"I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God, my Lord and Savior." These words saved my life. I accepted Jesus as my Lord in December of 2022. Before I dedicated my life to God, I was struggling severely with my mental health. I was on multiple medications to help with depression and anxiety, was coping in very unhealthy ways, and was praying that this life that I knew would be over. Thankfully, my life as I knew it would soon be over, just in a completely different way than I imagined. Once I began going to church regularly and got baptized, I felt my life change in significant ways. I didn't feel depressed or overcome with anxiety, I felt at peace and seemed to always have something to smile about. I wanted to live, and better yet, live for God. While I haven't been the perfect Christian, and never will, I have seen God show up for me in indescribable ways. God has removed me from certain friend groups and from certain people; while the pain was significant at the time, I look back and understand that if I kept following in those ways, I was destined for eternity without Him. He has answered my prayers in ways that I couldn't have even imagined. I notice God in every little detail and have grown to have such an appreciation for everything that he has helped me endure. I feel confident and empowered to go into the career in which I have chosen. I am currently studying to become an elementary teacher. Many people have told me that I will never make any money in this profession and that I will hate it within a few years and while their comments have been super degrading and disheartening, I feel as if this is that career in which God wants me to pursue. The Lord will provide no matter what and his plan for my life will prevail. As a future educator, I will be teaching our next generation of kids. I hope and pray that I can imitate Jesus' kindness and grace towards my students. I pray that by my actions, my students will see what Jesus was like. When certain conflicts arise, such as parents or coworkers, I can assess the conflict with grace and forgiveness, just as Christ approaches sin with me. God fearing, faithful teachers are what our world needs right now; we need teachers who will raise up this next generation to be kind, loving, Christ-like individuals.

"You are not allowed to stay home alone anymore." These were the words my mother told me at the ripe age of 14. I had been going through what felt like hell. I was so depressed. I felt like I had no one to talk to. I started smoking weed and drinking. I would cry myself to sleep time after time. My parents were genuinely scared to leave me home alone, fearing that if they did, I would no longer be here on earth. My mom realized that I was spiraling and that I was not acting like my normal, bubbly self. She recommended therapy. I was hesitant at first but came around to the idea of it and made an appointment. My first appointment went well, and I decided I would make more appointments. By this time, I realized that my way of coping was not healthy, so I quit smoking. The world had other plans. COVID-19 was in full swing. As if I wasn't feeling isolated enough. My appointments started to become zoom calls and once every few weeks I would see my therapist in real life. I began to HATE therapy to the point where I cancelled my appointments and ghosted my therapist. The world began to "open back up" a few months later and at that time I had turned 15. I was playing travel basketball and was finally able to hang out with friends. I was dating this boy who I was convinced I was going to marry and life felt perfect; until I found out he cheated on me. The cycle repeated itself. I began to self-harm and reverted back to smoking and drinking. Once again, my mom started noticing my unhealthy habits, she disciplined me and made me schedule a therapy appointment. I still hated therapy and basically fought her on going, regardless, I went. My therapist helped me significantly and helped me realize that there was a light at the end of all this. Finally, my sweet 16th! I had been waiting for this day forever! The first place I drove was church, and that's when my life was changed forever. I had been struggling with social anxiety for almost two years at that point, yet I went to church by myself. The sermon felt directed at me in a way that I just cannot explain. The pastor mentioned a High School Ministry that they held every Wednesday and encouraged high school aged kids to check it out. That following Wednesday something inside me forced myself to go. I walked into the church, my palms were sweaty, and I felt like turning around and leaving. Instead of being paralyzed by fear, I went up to a young girl and asked her where the High School Ministry was. The second I walked in I was freaking out; there were at least 60 kids my age in this room, but somehow, I felt a sense of community and belonging. Fast forward two years, I met my absolute best friend and future maid of honor at HSM. I have so many great mentors that can coach me through life and give me wonderful, Godly advice. These people hold me accountable in managing recovery. They are the helping hand that I can count on to hold me to the standard I need and want to be at. My church family always encourages me in whatever I do from mission trips to traveling states away for school. They send me encouraging letters and texts weekly, checking up on me and letting me know they are praying for me and always have me on their minds. I am currently studying to become a teacher and have never felt more accomplished in myself than I do right now. My hope and ultimate goal is to be a safe space for students who feel as if they don't have anyone in their corner. I want to be a comforting face to all of my future students just as my teachers and administrators were for me in my time of crisis, encouraging them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and WE will get through this.

