I am a brand new graduate of Taunton High School in Taunton, Massachusetts. I entered kindergarten speaking only Russian and was in the ESL program until third grade. But I have always been a hard worker and accepted academic challenges head-on by taking honors and AP classes whenever possible. At graduation, I am ranked 36 out of 487 graduating seniors in Taunton High and my weighted GPA is 4.56. I achieved High Honor or Honor Roll every term and have been a member of the National Honor Society since 2021. While academic education is my interest, performing arts and music are my passions. I have been dancing recreationally and competitively at On The Barre Dance Studio since I was seven, and I get to share my love for dance with 3-5-year-old dancers as an assistant teacher. Eight years ago, I joined the Taunton Schools Band Program, which, in addition to musical skills, teaches the value of dedication and teamwork. To help ensure the program’s continued success, I became one of the founding members of the Band Council. For the last year, I led the Panels Team within it, encouraging middle school band students to play through high school. As a member of the Mentorship Program, I privately tutor and mentor middle school students, helping them improve as musicians and gain a better appreciation for music. Earlier this summer, we had a combined mentor/mentee concert. As I sat next to my mentees and performed difficult musical pieces with them, I realized how much they had improved in the last year and it filled me with joy incomparable to anything else. I want to spend the rest of my life mentoring, encouraging, and empowering children to become the best versions of themselves. I believe that when kids are encouraged not to be afraid to try new things at an early age, they grow into self-confident, creative, motivated, open-minded adults. This belief is based on my own experience. When I was a shy ten-year-old at a local community theater summer camp, trying to break out of my shell and find my voice, a choreographer named Meaghan Noel helped me overcome my anxiety. She encouraged, motivated, and gently pushed - just what I needed! Meaghan is my role model and my inspiration, more so because her life was cut short at 22 in a tragic car accident. Since then, I have been trying to follow in Meaghan’s footsteps. Every time I see a child take a risk, try something new, or step outside their comfort zone, I want to believe that I honor Meaghan’s memory, positively impacting one life at a time, the way she impacted mine. I just accepted an offer of admission from Boston University’s College of General Studies. There, I will initially focus on interdisciplinary studies and then will be able to design a unique educational path to best fit my interests. The BU CGS program exposes students to a wide range of disciplines and helps build critical thinking and communication skills while encouraging questioning of assumptions - a dream come true for me! After college, I see many possibilities for my future. The possibility of becoming a language pathologist or a speech therapist, working with children, is prominent among my prospective career options. One of the recent developments in treating communications disorders is the use of Music Therapy. I believe formal music education, coupled with my other academic interests will form the basis of my future profession. I cannot wait to get started!

One of my greatest passions is mental health advocacy and one of my goals in life is to help raise mental health awareness. My passion stems from my childhood and a long-standing disagreement I have with my family. Although I love my family very much, we don’t see eye-to-eye on the subject of mental health. My family is from the former Soviet Union, where mental health issues were considered weaknesses. “Suck it up and deal with it” was a common remedy for depression. Too frequently, I felt that we did not understand each other. Then, when I was seven, I met my half-brother, who was two then. My dad warned me that he was “different.” He had problems communicating and learning basic tasks. While he had the necessary help, my family never discussed it or called it what it was - autism. As a child, I had more questions than answers, so when I got older, I became passionate about mental health. I researched autism and how to best help my brother. I began advocating for mental health. I joined the Our Minds Matter mental health awareness club in school. I am working on finding my voice in discussing this subject with my family and bridging our communication gap. I recently accepted an offer of admission from Boston University’s College of General Studies. Through the BU CGS program, for the first two years of my college experience, I will be focusing on interdisciplinary studies, while taking classes toward my future major, which I will declare at the end of my sophomore year. The interdisciplinary curriculum supplements in-class learning with out-of-classroom experiences. For the next two years, I will be in an environment that provides a strong educational foundation while exposing students to a wide range of disciplines, allowing them to build critical thinking and communication skills, and encouraging them to question assumptions - a dream come true for me! The program concludes with a Capstone Project, which is an independent research project focused on solving real-world problems. I hope to work on a project which will help raise mental health awareness. After the completion of the program, I will spend the remainder of my two years at BU fulfilling my chosen concentration requirements. I have diverse academic interests ranging from performing arts and theater, to psychology to early childhood education. Since this combination does not fit the mold of a traditional major, I may need to design one, merging my interests to create a potentially unique career path. This summer I will have the first meeting with my academic advisor to talk through my options. Together we will design a plan that will allow me to reach my educational goals. After college, I see many possibilities for my future. Because of my brother, one discipline of particular interest to me is Communications Disorders, which covers several points on my “interests spectrum.” As I worked with my brother to achieve goals and conquer milestones, I realized that the joy of seeing him succeed is incomparable to anything else. After college, I hope to work with children, as a language pathologist or a speech therapist. One of the recent developments in treating Communications Disorders is the use of Music Therapy. In college, I plan to minor in music. I believe formal music education, coupled with my other academic interests will form the basis of my future profession. There may be many other possibilities for me - my future, my profession - as yet unknown. I am looking forward to discovering them at Boston University. I am so excited to dive in!

