As a kid, I knew every word of "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry. It wasn't just catchy; it sparked something within me. But as I grew older, the lack of girly pop anthems reflecting my own queer identity became glaring. In the car with friends, they'd erupt in excitement over a new love song, declaring it "their song." While I enjoyed artists like Taylor Swift, there was a disconnect. Singing along sometimes felt performative – I craved music that truly resonated with my experience. When I heard, "Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappell Roan I instantly felt so seen. It perfectly captured the frustration I felt navigating a secret queer relationship and when singing along, I felt a sense of shared experience, the unspoken yearning for honesty mirrored in the lyrics. Immediately I listened to her other tracks and was quickly obsessed. Where had this genre of music been my whole life? Pink Pony Club perfectly summed up what it's like living in a rural town and desperately wanting a safe space to exist in your queerness, Femininomenon was the definition of "girly-pop" and femininity, and HOT TO GO! is the new "YMCA" that creates a sense of community every time it comes on the radio at a public pool and I see the girls around me dancing. That feeling alone is huge, since Roan has made four concurrent Billboard Top 100 hits, it makes sense that we hear them out and about in public. Songs at this level of recognition about queer relationships, though few and far between when I was growing up, were still often considered “naughty” or “risky”. They were something that radio stations would pass on and would be left off the track list at your local skating rink to avoid controversy. Chappell Roan's music isn't just catchy; it's a powerful force for positive change. Her message of self-acceptance and celebrating individuality is exactly what Pop needs right now. Her tracks encompass the queer experience in every way, from the desire to be accepted, the struggle of internalized homophobia, and the colorful and upbeat joy experienced by singing the song that's true to who you are.

Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" shares a message about appreciating the beauty in the world around you, despite its ugliness. This song is important to me as it reminds me to stay grounded during all the chaos around me. When the nature of life can be so fast-paced and even feel cynical, it's easy to get lost and lose sight of all the loveliness around us. This is when it's important to take a step back and think to ourselves once again, what a wonderful world we live in. At one performance, Louis introduced the song by saying, "Seems to me it ain’t the world that’s so bad but what we’re doing to it, and all I’m saying is: see what a wonderful world it would be if only we’d give it a chance." Fifty-six years later, Armstrongs song continues to share the timeless message of peace, hope, and togetherness in a messy but captivating world, reminding us all to take that step back and remember what a wonderful world this is, if we just give it a chance.

John Connolly said the essence of humanity, “is to feel another's pain as one's own, and to act to take that pain away.” A change I would like to see in every level of community is empathy. From local to global, I believe a little more compassion could go a long way. I’m sure it would be easier to focus on a specific issue that I want to inspire change in. After all, I’m on a leadership team with Youth Action for Health Leadership advocating for nutrition in a country where almost 30 million people will experience an eating disorder. I’m marching to the state capitol in a few months with this same group to provide our research and advocate for tobacco policy reform to stop teen smoking. I volunteer at local and state food banks and see the food security issue in my state firsthand. I’ve worked with programs like Citizens Caring for Children and understand the overcrowded foster system. I’m working with programs locally to educate about the dangers of drinking and driving, catch retailers selling nicotine to underage students, and support victims of bullying. But I think all of these issues could benefit from one thing, empathy. If we truly understood the lives of others and took the time to see things from their perspective, a world of change could arise. So many problems stem from a lack of empathy, from the way we sometimes neglect others' feelings for our own convenience. Maybe you don’t vote, because none of the current election issues affect you personally. If you were more empathetic though, you may vote in the interest of the low-income community outside of your town, whose infrastructure is threatened by the leading candidate's policies. Or maybe you exclusively buy from fast fashion companies that have huge carbon emissions, makeup companies notorious for animal testing, or luxury brands known for human rights violations. When choosing to shop ethically, you would feel empowered knowing your purchase has a positive impact on the animals, people, and planet around you. Maybe you make a rude comment to your waitress who was slow and distracted while serving you. If you felt more empathetic towards her, you would have sensed she was really just having a bad day and granted her more kindness. A more compassionate mindset can make great change even on a small scale, whether it’s letting someone merge on the highway, being more patient with service workers, or lending your extra cash to the woman in front of you at the store struggling to pay for diapers. If we reframed our brain to view inconveniences as an opportunity to help someone, to demonstrate our kind nature, I think all the little changes would surely start to add up. A big reason I’m passionate about volunteer work is the one on one connections I get to make. Hearing other people's situations and perspectives always reminds me to act with compassion in daily life, it’s a great privilege to have the power to impact the people around you and see how fast that impact can grow into change much greater than the initial act. Whether it’s kind words, a helping hand, or just being someone to listen to, great ideas can come from acts of understanding. I plan to keep fighting for change by making the world a more compassionate place, and advocating for the impact I want to see in a way that demonstrates the essence of humanity John Connolly was talking about.