Leadership, community, confidence. This is what empowerment means to me. Being able to lead a community with confidence. Teaching other like minded individuals and encouraging them to accomplish whatever they set their minds to. It is the act of building people up and helping them to succeed. I have been blessed with a wonderful community filled with love and support. I grew up in a small town right outside of Springfield, IL. Our population is just under five thousand people. This community is full of empowering and encouraging people. We are always there for one another in any event, tragedy or accomplishments. My town is a tight knit community, full of loving and generous people who have instilled the importance of empowering one another one day at a time. Our community is constantly empowering us students in all that we do, from theatrics to athletics, our student body can always count on our community. When I think of the word empowerment, my mind immediately thinks of positivity and kindness. I think of communities and groups of people all striving to accomplish one goal. Empowerment reminds me of moving forward and standing strong no matter what. The word makes me think of women, in our society empowering one another is so incredibly important. Social media has begun to dominate the world, negativity and hatred is being spread now more than ever. Body image and insecurities from women from all ages are at an all time high, as women it is important that we empower one another in every situation. Empowerment affects my life in numerous ways. I have been given the opportunity to lead many groups over the past few years. As a leader there are many characteristics that you must be equipped with. One in particular is empowering your fellow peers and encouraging them in all that they do. A simple compliment or affirmation can go a long way, it can change someone's day. Being empowered by others allows me to grow more confident in who I am as a person. It helps me to become more determined in whatever I am hoping to achieve, from athletics to academics empowerment goes a long way. Whenever someone says something empowering to me, I am relieved and feel more encouraged in whatever I am doing. We as a society have forgotten the importance of empowerment and kindness. This world is so full of hatred and is focused on tearing people down. I am devoted to empowering and encouraging those that I interact with. I know how important and seen I feel when I am empowered. By spreading positivity and empowering others, I can only hope that they will feel that same importance.

The recognition once again lies in the men's hands. "The boys team does..." once again! But what about the girls team that just won your school's first soccer state title? What about that girls team that is bringing in the same amount of fans that the boys team is? What about that female basketball player who is getting ten times the recognition that most men in the NBA are getting? Being a female in sports is difficult, but incredibly rewarding. Typically when people mention the word "sport", their mind thinks of a male sports team. Sports have been dominated by men for years, but recently, that narrative is changing. Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have changed the game for all female athletes, they have single handedly put women's basketball at all levels on the board. They are paving the way for us. Sports have allowed me to become a stronger female in several ways. This past year our basketball program started fresh. We had all new coaching staff, an entirely new defense and offense, and a brand new mindset. However, this season was rough, we did not win very many games. Day after day I would come to school and get heckled by fellow male athletes on our performance. "The girls basketball team is awful." "They suck." A constant reminder on how our season was going. I grew more resilient and stronger throughout this season and realized that this is the reality of a female athlete. No matter how well a female is doing, she will always have some irrelevant man who could never amount to her skill speaking down on her. Caitlin Clark broke the all time three point record in both men's and women's NCAA Division 1 basketball and all you heard from the men was, "Well if Pete Maravich had the three point line he would still hold the title." It's sad to see people hate on her simply because she is a woman dominating a "male" sport. Clark continued to break records across the boards and there were always people chirping about something. Her ambition and drive despite what anyone has to say about her is inspiring. She is a role model for many young women including me. I have learned compassion and strength by participating in sports. By playing sports I have learned so much. I have learned the importance of female sports and what it means to be a female athlete. Sports have allowed me to make lifelong friends who will stand by me through thick and thin. They have taught me to fight for the protection of female athletes. I have learned that recognition doesn't mean anything when your team means everything. The boys get constant recognition, but the girls teams are the ones breaking the records. Sports have taught me lifelong lessons that I will carry with me forever.

