Well, I never really did anything relating to the arts growing up. As I grew up, though, I started branching out towards electives and extracurriculars that I thought would be fun. The first thing I did was art. I loved art, and I had a talent for it! However, I started to learn that it wasn't for me because of how almost "strict" it felt. That's not to say part of it wasn't my fault—I should've turned some stuff in on time—but that's alright. During that same year, I was taking that art class (Art II), and I was also in a Theatre class, because I was also starting to get into acting. Then, everything changed for the better. Our teacher made us read The Taming of the Shrew, and I managed to understand everything. And when class was over, the teacher told me I had a natural talent for it! That's when I did the musical that year, and I started to love singing and acting, and eventually joined the choir! I have to give a ton of credit to my theatre teacher and eventually my choir teacher for pushing me to my limits and making me realize I'm much more than just some kid who's tall. I don't think I'd be where I am today without them, and I also don't think I'd be doing any of the things that I'd be doing without them. My choir teacher tells me I'm her "star student", and maybe she's giving me too much credit, but I don't mind all the praise. To her, I deserve it because I always work hard and put in the effort to learn my stuff. I got to do All-State Choir last year, which was a fun experience, and I got to be the male lead at last year's musical. I'm also trying to follow in my mom's footsteps. I didn't know this until my aunt told me this, but my mom apparently did choir when she was my age, and she was a Soprano 1/2! When I learned about this, it made me feel closer to my mom, and I almost got emotional about it. I wish she could be here to see all the stuff I've achieved and done. She'd be so proud of me. But alas, I'll have to keep pushing and doing great things, for her and her only, because I already know she's proud of me.

What does it mean for me to be a West Virginian? That is an excellent question. Growing up in West Virginia, I used to feel like an outcast and always felt left out of everything. I used to feel alone, and the only people I could depend on were my family, and sometimes it felt like even THEY weren't there for me. As I got older, things were still the same, the status quo unchecked, and I was very fond of the same old routine. That was, until I was 13, and that was when everything changed: my mom had passed away. I didn't know what to think, how to feel, or even how to breathe at that moment. It was as if my mind was on autopilot then, and all I did was put on a smile. A smile that didn't suit me, and never will. After my mom passed, I had to be transferred to a different school and had to move to my grandparents' house. At first, I tried to fight back a little, saying that my Papi, my grandpa, or my dad could drive us to Weir Middle almost every day! However, I lost the battle VERY quickly. The school I had to transfer to was Brooke Middle, and I was excited but also really nervous, but I'll never forget the first day that I was there. I met so many people there, old and new. I remember as soon as I got home, my brother was going crazy about school. It felt like a new start to something. I didn't know what that "something" was, and I still don't know, but I'll figure it out eventually. I always do. Brooke County Schools wasn't always seen as a heavenly place, though. I met awful people, and I would let them step all over me like a doormat. I kept finding people who kept treating me as an awful person, and I kept losing hope. That was until I did the musical in my sophomore year, and if it wasn't for that, I don't think I'd be where I am today. I learned to stop overthinking, to be more confident, and to tell myself that I'm a beautiful and amazing person to be around. That got me to join the choir at my school, and if I told thirteen-year-old me some of the stuff that I'd be doing, he'd tell me that's insane! And he'd be right! I got to find my people, and more importantly, I got to find people that respected me, that love me for me, and give me a voice in a department that we're slowly trying to rebuild from the ground up. There's more to being a West Virginian, and being a West Virginian is an honor for me. Meeting these talented and amazing people who can see something in me that I and most people don't, like with intelligence or singing, it's enough to give me hope for a brighter future, whether it's for me, for West Virginia, or the world. I can't wait to graduate from high school and begin my real journey to a better future, whatever it may be.