This morning I woke with a glorious plan— To conquer the world like a motivated woman. I’d start with some yoga, a smoothie, a jog, Then write a whole novel, and train my pet frog. I leapt out of bed with dramatic flair, Tripped on my shoes and flew through the air. I landed in the laundry, socks over my face, And my dog licked my ear like I’d won a race. I stood up and shouted, “Let’s do this right!” Then forgot what “this” was… just out of sight. Was it emails? Was it lunch? Was I meant to drive? Or was I just lucky to still be alive? I stared at my to-do list, all color-coded, And wept as my coffee machine exploded. The frog, meanwhile, ate my yoga mat. He’s shredded, enlightened, and mildly fat. I opened my fridge, which mocked me anew, With expired vegetables and one moldy shoe. I made toast, then lost it—both bread and mind— (Found the toast later. On my behind.) I logged onto Zoom with a confident grin, Only to realize I’d let my teacher in— To a cat filter face and a dance I was doing. (I thought the camera was off… it was not. I was ruined.) Now evening is here, and what have I done? I sorted some spoons. And I may have spun In a swivel chair for three straight hours— Which, honestly, takes some mental powers. So here’s my report on this glorious day: My brain packed a suitcase and wandered away. If you see it out there, tell it this— I miss its advice… and its competence bliss.

Being a leader is not something anyone can do just because they decide one day to try it. The kind of determination that is required is something I thought I didn’t have. However, at my school, I got frustrated with how the flag football program was being treated. I’ve played since middle school, and I thought in high school it would be better. It was worse than I thought. Currently as a junior, I played through three years of the sport and it’s just now getting slightly better. This year is when I officially stepped up as a leader for my team. I put out flyers early to help gain interest and I was able to get many girls to sign up. The captains, however, were neglectful of the team and the actions necessary to make the team great. I felt like I was on my own but I still persevered. I would keep in touch with my coach, but even so, he would sometimes ignore my texts or calls. I set up an interest meeting by myself and I was proud that I was able to do it. I was the one who started practice, teaching the girls fundamentals and making sure they understood what was required. Most of them were skeptical at first at a student leading a team without a coach, but within the week, I was able to gain some of their trust. Now that the season is over, I feel like I learned a lot about leading a group. I can now voice my opinions better, provide constructive criticism, and read people so I can help them specifically rather than trying a vague skill that I think would benefit the majority. In the future, at whichever university I choose to attend, I want to start a Flag Football Team if there is not one there already. With its growing popularity, I want to lead a team of girls that are Olympic-medal worthy. If I end up at a university that already has a team, then I want to provide my skills to improve the team and build connections to not only help myself learn more, but my teammates as well. With my leadership, I was able to lead these girls into finding something they now like to do, and I’ve managed to make it an experience they want to feel again. This shows that my leadership had an impact, showing the fruits of my labor. I wanted to do this because I want to give these girls an opportunity to open themselves up to a new area and enjoy a sport that’s gaining popularity. I feel as though being a leader, especially in the sports field, shapes the perspectives of young minds and the people around them. I want them to have a positive influence and make sure they always remember to have fun.

During my freshman year of high school, I was so excited to flag on a flag football team where I would get to face other schools and improve my skills. However, my experience wasn't as great as I thought it would be. When I first played in middle school, it was fun and the rules weren't as enforced since it was just something fun to do after school, but I felt the severe experience difference once I reached high school. My coach was someone who was stretched far too thin, having to deal with her job outside of coaching our team, her kids, and coaching a basketball team. Not only that, but for games we had to wear uniforms that were old and stained, as our school doesn't provide funding to the sports programs. For some games we would have to carpool as the bus for the school wasn't always working. We also had to deal with the classic attitudes that teenage girls have and a coach that didn't assert authority. We didn't win a game that whole season. For that being my freshman year experience, I felt like I was in the whole wrong school. I felt embarrassed at every game where we would get blown out thirty something or more to zero every game, not being able to have home games because out field is too busted, and girls who talk so much smack but get mad when we don't win or even score a touchdown. Sophomore year things changed. We got a different coach, who was coaching the boys' varsity basketball team. We had an extra set of fresh uniforms, and our first game was able to be played as a home game. I felt a new hope for that year. That immediately got dropped though, when we would still have to carpool, though sometimes we were able to get a van. The van was still bad though because we had people sitting on the floor, squished between the seats and bags, and having to come of the bus with sore butts and sleepy legs. Girls were still constantly arguing, and we had no team chemistry. We got our first touchdown that year which incredibly boosted team morale. We also started winning games and I started feeling better about my skills. I started to get to know more people on the team and felt more in place with the team. Currently, my junior year of high school, I took the initiative with the team. I set up interest forms, made the date for the interest meeting, and started conditioning for the team. Our first game went really bad despite all my efforts. We did get a touchdown, but with a brand-new team with people that have never played before, we're starting back at square one. Not only that, but since the girls from last year didn't return all their uniforms, we had to play our first game in soccer jerseys and shorts from the girls' basketball team. It was also another game with a cramped van and complaining girls. Despite that, I think we can really make a great team with the people we have. I see the desire they have to play, and I know they realized their mistakes and are ready to come back strong in our next game. Overall, from playing this sport, I've learned to stick it out until the end. No matter how tough things may seem, there's always some good you can find in the situation. Just don't give up hope.