My favorite local community event that I have participated in is our Teen Canned Food and Gift Drive. This drive is put on by the National Honors Society which is a club for students who maintain a 3.5 GPA and donate at least 20 hours of community service yearly. Our school always goes all in with this drive and our community always shows out. Typically my friends and I will sign up to be designated bag deliverers. We are handed a map of a neighborhood and must deliver bags to every house in the specified neighborhood. We park our cars, get out and place the bags on each porch. This is always such a fun experience and reminds us all how grateful we are that we live in a community that is able to donate to others. This event humbles me and helps me to reflect on all that I am thankful for. When we deliver bags it is always in the middle of winter leading up to Christmas, freezing cold and super windy. I can't help but think about all of those individuals who do not have a warm, cozy place to call home. All of the individuals who do not get to go home to a warm meal or gifts under the tree at Christmas time. It breaks my heart. By participating in this drive, knowing that my community will wholeheartedly donate dozens of items for the sake of others, reminds me of the good still left in the brokenness of this world. Our community is given about two weeks to collect the items needed for the bags. Once they have packed their bags they place them on their porch and another group of students picks them up. These students then bring the bags back to our school where they will be separated and sorted through by once again another group of students. We have hundreds of bags yearly containing thousands of canned goods and gifts. From here our Student Council group will deliver them to local contact ministries. As a result of this event, I hope that my community continues to see the importance of donating resources and goods to others. I hope that my community feels more selfless and kinder after they donate. I would like to see my community put on more food drives or fundraisers to help local charities and ministries. My community has been challenged a lot recently, there have been many unexpected tragedies and sicknesses. Our community has come together to support these families in significant ways, we know the importance of donations and simply caring and showing up. I hope all communities can be as tight knit and selfless as mine, but for now, we will continue to do our part.

Pursuing a career in education is something many people are hesitant to do. Teaching is a lot of work, it is more than a job. From as far back as I can remember my dream has always been to teach. Many people have tried to talk me out of it specifically because of the money, but it is so much bigger than a paycheck. I have been blessed to have had such wonderful teachers from Pre-K all the way up to high school. My kindergarten teacher by far made the biggest impact on me. She was kind, patient, and loving. When you are dealing with twenty-five kids at once it is hard to make each one of them feel seen, however, day after day she never once made a child feel alone or forgotten. At the end of the school year she gave us CD's that included pictures and videos recapping our first year of school. I remember so vividly bawling my eyes out saying, "I never want another teacher for the rest of my life." She was truly my Miss Honey. My jr. high and high school teachers have been just as amazing. My teachers time and time again show me that they see me and care for me. I have spent countless hours talking with so many teachers about many different subjects. From college decisions to high school heartbreak, I know they will always listen and give me advice. High school tends to be either the best years of your life or the worst. I have had many ups and downs throughout my four years. My father got diagnosed with cancer this past year and the first person I told was one of my teachers. She comforted me and consoled me, sharing her personal experience with her mother's diagnosis. The next day two of my other teachers found out about my dad. They called me into their office and reminded me that if my family needed anything that they were one call away. These three teachers are without a doubt more than teachers to me, they are family. They have entrusted me with their children who now look up to me as more than just "mom and dad's student" or "mom's player." We have grown a bond that goes beyond the classroom. Being a teacher is so much more than just going to school and teaching. It is about the bonds and the relationships that you make with your students and coworkers. It's about the lasting impacts that you as a teacher will make on your students, on the next generation. As I pursue my dream of teaching I can only hope that I can impact my future students in the same ways that I was impacted by my teachers.