Honestly, just be nice to people. We're all trying to make it through the year and I promise spreading kindness makes it so much easier. It comes back around when you forget to do your homework or need to borrow a pencil. Don't gossip, don't be a bully, and if someone seems like they need help, help them. The year goes by much smoother when you're surrounded by people who lift you up and know you won't bring any negative energy. Especially your teachers! A simple "Thank you!" or "How are you?" can make the difference between your grades.

“When the brain is whole, the unified consciousness of the left and right hemispheres adds up to more than the individual properties of the separate hemispheres.” Robert Sperry said this in his split-brain experiments, leading him to discover that our brain is worth more than the sum of its parts. When Sperry began these experiments, it was unheard of. What could happen if the corpus callosum, the bridge between brain hemispheres, was severed? What we didn’t know, was that we are made of two minds. Our left and right brains communicate with each other on a level of sentience we don’t fully understand. When the bridge was cut, and our brain wasn’t able to communicate between hemispheres, each side acted as its own brain, completely oblivious to the presence of its other half and often times working against it. Sperry’s discovery is my favorite because of the world of possibilities it opened up for our brain. Showing when the communiation center is sereved, our mind splits and acts as two seperate brains, this adaptability is straight from a sci-fi movie. This evidence of the brain inside our brain, set new territory for the fields of neuroscience and psychology. When I first read about these results, I remember thinking it was fascinating. We watched a video over the subject in class and it showed the way the test subjects would read a word with the left side of their brain, and the right side would have no idea what the word was, and how they could draw an object shown to the right ride of the brain but not articulate it into words. This experiment first got me interested in psychology, and now I’m so passionate about the way our brain works that I plan to make it my career.

The day before our state marching band competition, I arrived half an hour early like usual to help anyone who needs extra help with the work. Surprisingly on this day, I am greeted by my entire team. They all got there early to say thank you for all the extra work I put in, for the next half hour we talked, and laughed, and they each gave me a coupon for “one free pep talk”. They say that it’s to pay me back for all the ones I gave them. My active leadership shows up on paper. I'm captain of the academic team, the winter guard team, a section leader in the marching band and choir, FCCLA vice president of community service, and a leadership team member in Youth Action for Health Leadership. Though just being a leader in these positions doesn’t explain how I actually fight for change in my communities. What this doesn’t tell you, is my passion for helping others. I’m graduating this year and hope to go to college to become a psychologist. I’ve known this ever since I lost my uncle to suicide in my freshman year of high school. Since then, I’ve developed a love for leading and inspiring others to be the best they can be, while always being there when they need someone to talk to. Even though I want to be a psychologist, I still want to be involved in advocacy and eventually run a non-profit to provide mental health care for veterans and underinsured individuals. I believe that no matter what community I become a part of, I will always want to be an active part of the change I want to see. I am a firm believer that nothing is impossible, and nothing gets done just by wishing. I have always been a leader of sorts, for as long as I can remember I have always taken charge and positively redirected group situations. I always do whatever I can to make others feel assured, whether that means staying up late to tutor, talking to anyone who seems a bit lost or just being the person to reach out when it seems like someone could use a little help. I call myself a leader, but I think “fixer” is a better word. When I see a problem, I can’t seem to rest until I’ve done all I can to help. I believe this is why so many people come to me for help, they know that I genuinely care and will do whatever I can for them. A big part of being a leader in my community is understanding that I’m not always the star of the show. A lot of times I sacrifice my own opportunities to help someone else reach one of their own, that’s just what being a leader entails. There truly is no greater satisfaction than being a part of someone else’s success, even if that means just giving them the motivation they need to get there. I feel as long as I continue to lead with empathy, strength, and a passion for change, I’ll be able to make an impact that lasts long after me.

