership skills is by leading the kids through a devotion. I have always believed in God, and now I get to share him and his power with the younger generation. It has always been easier for me to talk publicly to people younger than me, so this is the perfect opportunity to share God's word. This does take time and effort because I have to plan one for every weekday, and I have to have plenty of patience. Lucky for me, the kids respect me and my time and mostly give me their full attention. I say mostly because it is harder for some kids to focus, and I completely understand that. In the future I hope to use the skills I have learned in my own classroom. I will be going to college in the fall to get my degree in elementary education. My job has prepared me for this dream of mine by giving me insight to what teaching will be like. I hope my classroom will be a safe space for everyone to be able to speak up when they do not understand. My leadership skills will help me guide the young minds I will be teaching in a positive way. A personal goal of mine to make sure every child feels smart. I remember in primary school when teachers would have learning groups. It was very obvious which was the smart group, and I was in it. It was also obvious which group needed the most help. I have always thought that this was odd because it made some feel better and others feel worse. In my class, I will have a more secretive way of doing this. For example, I will give the group names colors that all sound similar, like red, yellow, blue. In my class, the teacher used fish. my groups name was humuhumunukunukuapua'a. This was the hardest fish name, therefore we were the smartest group. The teacher even said that our group was the best. I will not tell a group that they are smarter than another. Leadership is a great quality to have when used correctly. I think I have great leadership skills that can help me life. I will be able to guide my classroom and help my students grow. I also use them now is a similar fashion.

Minecraft is a game where the player has complete creative freedom. As a creative person, I love games where I have total control. Minecraft gives me that control to be able to make whatever I want. Creative mode and survivor mode give a unique experience to the player. Survivor gives you a stimulation where it is almost like an episode of The Walking Dead. You have to see if you can survive a night of zombies, skeletons, creepers and more. You do this while having to keep yourself fed because starving makes your health go down. Although survival mode is fun, I like creative mode more. While in creative mode, my favorite task is building a house. I have always tried to make my houses extremely organized and pretty. I mostly use wood to make it, and I always add a fence to the outside, so I can have a pet pig that will not run away. I also love riding the horses because it helps you get around faster. Everyone needs a pet animal in minecraft. Minecraft has been loved by many for over 10 years. People love to play the game on mulitple devices. My personal favorite is my Switch. Anyone can find something to do while playing the game whether that is mining, building, or surviving. This truly is a game for everyone.

High school is a place of learning and growing. It can be hard, especially when you think it will be just like High School Musical. Spoiler alert, it is nothing like High School Musical. Girls are mean, the work is hard, and all you want to do is graduate. However, the right teacher can make the experience so much better. In my sophomore year of high school, I had an extremely hard math teacher. Sometimes I liked him, and other times I wanted him to retire. Now I know that I learned so much in his class even if I struggled. Math has always been easy to me. Well it was easy until this particular class. My first homework assignment I sat at the table crying because I did not understand. This was not my finest moment. For the first few weeks I was angry because for the first time I just did not understand. This has never happened to me before, and I was stressed. He made me stressed, but thankfully the class would change for the better. One day after doing horribly on a math test, and by horribly I mean a 16 out of 200, my teacher came to me and gave me some wonderful advice. He said that no matter how much I fail, what matters is that I am learning through my mistakes. He said that other classes may be easier, but those kids were not learning. I looked at him and his class differently that day. He was helping me learn, and I was ready to have a new mindset about him. From then on, I tried harder. I would mark my own homework with a bright red pen, so I knew where I messed up. This helped me see my own mistakes instead of him telling me my mistakes. This helped me understand my tests better, and I even started to get passing grades. His math class was not so hard anymore. Do not get me wrong, I was not perfect, but I was learning more than before. My high school math teacher helped me realize something. Things would not always come easy to me, and that is okay. What matters is not the grade I get, but the effort I put into my grade. I never would have known that if it was not for him. Now as a senior, I will talk to him in the hallways. I even show him my math tests that I do great on. He is always proud of me when I show him, and that is the sign of a great teacher.