Pursuing a career in education is something many people are hesitant to do. Teaching is a lot of work, it is more than a job. From as far back as I can remember my dream has always been to teach. Many people have tried to talk me out of it specifically because of the money, but it is so much bigger than a paycheck. I have been blessed to have had such wonderful teachers from Pre-K all the way up to high school. My kindergarten teacher by far made the biggest impact on me. She was kind, patient, and loving. When you are dealing with twenty-five kids at once it is hard to make each one of them feel seen, however, day after day she never once made a child feel alone or forgotten. At the end of the school year she gave us CD's that included pictures and videos recapping our first year of school. I remember so vividly bawling my eyes out saying, "I never want another teacher for the rest of my life." She was truly my Miss Honey. My jr. high and high school teachers have been just as amazing. My teachers time and time again show me that they see me and care for me. I have spent countless hours talking with so many teachers about many different subjects. From college decisions to high school heartbreak, I know they will always listen and give me advice. High school tends to be either the best years of your life or the worst. I have had many ups and downs throughout my four years. My father got diagnosed with cancer this past year and the first person I told was one of my teachers. She comforted me and consoled me, sharing her personal experience with her mother's diagnosis. The next day two of my other teachers found out about my dad. They called me into their office and reminded me that if my family needed anything that they were one call away. These three teachers are without a doubt more than teachers to me, they are family. They have entrusted me with their children who now look up to me as more than just "mom and dad's student" or "mom's player." We have grown a bond that goes beyond the classroom. Being a teacher is so much more than just going to school and teaching. It is about the bonds and the relationships that you make with your students and coworkers. It's about the lasting impacts that you as a teacher will make on your students. As I pursue my dream of teaching I can only hope that I can impact my future students in the same ways that I was impacted by my teachers.

Pursuing a career in education is something many people are hesitant to do. Teaching is a lot of work, it is more than a job. From as far back as I can remember my dream has always been to teach. Many people have tried to talk me out of it specifically because of the money, but it is so much bigger than a paycheck. I have been blessed to have had such wonderful teachers from Pre-K all the way up to high school. My kindergarten teacher by far made the biggest impact on me. She was kind, patient, and loving. When you are dealing with twenty-five kids at once it is hard to make each one of them feel seen, however, day after day she never once made a child feel alone or forgotten. At the end of the school year she gave us CD's that included pictures and videos recapping our first year of school. I remember so vividly bawling my eyes out saying, "I never want another teacher for the rest of my life." She was truly my Miss Honey. My jr. high and high school teachers have been just as amazing. My teachers time and time again show me that they see me and care for me. I have spent countless hours talking with so many teachers about many different subjects. From college decisions to high school heartbreak, I know they will always listen and give me advice. High school tends to be either the best years of your life or the worst. I have had many ups and downs throughout my four years. My father got diagnosed with cancer this past year and the first person I told was one of my teachers. She comforted me and consoled me, sharing her personal experience with her mother's diagnosis. The next day two of my other teachers found out about my dad. They called me into their office and reminded me that if my family needed anything that they were one call away. These three teachers are without a doubt more than teachers to me, they are family. They have entrusted me with their children who now look up to me as more than just "mom and dad's student" or "mom's player." We have grown a bond that goes beyond the classroom. Being a teacher is so much more than just going to school and teaching. It is about the bonds and the relationships that you make with your students and coworkers. It's about the lasting impacts that you as a teacher will make on your students. As I pursue my dream of teaching I can only hope that I can impact my future students in the same ways that I was impacted by my teachers.

Pursuing a career in education is something many people are hesitant to do. Teaching is a lot of work, it is more than a job. From as far back as I can remember my dream has always been to teach. Many people have tried to talk me out of it specifically because of the money, but it is so much bigger than a paycheck. I have been blessed to have had such wonderful teachers from Pre-K all the way up to high school. My kindergarten teacher by far made the biggest impact on me. She was kind, patient, and loving. When you are dealing with twenty-five kids at once it is hard to make each one of them feel seen, however, day after day she never once made a child feel alone or forgotten. At the end of the school year she gave us CD's that included pictures and videos recapping our first year of school. I remember so vividly bawling my eyes out saying, "I never want another teacher for the rest of my life." She was truly my Miss Honey. My jr. high and high school teachers have been just as amazing. My teachers time and time again show me that they see me and care for me. I have spent countless hours talking with so many teachers about many different subjects. From college decisions to high school heartbreak, I know they will always listen and give me advice. High school tends to be either the best years of your life or the worst. I have had many ups and downs throughout my four years. My father got diagnosed with cancer this past year and the first person I told was one of my teachers. She comforted me and consoled me, sharing her personal experience with her mother's diagnosis. The next day two of my other teachers found out about my dad. They called me into their office and reminded me that if my family needed anything that they were one call away. These three teachers are without a doubt more than teachers to me, they are family. They have entrusted me with their children who now look up to me as more than just "mom and dad's student" or "mom's player." We have grown a bond that goes beyond the classroom. Being a teacher is so much more than just going to school and teaching. It is about the bonds and the relationships that you make with your students and coworkers. It's about the lasting impacts that you as a teacher will make on your students. As I pursue my dream of teaching I can only hope that I can impact my future students in the same ways that I was impacted by my teachers.

