While my taste in movies has changed and matured from my childhood and into early adulthood, there is one movie I cannot seem to part with. Cinderella, one of the most trademarked Disney princess movies, has always sparked little girls' dreams and fascinations with princesses, Prince Charming, embellished castles, and true love. One can look at the movie through the eyes of an awestruck child or through the eyes of a wishful adult. However, there is a greater lesson of kindness, compassion, and hope this movie has taught me, which weighs on my mind upon seeing the cruelty and hatred that plagues society today. While a prince and a life of luxury are something we all desire, Cinderella does not dream of either, but of reprieve from her unending chores. Those around her, condemned as her 'evil' stepmother and stepsisters, dream of materialistic, self-concerned goals, whilst Cinderella dreams of hope. Through their self-concerned nature, the movie demonstrates the evil and cruelty that can come from such desires, as Cinderella is subjected to their excessive demands and disrespect. Despite the sheer malignity she faces, she does not treat them with such, remaining kind and compassionate toward those responsible for her suffering. She holds love in her heart for everyone around her, even the mice who would be considered pests. This unwavering kindness, despite the cruelty she faces, reminds me of the importance of patience and compassion in a world manipulated by hatred and division. Thus, I have learned to combat contempt with kindness and forgiveness, not condemning but even forgiving those who weaponize hatred. Although Cinderella faces despair due to such cruelty, her kindness has bred hope in the form of her fairy godmother. This hope did not give Cinderella the extraordinary, but turned the ordinary into something incredible. This scene stuck with me and made me realize that through unwavering hope and determination, we have the tools to transform ourselves and others, even at our lowest, so long as we hold onto our dreams. Additionally, Cinderella expresses much gratitude, claiming it is more than what she dreamed of, demonstrating her humble and grateful nature. Moreover, she did not fall in love for the prince's attention nor at first sight as the fairy tale would suggest. Instead, she fell in love because the prince saw her as the genuine person she was, unlike those seeking his wealth and title. She remained very humble, despite being chosen, and could not see that she was worthy of love because of her status until the prince sought her out. This powerful lesson that circumstance does not matter when one has found the person they love has helped me stay genuine, surrounding myself with people who love me for who I am. Cinderella's rags-to-riches story revealed just how cruel and evil people can be. Those who are privileged or self-concerned can act out in jealousy and spite against those who, despite finding great love and happiness, are judged for merely being different. While this love story may be every little girl's dream, it reveals a far more powerful lesson that everyone deserves love no matter their circumstance or our own judgements, and to deny anyone of this is the cruelest and vilest act. In the eyes of little girls, Disney's Cinderella is a fairy tale of a gorgeous maiden, imprisoned by ugly hags who bar her from true love. However, in the eyes of this not-so-little girl, Cinderella not only reveals the ugliness and cruel nature of jealousy, greed, and hatred, but also the beautiful success and happiness found with only kindness, hope, and compassion.