much about being genuinely selfless. In these roles, it’s not your job to be the star of the show anymore, instead, it’s to inspire others and do everything you can to help them succeed. Learning this helped me develop close relationships with people who just needed a helping hand. This led to me becoming someone helpful, someone who would always put others first because it was the right thing to do so that the people around me could rely on me. When I became captain of my academic team, I made it clear that I wanted everyone to feel safe, supported, and that they could always talk to me. Soon, a few kids on the team came forward to me about one of the members harassing them and making them feel uncomfortable after they had repeatedly asked him to stop. I am historically bad at confrontation, though when my teammates put their trust in me I knew I had to do the right thing. Even though it made the person incredibly mad at me, with my teammates' approval, I talked to our coach and explained either the perpetrator was off the team, or I quit. Even though this scared me, I wouldn’t want myself or my friends to be on a team that made us feel unsafe. My coach made the right decision and kicked the guy off the team, and I still maintain the promise to make everyone feel safe and heard around me. I think the other most important example of a time I helped someone in need was in biology class sophomore year. I know, it’s a weird place for a story to start. My teacher did this exercise on the school’s “skip-day” where she gave a huge test every year. It only had one question, “Are you present?” I knew the test would drop my grade a letter, so of course, I didn’t skip it. Though when my phone rang the period before with an emergency call from my best friend, I took it and stayed on the phone with him in the bathroom throughout the class. He didn't say what was wrong, but the tone of his voice conveyed he needed someone. It was months later when I learned he was contemplating suicide at the time, and desperately needed someone to talk to. Each day those around me teach me the value of selfless actions. Even though I am not perfect, I hope that by continuing to live an altruistic and empathetic life, I will be able to make an impact that lives long after me.

For so many, avoidance was a key part of recovery. We kept busy, we picked up new hobbies, we became social, and we surrounded ourselves with people and tasks so we wouldn’t even have the time to relapse. There were meetings 15 minutes away, a support system not too far out of reach. Then, everything shut down. The pandemic changed how we approach substance abuse treatment, but maybe not for the worse. Being stuck inside opened a new world for online therapy, removing the "shame" of seeking in-person help. From your phone, you can now be connected with a licensed professional virtually anytime to talk about what you’re struggling with. The stress of having to find a meeting or see someone in person is a thing of the past. With the introduction of new telehealth resources, those who struggle with addiction can get the help they need in any situation, including a global pandemic. I believe the ideal online treatment center would have a strong focus on inclusivity and availability. If money and funding were not an issue, there would be someone there for you at any time or place. Maybe it’s three am and you need someone to talk you off the edge, maybe you’re juggling three kids and don’t have the time to make it to a treatment facility, whatever the situation is, there’s someone available to talk to you through it. The staff understands how drug addiction can disproportionately affect people of color, LGBTQ+ teens, unhoused people, and those from low-income neighborhoods. They are trained to assist all types of people from all types of backgrounds in a stigma-free online environment. This treatment center is actively working to supply addiction services to those recovering with low incomes. No one would ever be denied help for fear of not being able to pay high rates. Someone’s family, someone’s health, someone’s life, isn’t ever something to put a price tag on. Even though this treatment center is virtual, that won’t diminish the social and support system aspect of treatment. Virtual group meetings would be available often, led by one of the center's addiction counselors. You would be able to find a virtual sponsor and message people with similar stories through the center's instant messaging system. Since funding isn’t an issue, they could even mail you virtual sobriety chips. While this center would offer one on one talk therapy and group meetings, it would also offer telemedicine resources. Users would be able to book a virtual appointment with a provider to see if a prescription could be right for them. They could be set up with a counselor to help them find options to pay for the medication if this ends up being the right decision. I think a unique and beneficial feature of this treatment center would be a social media-esque feed system. A text and image style feed where users could share and interact with each other’s stories. To help others feel less alone, you could share your testimony, something that motivates you to stay sober, or something you’re struggling with recently. This would offer a casual and user-friendly way to inspire others and receive support. I believe one of the most important services of this ideal treatment center would be its openness to feedback. Transferring treatment to the online world wasn’t a flawless transition, and this would be recognized. Addiction treatment is not one-size-fits-all, and the online counselors would understand this. Whether you need a sponsor, emergency contact in a dark moment, frequent group or family virtual meetings, or even an anti-craving medication, it will be possible to receive convenient help and support from the safety of your own home. Substance abuse is a very real issue that takes more and more lives every year. As the pandemic has shown us, no matter what the world throws, there is always help available. Though the perfect online treatment center does not exist, as this field evolves I am confident that one day we’ll have something close.