I am worth the dreams I aspire to achieve because I am compassionate and hardworking. My goals in life are to spread love and kindness by my profession and by who I am as a person. I hope that when I get my degree I am able to touch the lives of my students in significant ways so that I can inspire them in one way or another to be kinder, more compassionate and loving humans. Despite the challenges that may stand in my way such as pay and conflict, I will remain devoted to my dream of being the teacher that all my students feel comfortable around. I have already begun my teaching journey by being a volunteer Sunday school teacher for four and five year olds. These kids have made a lasting impact on my life and have encouraged me to go into teaching. Being a teacher requires love and a lot of patience. Seeing my kids every Sunday excites me, their excitement to come into our classroom and hangout is not only touching to me but also to their parents. I have been able to learn the personalities of each of my students. I have very outgoing and energetic children and on the other hand I have very quiet, reserved children. Regardless, my love for them is no different. I have spent almost two years teaching every Sunday and have loved every minute of it. In my four years of high school I have served over 250 volunteer hours. Community service is something that has become incredibly important to me in these past few years of my life. I have gone on a few life changing mission trips domestically and internationally. About two years ago I took a trip to Kenya and immediately fell in love with the children and the environment. I was able to tour multiple school buildings and play with the kids there. While I was there I began sponsoring a young girl. Through this sponsorship I am able to send letters to her, send her to school, and send her gifts or other items that she may need. I also had the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic this summer. While there I was able to remodel an elementary school and interact with the locals through VBS. These experiences have influenced me to consider studying abroad or potentially teach abroad for a little while before I settle down and start a family of my own. I would love to be able to live out my dream of being a teacher while also being able to teach about Jesus! These mission trips have allowed me to make lasting relationships with people from all across the world all while further solidifying my dream to become a teacher.

An issue in my community that I have taken the initiative to address is mental health. I have personally experienced mental health in a multitude of ways. Seeing the effects that it had on me and how it made me feel inspired me to reach out and address the issue. Not only have I seen and experienced the mental health battle completely dominate and win in many people's lives, I have seen the effects it has from person to person when this happens. It is never easy when someone dies, but to know that they took their own life makes it that much harder. These individuals felt as if life could not get any better and the only way that it would get better is if they left this world. This simply did not sit right with me. As social media has become a major factor in the world in these past few years, mental health issues have been at an all time high. Instead of using my platforms for negativity and hatred, I have chosen to use them to spread awareness and love. By doing this I have made many friends and talked to people who just needed to be seen and heard. There is a huge stigma around mental health and reaching out to get help. If I notice a friend or classmate struggling I always make sure to ask them how they are or engage in conversation. A simple gesture or conversation can change someone's day and have an incredible impact on them. I hope to expand my efforts by making it a more common subject to talk about in person and in school.

My favorite Team USA athlete to cheer on is Simone Biles. She is an incredibly skilled athlete who is making a huge impact on the sport of gymnastics. The first time I saw Simone compete I was amazed by her abilities, personality, and demeanor. To have multiple skills named after you is something many athletes only dream about. Her backstory and how she got into the sport is very touching and super encouraging for many young athletes. Her drive and consistency are something that is so inspirational, she always has so much pressure put on her, yet she never lets it get to her. When she is competing, she always has a smile on her face and the second her routine is done she is ecstatic no matter the outcome. Simone's attitude towards her competitors is something I strive to attain. She has outstanding sportsmanship; throughout the 2024 Paris Olympics she was seen multiple times going up to other athletes congratulating them on their performances. As an athlete myself, I know how difficult it can be to stay positive and show good sportsmanship throughout the entirety of any competition. Simone is a wonderful role model for many young athletes and stays true to her morals despite the attention she receives. I love when the camera men zoom in on her after she has just competed, the joy and utter passion that viewers can feel through the screen from miles away shows the true love she has for the sport and the country she is representing.