The Sound of Freedom was introduced to the world in 2023. The movie follows the story of Tim Ballard, who dedicated his life to finding abducted children, as he searches for a missing boy and girl. His has to team up with people who have had intimate moments with trafficked children themselves. He does find the children after a long journey, but that is not the end because sex trafficking is never over. I personally thought that this was one of, if not the best, movie ever made. It took five years for the movie to be released because it exposes people in the public eye. In the movie, the person, who took the kids, was a pageant queen. This shows how even the people we look up to can be not what they seem. It brings awareness to parents that even though a person may seem like they want whats best for their children, like a modeling contract, could have other dangerous intentions. A part of the movie that I love is that during the film you hear a song playing, but it is in Spanish. I personally do not speak Spanish, so the lyrics of the song were unknown to me until the end when the subtitles revealed the words. The song said over and over that "God's children are not for sale". When this was revealed to me it brought tears to my eyes. The whole movie made me emotional, but this part really stuck with me. It brings a new kind of darkness when you realize that everything that happens to these children is happening to person that God spent his time creating. As I said earlier, I was emotional the whole movie. I work at a daycare with children from the ages of K4 to 5th grade. This job has made me a big sister to a bunch of kids. When a little boy in this movie reveals that he was only 8 years old, I almost lost it. I have several 8 year old kids that I have become very close with through leading them. I could not even imagine them being in the boys state. I could also see parents in the theater crying as their heart broke for the children. I bet it was harder to watch for them than it was for me because of their deep connections with their own blood. The Sound of Freedom ended up becoming a tiktok trend, and this got me more intrigued to see it. Some theaters across America would sabotage the movie experience, so people would leave. They would do things like turning off the air condition, setting off the fire alarm, starting the movie over because of "technical difficulties", and even asking people to leave be cause the screen would not work. It is shocking how places did this to a movie that brings awareness to an important issue, but higher up places will do anything to keep sex trafficking out of the public eye. Although controversial, I believe that The Sound of Freedom is an amazing movie that brings a new perspective on a real world issue. It helps parents be aware of dangers that some safe looking people bring. More people should watch The Sound of Freedom to make themselves aware of this important topic.

Math is a subject that students learn their whole career in grade school. Math can be challenging for some people, including me, but thankfully some people like a challenge. Math has some confusing twists and turns with its big numbers, decimals, fractions, and more. Even with all the confusion, I have learned to love math. My favorite type of math is multiplying. I do not like to brag, but I always finished first, if not close to first, when we would have to take speed multiplication tests. That is where you are given most likely 100 multiplication problems, and you have to answer them as fast as you can while getting it right. I quickly became really fast at multiplying with the help of my teachers. Now I can see numbers and multiply them together, as long as they are not too big of numbers. I have always been pretty smart academically. School has always been easy for me, but in my sophomore year I had a really hard math teacher. He would not even let us use calculators, and you can bet I was stressed for every test. He taught me that year that not everything would come easy to me, but it was trying that mattered. No other teacher has said that me before. Although I may not have been the best at math that year, I learned more than I ever had. Math is not the easiest subject in school, but it helps students learn problem solving skills, like tax and sale prices. Sometimes it can be hard to understand, but you should always keep trying, and who knows, one day you could be a mathematician,

My name is Lana Orr and I aspire to be a teacher. I currently work at a day school as a daycare provider, and this helped me realize my calling. My dream is to be a teacher, so I can help children grow in their education. I heard once that you should be the teacher you needed at their age, and this helped me get a new perspective on who I needed to be. I need to be kind and understanding. Children need someone who will listen to their problems and do everything in their power to help them. That is who I need to be to be the teacher they need. Since I am the youngest child, I did not have the joys of a younger sibling. This helps me have a connection with each child. The young girls love to come to me with their hair ties, so I can braid their hair. The boys love it when I play basketball with them because to their minds a girl should not be able to play a sport. The looks of pure happiness while we do these things help me stay on track and keep my goal in front of me. School is not fun for a lot of kids. My goal is make school as fun for them as I can. There were times when I was younger that I did not want to go. I want no child have the same mindset. School should be enjoyable for everyone. If a child does not like school I will make it my mission to find out why and help. I will also make sure everyone understands what we are doing before I move on. Younger me had a fear of speaking up, so today me cannot add or subtract fractions without a calculator. No child will get left behind in my class. My classroom will also have a few features. One will be a quiet, cozy area in the corner for a little mental health break. I will also have a box of snacks in case a kid does not have one. Another thing I will have is a box of backup clothes in case there is a mishap at lunch with food or a bathroom accident. I also will do classroom jobs that pay kids in money they can spend that the room store. The room store will have coupons like sit at the teachers desk, or they can buy toy that I purchase. This will teach the kids about money and how to save it in a fun way. My dream of being a teacher is about to be a reality after college. My classroom will be a safe space for the kids to be able to learn while having fun. I will be a kind, respectful teacher.