My goal is to become a successful painter. Since success can have different meanings to different people, my version of success is having my paintings showcased in museums around the world. I've started my art journey and it is continuing. Every day, I look for inspiration to create my next piece. I make it part of my schedule every day to write down at least one idea for a painting I want to create. With my day full a lot of the time, I find ways to incorporate art wherever possible. Mostly on weekends, I find time to sit down and create my piece. These paintings usually take an hour or two, or a couple of days depending on what it is I'm making. I've reserved Sundays as the days when I make sure I always draw or paint something. In regards to cost, art supplies are expensive. With most of the professional art supplies ranging from $60-$100, I try to find cheaper options, as I am still a high school student. To practice, I use sketchbooks from Five Below or Walmart, and if I want to create something I could possibly use in a portfolio, I use canvases and acrylic paints. Sometimes I do use Himi Guaoche when I want to use something more water-based. I try to limit the amount of paint I use on each piece to try and conserve what I have. If I do need to buy more supplies, I limit myself to try and spend $20 or less. In order to completely achieve my goal, I have looked into many art colleges. I have looked at the Rhode Island School of Design quite a lot, but if I don't get in, I have other colleges that I'm looking at to fall back on. With an art degree, I feel as though I can elevate my knowledge of techniques and perspectives that will heighten my creative outlook. I want to earn my master's degree, so I will get my bachelor's first, taking about two years, and another two to earn the master's degree. As of right now, I am on track to graduate high school with my associate's degree, for free, as I am a Dual Enrollment student. One of the classes they offer for Dual Enrollment students is art history, which I will take to help me understand the different types of art that were used by the masters. Since social media is becoming a large area for artists to reach out and show the world their creations, I plan to make a platform that will get my art out for potential buyers to see. Showing my dedication to my work and my ability to handle a social media platform will develop my audience as well as show my personality. The challenge will be finding a way to stand out amongst the large crowd of influencers. For this, I plan to incorporate my knowledge of different types of art such as painting, drawing, crocheting, bead crochet, and pottery, and incorporate them into singular pieces. Combining multiple art forms intrigues the mind and sparks creativity in others who may want to try and do it their own way. My goals are going to stay consistent as they have for the past few years when I set myself on this path. My continued hard work and dedication will set me up for the future I want and help propel me to the next level of the artistic world.

Art is a dying form of expression due to new advancements such as AI. People don't see art with as much value as they used to and I want to show that art can still make an impact. I've been inspired by many artists online which propels me to continue my passion, but I want to make sure people know they're not alone in the world. With my art, I want to express my feelings and those of people who are too scared to speak for themselves. Art always has meaning to someone, whether it's for simple visual purposes or if it has an emotional feeling. I want to be an artist that people can relate to. I've always had issues with my artistic confidence, and there were many times I wanted to quit. Instead of doing so, I took that passion and made art. People also told me many times to pick a career path that would make me more money or to find something with a more consistent income. There were times when I did consider it. Every time I wanted to quit, I let those emotions fuel me. Not giving up helped me find more reasons to make art. Since I am currently in high school, I've been juggling my school work, sports life, social life, and dual enrollment. With that, I haven't had much time to be doing things I want. My art had to be put on hold while I did college classes. I've tried to find time and when I do, it's always so little. However, whatever time I can get, I take it, because since I haven't done it in a while, all my emotions come out into my piece. All my frustration, anger, and pent-up emotions make me realize how much I need this. I want to spread my art to everyone who is willing to see it. Looking toward the future, I see myself going to museums all over the world. Art doesn't have a language barrier. It unites people as a universal language, almost like how math is the same for everyone. I don't want people to feel limited to their emotions by themselves. A rapper, NF, who makes music to help the people who feel like him, is someone I look up to. His music is a big inspiration for my art. In one of his songs, Therapy Session, he explains how people have told him his music has helped them through life. I want people to feel the same way through my art. Visual representations of emotions help people process them more, in a way that can be understandable to them. I won't let anyone stop me from becoming a passionate and wonderful woman in the world of art. Without the world of artistic expression, the world would be a much less meaningful place. Just because something can be done a new way, doesn't mean the old way should go out of style.

