The warmup ignited my spirits. Each vibration of the strings and every grip of the gritty surface beneath my rubber soles infused me with energy. I was eager to begin the game. “This is it,” I thought, gripping my racket. From the innocent dreams of a nine-year-old to the driven varsity player I have become, this showdown had been anticipated. I peered across the net at my opponent. Bounding on the balls of her feet, she stared back at me with her ice-blue eyes. This wasn’t just any match. It was me against my sixteenth year, my most formidable opponent. With the score at "Love all, first serve," I felt invincible as I sent my serve slicing through the air. I won the first game effortlessly. Just like the beginning of 2022, a year of firsts. I had a loving best friend, a boyfriend, a driver’s license, even a car– a shiny ticket to freedom. It felt like I’d hit an ace. Score: 1-0 (Me) But reality soon crashed down on me like a thunderous serve that I couldn’t return. A new driver’s worst enemy is always herself. Merging onto a busy highway in Las Vegas, my inexperience got the best of me. The Kia Sorento I slammed into on my passenger’s side got the rest of me. My newfound freedom (and confidence) was totaled. All of a sudden, sixteen didn’t seem so sweet. Score: 1-2 Determined to bounce back, I turned to my faith in God. Choosing to attend “Kairos”, a Catholic religious retreat, was exactly what “kairos” means in Greek– “a moment for decision.” Faith became the topspin on my shots, a powerful force guiding me through adversity. Out of an early funk, I was ready to get back in the game. Score: 3-2 (Me) But focus can waver. I lost mine over the next few months. The inevitable drama of high school relationships became the errors in my play. What I thought were consistent strategies turned into misses. I’d failed to anticipate that with years of maturity, sometimes we outgrow even our best-matched doubles partners. A breakup with my first serious boyfriend as well as a long-term friend, felt like I’d lost my footing and that I’d never get it back. Double fault. Score: 3-4. It was then that I glimpsed my parents in the stands. My life-long pillars of support, from year one to sixteen. They’d never missed a match. Their endless sacrifices, their unyielding love, and their constant support meant that I had the best coaches of all. Cheering me on, their voices rose above my negative self-talk. Inspired, I turned my internal struggles into external wins. Not for myself this time, but for others. Joining the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Student of the Year Campaign and raising over $50k for cancer research rejuvenated my belief in not only what I was capable of, but also what a year of life is worth. So, how did my match with my sixteenth year end? Spoiler: it wasn’t just about keeping score or even rallying through the highs and lows. Each point taught me something valuable. Something I’ll take with me into every year of life I’m blessed enough to have. I’ve come to realize that life, like tennis, isn’t about constant victories. It’s about recognizing your weaknesses, adapting your game, seeking out great coaches, and sometimes giving your opponent the benefit of the doubt. My sixteenth year served me love and loss, faith and failure. But let’s be real; the match is far from over. I’m ready for the next set.

Having the amazing opportunity in the previous years to be a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma: Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign, was truly an eye-opening experience. I have been a leading volunteer for LLS since 2022: first as a team member, then leading my own team for the Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign in 2023. The money raised during this campaign helps LLS, the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers, fund research to advance lifesaving treatments, drive advocacy for policies that protect patient access to these treatments, and provide patients and families with hope, guidance, education, and support. Growing particularly close with the designated hero from last years campaign was Elena, a courageous nine-year-old battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She fueled my passion to make a difference. Her love for dancing and singing left a lasting impact, but her illness showed me the harsh reality she faced. Under my campaign's leadership, I embraced new challenges with the goal of fundraising as much money as possible as I reached out to friends, family, local businesses, and large corporations for donations. Ultimately, Elena was the driving force that propelled me over the finish line as my team raised over $300K, giving to Elena and millions of others suffering from blood cancer. Our amount raised ranked my team, Mission to Remission, 1st in the state of Nevada and 4th nationally amongst 1000+ different teams. This journey taught me humility and the power of advocating for meaningful causes while also sparking my motivation and drive to do even more. Growing up in the state of Nevada, I have firsthand experience of the poor healthcare system. In addition to attempting to improve patient care along with LLS, I took the time to volunteer with Once Upon a Room. This organization has been one of my favorite volunteering opportunities since I work directly with young children and their families. Once Upon a Room decorates ill children’s hospital rooms, and the best feeling in the world is seeing a smile appear across their faces during such fearful and anxious times. Because of these opportunities, I want to use my experiences to support patients with their financial struggles as they travel to receive the healthcare they need and deserve. My passion is to find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma. One day, I aspire to live in a cancer-free world altogether where this illness no longer can harm anyone ever again.