When I was younger, the coolest thing in the world was to have your own DS. I was popular among the girls because mine was pink. During my summers at daycare, everyone brought theirs. We would have multiplayer races, and everyone would be their favorite character. Princess Peach was always mine. Eventually we made our own rules to the game. We stopped racing and started playing tag. There was one rule though, you could not cross the finish line 3 times or else you would end the game for yourself. If the "it" player drove beside you, you were "it". We would play for hours until our parents picked us up. My all time favorite memory is when me and my older brother were little. At our bedtime we would always pretend to be asleep, when secretly we would continue our racing in Mario Kart. Although he was much better than me, I still had fun playing. We had to be aware of our surrounding though. Any sign of noise from our parents, we would closer our DS's and hide them under our pillows, while we pretended to sleep again. It worked everytime. Mario Kart will always be fun to me, even now when I play it on my Nintendo Switch, which is pink just like my old DS.

Zendaya has had a long career of singing, dancing, and my favorite acting. When I was little I loved watching Shake It Up on Disney Channel. Zendaya and Bella Thorne were an unstoppable duo. They played best friends in everything they were in, even in Frenemies when their friendship got a little rocky. As I got older, more shows I grew up with started getting cancelled. Zendaya was to the rescue. Her new show, K.C. Undercover quickly became on of my favorites. In this show, she played a regular teenage girl with a secret. She shows that she was not just a young actress, but someone who can play harder roles. Her acting career expanded when she graduated from Disney Channel as she played in movies like Spider-Man, The Greatest Showman, Dune, and many more. Her work in The Greatest Showman is by far my favorite. Her singing in the song Rewrite the Star was perfect. She was able to sing while flying through the air with her male costar Zac Efron. Her music career also must be talked about. my favorite song of hers is Replay. Her voice sounds amazing in it, and you can tell she worked hard on the song. Zendaya continues to grow in her career, as she remains unproblematic and an amazing actress.

I, Lana Orr, have a desire to be an educator because I believe teachers have a huge impact on young minds. From the ages of 13 to 17 I wanted to own my own bakery. I even started taking culinary classes at Wallace State for dual enrollment online. My mom was concerned with how much free time I had, so she wanted me to get a job. I tried working at boutiques, bakeries, and even big stores like Hobby Lobby and Ace Hardware. No one was hiring a 17 year old, part time, no experience, high school student. Eventually, I was pointed in the direction of the job that changed my life. In October of 2022, I applied to work at Gardendale First Baptist Day School. I was nervous my age would be an issue and so was the boss, but after hearing that I grew up being the child of a preschool minister, she was convinced I could do it. I finally found my first job. I was introduced to the group of K5 kids I would be watching, and little did I know this group would have a huge impact on my future. After meeting the 8 kids and spending over an hour with them, chaos started when groups of kindergarten through 5th grade kids started walking off the after school bus. Now instead of 8 I had over 50 kids, but thankfully I did not have to do it on my own. Around January, I started Hearing God telling me that education was for me, but I did not want to give up on my dream. Eventually, the kids had a career day, and they dressed as what they wanted to be when they grow up. There were firemen, police officers, doctors, and more. One little girl was dressed as something I could not figure out, so I asked her what she wanted to be. She replied "I want to be a teacher when I grow up because I want to be just like you". This was the moment I let go of my baking dream. I realized that in a few short months I have had an impact on the kids, and I wanted to do that forever. My dream changed that day from a baker to a teacher. I started to remember all the teachers I had in the past that meant a lot to me. My kindergarten teacher was there to read me "The Magic Tree House Series" and help my imagination grow, my third grade math teacher taught me how to multiply and divide, and my eleventh grade history teacher, who made history the most interesting subject. While I have lots of great teachers, I can not help but to remember one that did not have such a great impact. In the seventh grade, life was hard. Friend groups start changing, periods are being introduced to girls, boys start liking girls, and girls start hating girls. Drama is a word almost all females are familiar with. Seventh grade revolved around drama. Seventh grade also revolved around difficult subjects. One teacher was extremely tough on me and my math skills, even though I was placed in honors math and on the math team. She gave my bad grade after bad grade because for once I did not understand what I was doing, and instead of helping me, she continued to teach new things. My goal is to help every student grow and not to leave one behind. When I become a teacher I will treat every child like they matter, because they do matter.