When I was younger, I was always focused on many different career paths at once. I was never able to choose a singular passion. I wanted to be a tennis player, then a teacher, and I also considered being a wrestler. I never considered my hobby of drawing and creating to be something I wanted to do with my life. As I got older, I started focusing on academics rather than actual career choices. Everything became about getting straight A's and doing what I had to do in the present moment. The future didn't seem that important and if I wasn't doing what I had to do for school at that time, there was no future. Due to this, I saw a decline in my mental health. I was unhappy with my circumstances and sought ways to cope through my art. My art made me feel like I was doing something for myself, instead of trying to impress other people with my grades. I loved being able to show something beautiful that I put my time and effort into. I explored new techniques and other artists by whom I was inspired. I found an attraction to abstract art because it doesn't need to be perfect. It was a self-interpretation and I could do whatever I wanted with it. When I felt comfortable with how my art was turning out, I began to show people what I had been doing. At first, I got some pushback because there are still many people who think being an artist isn't a real career. I was told to find something that would actually make me money. In response to this, I worked even harder on my art, trying to show that I had skills and could pursue art as a full-time job. As I continued my passion, people started taking me seriously. They believed I could continue doing this, with some reluctance. Since I was able to change their minds, my confidence grew. I also found a happy medium with doing art and continuing my education. It wasn't easy, but I managed. As I continued my art, I wanted to convey a deeper meaning. I've tried to bring out emotions in people so they could appreciate art as a finer beauty and an entrance to the minds of what people can't say. I've made this my focus and continue to work toward this goal as I hope to one day be known for invoking strong emotional meaning that people can relate to. My art makes me happy and I hope others can realize that art is not just a hobby for some people but a way to communicate in a way that words cannot express. I want to be relatable and understanding to those who have felt the same way I have. Doing art is what makes me feel human and I will always work to continue changing minds of those who don't believe what I do is worth it.

My name is Layla Sustache and I am a high school student pursuing what I love. I am never bored. I never want to be bored. I always have and always will continue my art because I want to give myself purpose. Not only that, but I want to show people how I see the world. How I choose to express myself. I use many different forms of art whether it be drawing, writing, or painting, and they all show different sides of what I see. I want to always be able to do something with my talents and not waste them. People sometimes don't choose to follow their dreams and they end up losing their creative spark and being bored in their life. I don't want to end up like that. I want to do what makes me happy, and by doing that, I hope to inspire others to do that same thing. My why is myself. I motivate myself to keep going. My why is also the people around me. My family and friends push me to continue with my art and it keeps me going. No matter how many people tell me to switch careers or tell me my life isn't going to play out how I want it to, I know there is always someone cheering me on. With technology advancing as fast as it is, people in the traditional side of art seem to have a challenge to overcome. Although there are things such as AI generators and people using digital art, nothing can replace the hand-crafted art pieces people still know and love. I am a traditional artist myself, but I've tried the digital aspect and I've felt the same passion for art come from other artists when they're drawing digitally. I want to be able to mix the talents of the two art styles and share the message of how technology and art can live together without it having to be a battle about which one is better. I want to make a piece that incorporates both styles because I have talents and experience in both styles. There is no either or in the art world. There's only what you see and create. I want to make the world realize two sides of the same coin don't always have to oppose each other. I will make this piece and go on to create many other things such as comics and I hope to one day be an artist for Marvel, because of their comics and movies that have changed my perspectives and I want to help other people see that too.

I’ve always loved building a house. Every single survival match my first thought it to build a house. When I was younger, me, my brother and my sister would all play Minecraft together. We had competitions to see who could build the coolest house or the biggest house and it was always so fun to do. We would try our hardest to find dyes to make different color beds, make paintings, and display our coolest weapons in frame. We added things like balconies and colored glass to try and one up each other and always bickered over who got the saddle so they could get a horse to put in the stable that’s on the side of their house. Although it was a competition, we would still help each other. Especially my sister, who’s the youngest. My brother and I would give her any extra materials we had or help her start her foundation. I would go out and help her find flowers that she wanted to put in her house and show her some organization tips for her chests. Every time I build a house in Minecraft it reminds me of these times and it makes me want to still make the best house I can. I even still show my siblings sometimes and see the smiles on their faces when they’re impressed with what I’ve made.