My name is Lydia Perilli, and I am a senior at Souderton Area High School, serving as the current president of the Peyton Heart Project Club chapter at the Souderton Area High School. I will attend Millersville University to study psychology to become a guidance counselor. Entering high school, I dealt with a lot of social anxiety and worried excessively about fitting in. This anxiety persisted through my freshman year, and my anxiety increased to the point where I would have anxiety attacks before every field hockey practice. I constantly feared I did not fit in with the rest of the girls, or that I would be late to practice or school. Eventually, these fears mounted to the fear of what if I didn't wake up at all? Moreover, I developed "checks" to cope with this anxiety, but these "checks" never showed any outward effects, so no one noticed my discomfort. Eventually, my parents noticed my distress as I would spend hours in my room trying to fall asleep, trying to resist my "checks". At first, I was reluctant to their push for me to see a psychologist, and my aversion to therapy strengthened when I did not feel comfortable opening up to the first psychologist I saw. However, I felt more at ease with a different therapist, and within the first appointment, he felt I had qualities of obsessive-compulsive disorder. I was shocked when I was told this until he gave his explanation, because I thought this disorder was something obvious and noticeable. I am forever grateful to my therapist, as he was very supportive and gave me the resources and tools needed to battle my compulsions. Whilst I had beaten my obsessive compulsions, I became increasingly frustrated with others and eventually fell into a depressed state during the fall of my senior year. While I was not sad, I was not happy. I was burned out, feeling like nothing could raise my spirits because nothing really mattered. The only true sadness I ever experienced during this time was the thought of never again seeing the kids I coached or the little kids I babysat. How they would react if they were told they would never see their coach, friend, or cousin ever again caused me overwhelming distress. I found joy working with them, and their smiles and laughter saved me, bringing me out of my anger and self-isolation. My high school journey has taught me that struggles can be silent and unknown to oneself and others. To help those around you, you must be willing to have tough, but meaningful conversations, which can only be done with a sense of compassion and support. Moreover, I have learned that doing what you love or are passionate about can save you. It can bring you out of the darkness and steer you towards the light. I believe that everyone has something that can save them; they just need the resources, opportunities, and encouragement to pursue it. Thus, my mission for the Peyton Heart Project Club has been to create a place where students are supported and can find joy again in what they love. By providing people with the purpose of making a difference in others' lives, I aim to foster happiness and a community that supports each other. In the years to come, my goal is to foster a sense of community and become a person who encourages others to pursue what they love and are passionate about, as I pursue a career as a future guidance counselor.

My name is Lydia Perilli, and I am a senior at Souderton Area High School. I am an Honors student, musician, varsity athlete, and swim coach and instructor. I value deep, meaningful connections with my peers and adults as I strive to be a leader, holding officer positions in numerous clubs and organizations both inside and outside of school. However, my achievements did not come without struggle. The pandemic had caused me to become very self-conscious and anxious as I shifted back to in-person classes. I was constantly worrying I was standing out or that I would embarrass myself. I carried this anxiety and shame throughout my freshman year, having panic attacks before practice, fearing that my hair didn’t look like that of other girls, or that I would fall too far behind. I kept my head down and my circle of friends small. I was too afraid to talk to those around me, for I feared they were already judging me. I made some new friends and maintained these deep relationships throughout high school because these were the people whom I felt I could trust. However, my anxiety continued to grow throughout the fall and throughout the year until my anxiety manifested itself, and I was diagnosed with OCD. As I struggled to overcome my checks and compulsive behavior, I now became painfully self-conscious as I feared that these compulsions would come to light and I would feel further ostracized from my peers. Feeling frustrated and exhausted, I decided to stop closing myself off from others and practice sitting through the discomfort that came from my anxiety and self-consciousness. Through this, I found myself stepping outside my comfort zone and making new, meaningful friendships, and noticing the impact I had on my swim team, band, and clubs. The last step to overcoming my anxiety was to recognize my ability to lead and motivate others. I got a job as an assistant swim coach and the role of a Link Crew Commissioner. I now have the direct opportunity to help and guide those through their first year in high school and provide them with the support I wish I had received my freshman year. My mental health journey has led me to realize that many people may be struggling in silence. From this, I believe in the importance of making new connections and relationships based on empathy. I believe that the most important thing you can do to help others is to demonstrate empathy by making it known that you are there to help and sit with them through their own journey. School provides many opportunities to connect with others through classes, sports, clubs, and being surrounded by more peers. Unfortunately, as a result, there are many areas where students can struggle within school. However, I believe that school sets a young mind up on a path to succeed, and I believe that everyone deserves an equal chance at this success. Thus, I aspired to be a school psychologist, but I have ultimately decided that I could have the greatest impact on a student's life as a guidance counselor. I plan to instill empathy in my students and within the school by fostering and encouraging connection and communication. I aspire to raise a generation of students who value empathy and compassion above all else as they go off into the world, to succeed in whatever they choose to do without losing the value and importance of human connection and genuine kindness.