Movies give us feelings that we can not explain. The Hangover can make a sad man laugh, Titanic can make the strongest person cry, and Psycho will shock everyone with a surprise they never would have seen coming, but there is one movie that is better than every other movie made. Coraline, made in 2009, follows the story of a young girl whose family moves to a new house with some strange neighbors. She meets a boy named Wybie, who gives her a doll that looks exactly like her, and she discovers a world just like hers but better. Her other mother, an evil creature, tries to convince Coraline that her world is better, but she simply wants to keep her there so she can feed off her soul. Coraline realizes that the other mother is no good, so she plans her escape. However, the other mother captures her parents, so Coraline offers her a challenge that she will win. Coraline ends with her being safe in her old world, or does it? While watching Coraline, there are no mistakes in any details. Everything in the background is intentional, so there are a lot of things to discover as you watch the movie over and over. This makes Coraline perfect to watch on repeat because you may notice new things each time. For example, when listening to the other father's song, Coraline's dad in the other world, you may think it is a cute song he wrote for her to get her to stay. Watching the movie again, however, you may notice that it is a warning to her about the other mother's true intentions. Coraline is a perfect movie for those who love finding hidden details that maybe are not so hidden. Although Coraline looks like a sweet innocent movie, there is a darker element around every turn. To people who have never seen the movie, it seems like a children's Halloween movie that will give them a little scare for the holidays. The reality is that Coraline is dark, twisted, and scary to most. For some, however, the movie is comforting. This adds to being able to watch it all the time because you can show it to others and watch their reaction. One person may be scared while another is memorized by the claymation and the storyline. Coraline also has theories that play into the movie's greatness. One theory is that Coraline never escaped the other world. Coraline encounters ghost children that fall into the other mother's trap. The ghosts told her that once they met the other mother, they never saw their real mothers again, so Coraline must still be trapped in the other world. There is also a theory that the other mother is constantly watching Coraline, even when she does not have the doll. While shopping with her real mother, Coraline sees the gloves that she wants. Later in the other world, the other mother gifts Coraline the same gloves. In the background of the shopping scene, a woman can be seen watching her. It could very possibly be the other mother. Coraline is great for conspiracy theorists. Coraline is a movie for all ages if all ages are okay with a little terror. It is a story of family, friendship, and fighting for what you want. There is not a more perfect movie to watch on repeat all day long. You can find background information you may have missed the first time, watch others' reactions, and enjoy the best movie ever made. No movie will ever top or compare to Coraline.