My favorite game to play, whether it’s with my friends or my siblings, is Super Smash Bros. As much as I love to play, I’m not bad, but definitely not the best in my group. My friends and I were in the game room for Canesfest(Field Day) and we decided we would all play Super Smash Bros. We went through a couple rounds as normal and switching off controllers until my friend Amarii was playing. She didn’t play much so she was losing significantly. I was playing at that time and was watching the game continue intently. I only turned toward her when she decided she wasn’t gonna finish the match and just handed me the remote. I was confused and surprised and told her to still try but she didn’t want to. While the others were distracted fighting each other, I randomly came in and started going at it. Everyone one surprised and I started getting K.O.s left and right. I only had one stock left so I had to be careful, but then came the best player in our group, Dennis, after everyone else was eliminated. He still had two stocks, and it was just me and him. We stood facing each other, acting like it was a showdown until I went to attack. We kept going for a little bit until the Smash Ball came out and I used it to get him down to one stock. Now it was do or die. I was around sixty percent damage while he was starting fresh. It was one of his mains, Gandorf, against my Jigglypuff. At that point, I was just glad I got to the final two since I had to fight everyone else on one stock too. Now in the final moments, we were both close in damage, around the nineties to a hundred. It was then that I remembered I could use Jigglypuff’s song to put him to sleep and knock him out of there. All our friends were around us watching with high anticipation and when he was pulling away from an attack he just launched, I did it. I put him to sleep, and all our friends screamed for joy as I smacked him off the map. Coming from the bottom to reach the top was not easy and to this day I don’t let him forget that moment, although he is still better than me at the game.

Of all the anime that I’ve watched, the one that never gets old to me is My Hero Academia. Although it may be a controversial choice to people, I love it. I’ve seen it at least five times already and have gone through the emotional process of watching it each time. What make this anime so captivating is the plot and actions scenes. The characters may make the show but the plot is what people stay for. Seeing All Might go through his point of borderline self destruction by going against All For One makes me feel for him and watching Midoriya’s reaction when All Might points toward the camera still makes my eyes water. Knowing Midoriya has such a passion for helping people is incredibly admirable, but comparing it to Bakugou’s destructive nature is a helpful offset. It’s funny to watch him yell at people he’s supposed to be helping and not only that, but when he has his vulnerable moments such as when he saves Deku from his vigilante self and when he blamed himself for All Might’s retirement, it makes you feel for him. Watching the characters change and grow as people never gets old and it’s nice to see them get along well as a class and challenge each other to always do better. The characters that provide comic relief such as when Todorokinis clueless to sarcasm and Denki short circuiting himself makes the scenes nice and lighthearted. The anime is not only fun and games, however, and it can get very serious like when Eri was being exploited for her quirk by Overhaul and Mirio lost his quirk. This anime also address a lot of heroes deaths, like Nighteye and Midnight. Showing the students reacts to such things remind the audience that these are just kids dealing with a job that’s meant for adults. To the many teenagers, myself including, watching, it makes me think about what it would be like to be in their shoes and wonder if I could handle the pressure. Along with the plot, the graphics and editing make the anime visually pleasing. When people such as Deku and Denki use their powers, the bright lights and glow that looks powerful on those characters gives the audience a picture they can’t take their eyes off of. Also, witnessing the friendships that get created like Bakugou and Kirishima and Deku and Todoroki is heartwarming and makes me feel happy for them although they are usually going through a tough time. My Hero Academia is a comforting anime that I will never stop watching.

There's no sport like flag football. It's come off as a simpler version of football but to women and others to play the sport it's much more. To me, flag football has become a way for me to do what I love. I wanted to do tackle football but quickly found out that most football teams don't accept girls. Although I was frustrated, I settled for flag football in 7th grade. I quickly found out how much people valued the sport and tirelessly trained for it. I thought giving it a shot wouldn't hurt and I also found the reasons people loved the sport. I would tell my friends about the sport and they also realized that flag football was more than it seemed. I continued training and giving it my all for flag football, and when I got to high school, I was prepared to face bigger challenges. High school was when I came to realize flag football was going to be a serious pursuit for me. My school has a girl's flag football team and I decided to join. This, however, made me realize how undervalued flag football is. The team had no school-provided equipment, so the coach always had to bring her own, the uniforms were old ones from one of the other boy sports, and we had to practice on the baseball field while track got to use the football field. Not only that, but the school started flag football over a month later than other schools, so we were behind on conditioning. The school also never announced any of the games like they did for basketball and football and the students only found out through people on the team. My friends and I were angry about this and decided we would spread the word about flag football around the school. We found ways to make the team look good although we had a continuing losing streak. Nothing changed that year, but since flag football became popular around the school, during my sophomore year they got us a better coach and new uniforms. That year with the changes, we were able to be a better team. We gained confidence and we started winning. There were still some issues like the football field being in bad condition and transportation, but next year I plan on being in SGA (Student Government Association) and making these issues more prominent. Since I am going to be on the team this coming school year and the next, I plan to recommend the team does fundraisers and other promotional events to gain support from the school so the flag football team can be more recognized.