As I step on stage, I shed my insecurities like an old winter coat. Maybe there’s a flag in my hand, an instrument, or maybe all I have is my voice. Whatever the case, the stage lights direct everyone’s eyes toward me and all my anxieties are washed away with adrenaline. I am not the confused kid in the back of the class right now, I am a performer who has finally found her place. I first fell in love with performing at my 5th-grade band concert. My teachers, who usually saw me stumble and drop my books, saw me doing something right for once. It sounds silly now, but I remember that when the crown smiled and laughed as we played Star Wars and nursery rhymes, I was so happy. Looking back, they were smiling because we sounded horrendous, we were 5th graders. In elementary school, though, I had done something to make a crowd happy. I still can never get enough of that feeling. Being in the band gave me so many opportunities, traveling and meeting new people, as well as developing real-world skills. Band taught me punctuality, communication, leadership, and confidence. School concerts were the first time I felt confident in doing something when I felt like I had a talent. Most importantly, being in the band introduced me to the color guard. I’ve been in color guard for 7 years, and I got my first captain position in 8th grade. From fall season to winter season, to summer rehearsal, I’ve dedicated most of my time to the sport. It can be exhausting, but from the first time I stepped on the stage, I knew it was something I wanted to do forever. I discovered that I didn't need my voice or an instrument to perform, my body was an instrument in itself. I’ve built a family that loves and supports me unendingly and learned to use spinning as a productive coping mechanism. Every weekend I get to dance and spin my equipment in front of huge crowds, and the smiling and cheering are enough to make me never want to stop. I’ve been in choir my whole life, but I didn't fall in love with singing until last year when I received my first solo. We were singing a song from one of my favorite musicals, it was hopeful, it was beautiful, and it was powerful. The song was very full of emotion and my solo was at the peak of it, that’s when I realized how much emotion I could convey through my music. I’ve had the younger girls on my teams ask me how I deal with performance anxiety, and it’s pretty simple. When I’m performing, I become a different person, or maybe I just become the real me. Whatever the case, all of my insecurities melt away and I finally feel a sense of control. So what if someone laughs or if I make a mistake? I made someone smile, and I gave it my all. I’ve been fortunate enough to find a passion, and dare to give it my everything. I’ve been able to make genuine connections with so many amazing people, I’ve grown tremendously in my abilities, developed talents that will always stay with me, and most importantly I’ve found a way to make people smile. I’m so grateful for the opportunities performing has given me, and I hope I can continue to do this for the rest of my life.