Growing up, Disney Channel did a lot of amazing crossover episodes, Wizards on Deck with Hanna Montana, Good Luck Jessie: NYC Christmas, Charlie Shakes It Up, and many more. However, Disney missed the opportunity to have the best crossover episode of all time. Phineas and Ferb is a hit animated sitcom about two stepbrothers who make inventions and drive their sister crazy. Gravity Falls is also a popular animation, but it is a mystery about twins, Mabel and Dipper, who try and uncover the mysteries of their Great Uncle's town. The two animations would make a legendary crossover full of twists, comedy, and fun. The episode, Double Siblings Means Double Trouble, starts with the Flynn-Fletcher family visiting Gravity Falls for a weekend summer getaway. After settling into a motel, the Flynn-Fletchers would find themselves visiting the Mystery Shack, where Mabel and Dipper work with their Great Uncle Stan. Phineas and Ferb, who have wild imaginations, will instantly become friends with Mabel and Dipper. Dipper will begin to tell them about the strange occurrences that happen in their small town. The twins have a plan for the day to catch a creature to prove the events they have witnessed are real. Phineas and Ferb want to help, so they get started on their invention, which has complicated start that will end with catching a creature in a cage, while Candace , their older sister, is getting ready to bust them. Meanwhile, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, a scienctist from Phineas and Ferb's town, has an evil plan to take over Gravity Falls. As always, however, Perry the Platypus, Phineas and Ferb's pet, is going after him. The evil doctor's plan includes enslaving the creatures from the town to do whatever he wants with his take-over-their-mind-inator. When Perry first breaks in to stop his plan, he gets caught in a trap. After Dr. Doofenshmirtz reveals his plan, Perry will escape, and their on going battle will begin. Phineas, Ferb, Dipper, and Mabel have finished the invention, and Candace has run off to tell their mother and Great Uncle Stan. It is time to put the invention to the test. Dipper uses his journal full of town secrets and creature information to set a trap for a Brummy, bear and mummy mix, with old berries and pit soda. All of a sudden trees start shaking and the ground is moving, the creature is coming. The group of kids wait as the Brummy approaches, and SNAP the Brummy has been caught in their machine. Out of nowhere, Dr. Doofenshmitz and Perry are flying into the trap on the take-over-their-mind-inator. Since Perry is wearing his hat, no one recongized him. The inator did however pick up the trap and carry it off somewhere else. Not even a second later, Candace appears with Phineas and Ferb's mom, Linda, and with Mabel and Dipper's Great Uncle Stan. Of course they did not see anything, and Linda invites all the kids back into the Mystery Shack for pit cola while Candace stares into nothing with a shocked look on her face. Disney Channel has doen great T.V. shows and oringinal movies, especially in the 2000-2010's era. With these shows came great crossover episodes, but some opportunties were missed for crossover events. Phineas and Ferb and Gravity Falls would have been the crossover event of the summer.

Several things make a "basic white girl", like Uggs, leggings with oversized sweatshirts, lululemon, gold hoop earrings, Stanley Cups, and most importantly the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. This iconic latte is only available during the fall season, so you have to get it while supplies last. Fall is a big part of a "basic white girls" year because it is the time to wear all of the essentials, like Uggs and sweatshirts, but most importantly it is the time to get the best fall-inspired drink, curl up with a blanket, and watch iconic movies like Hocus Pocus. Fall is the best season out of the four because spring is a time of allergies and sinus misery, and summer brings sweat and heat. Winter is no better because it is a cold time of the year bringing ice, sleet, and cold feet. Fall, unlike the other seasons, has no flaws which makes it a perfect time with perfect weather. During fall there are pumpkin patches, hayrides, haunted houses, trick-or-treating, and best of all pumpkin spice flavors. Starbucks has hands down the best pumpkin spice latte around. It tops Dunkin Donuts and any other local or chain coffee house in the country. Starbucks has a lot of great drinks to try, like frappuccinos, ice teas, refreshers, hot and cold coffees, and even hot chocolate. The pumpkin spice latte is the most iconic, and it is only on the menu for a couple of months. During the months, the pumpkin spice latte is constantly ordered and loved. The drink is perfect for fall photographs at the pumpkin patch which are post-worthy for Instagram making them even more desired by girls. Starbucks is the perfect environment to study for exams and to do homework. Writing essays can be hard to do, so having a comfort drink, like the pumpkin spiced latte, can make it feel like a breeze. It also can help ease the stress away, and it can help bring a warm feeling to whoever drinks it. The soothing taste of pumpkin provides a feeling that calms the brain and gives the taste buds a sensational feeling. Fall is the best month of the year. Not only is the weather absolute perfection, but it provides one of the best flavors of the year. Starbucks adds to the amazement by gifting us with the best pumpkin spice latte around, which is great for posts, doing homework, and is very satisfying to drink.