My favorite test preparation technique involves creating “cheat sheets.” It started when the teacher allowed us to bring in one page of notes in one of my classes for the final exam. That’s it. The entire year of learning condensed into one page. It could contain anything. The only rule - it had to be hand-written and had to fit on one page. I was over the moon! It meant I did not have to remember anything. As long as I wrote it small enough, I could just fit it on the page and I would be all set. Unfortunately, as I started writing, I quickly realized that a single page is not that much space. When I copied about half of all the information I wanted to add, I ran out of room. I realized I had to be strategic about using it. So, I went through my material and identified sections that definitely needed to be added to my page. The second time around, I was able to fit maybe 75% of the information. The third time was the charm. After paraphrasing, abbreviating, and positioning, I could fit everything I intended. I studied my “cheat sheet.” I highlighted and underlined. I knew exactly which corner of the paper referred to which section of my notes. In the end, during the test, I referred to my “cheat sheet” exactly once. While writing and rewriting the information, I realized that I actually managed to learn the material very well. Since then, “cheat sheeting” has become my favorite test preparation technique. Right before the test, I look over my “cheat sheet” several times, then put it away, and confidently walk in to take my test.

One of my greatest passions is mental health advocacy and one of my goals in life is to continue to raise mental health awareness. My passion stems from my childhood and a long-standing disagreement I have with my family. Although I love my family very much, we don’t see eye-to-eye on the subject of mental health. My family is from the former Soviet Union, where mental health issues were considered weaknesses. “Suck it up and deal with it” was a common remedy for depression. Too frequently, I felt that we did not understand each other. Then, when I was seven, I met my half-brother, who was two then. My dad warned me that he was “different.” He had problems communicating and learning basic tasks. While he had the necessary help, my family never discussed it or called it what it was - autism. As a child, I had more questions than answers, so when I got older, I became passionate about mental health. I researched autism and how to best help Nicolas. I began advocating for mental health. I joined the Our Minds Matter (mental health awareness) club in school. I am working on finding my voice in discussing this subject with my family and bridging our communication gap. I just accepted an offer of admission from Boston University’s College of General Studies. Through the BU CGS program, for the first two years of my college experience, I will be focusing on interdisciplinary studies, while taking classes toward my future major, which I will declare at the end of my sophomore year. The interdisciplinary curriculum supplements in-class learning with out-of-classroom experiences. For the next two years, I will be in an environment that provides a strong educational foundation while exposing students to a wide range of disciplines, allowing them to build critical thinking and communication skills, and encouraging them to question assumptions - a dream come true for me! The program concludes with a Capstone Project, which is an independent research project focused on solving real-world problems. I hope to be able to work on a project which will help raise mental health awareness . After the completion of the program, I will spend the remainder of my two years at BU taking classes towards my chosen major. In June, I will have the first meeting with my academic advisor to talk through my options, and together we will work out a plan of action that will allow me to reach my educational goals. After college, I see many possibilities for my future. Because of my brother, I became interested in Communication Disorders. Although I have diverse academic interests ranging from performing arts and music to psychology and early childhood education, watching my brother succeed in achieving goals and conquering milestones, brought me joy incomparable to anything else. After college, I hope to work with children, possibly as a language pathologist or a speech therapist. I also want to minor in music, so I plan to explore Music Therapy as a potential career path. I will continue advocating for mental health in college and beyond, raising awareness and inclusivity in the community.

One of my greatest passions is mental health advocacy and one of my goals in life is to continue to raise mental health awareness. My passion stems from my childhood and a long-standing disagreement I have with my family. Although I love my family very much, we don’t see eye-to-eye on the subject of mental health. My family is from the former Soviet Union, where mental health issues were considered weaknesses. “Suck it up and deal with it” was a common remedy for depression. Too frequently, I felt that we did not understand each other. Then, when I was seven, I met my half-brother, who was two then. My dad warned me that he was “different.” He had problems communicating and learning basic tasks. While he had the necessary help, my family never discussed it or called it what it was - autism. As a child, I had more questions than answers, so when I got older, I became passionate about mental health. I researched autism and how to best help Nicolas. I began advocating for mental health. I joined the Our Minds Matter (mental health awareness) club in school. I am working on finding my voice in discussing this subject with my family and bridging our communication gap. I just accepted an offer of admission from Boston University’s College of General Studies. Through the BU CGS program, for the first two years of my college experience, I will be focusing on interdisciplinary studies, while taking classes toward my future major, which I will declare at the end of my sophomore year. The interdisciplinary curriculum supplements in-class learning with out-of-classroom experiences. For the next two years, I will be in an environment that provides a strong educational foundation while exposing students to a wide range of disciplines, allowing them to build critical thinking and communication skills, and encouraging them to question assumptions - a dream come true for me! The program concludes with a Capstone Project, which is an independent research project focused on solving real-world problems. I hope to be able to work on a project which will help raise mental health awareness . After the completion of the program, I will spend the remainder of my two years at BU taking classes towards my chosen major. In June, I will have the first meeting with my academic advisor to talk through my options, and together we will work out a plan of action that will allow me to reach my educational goals. After college, I see many possibilities for my future. Because of my brother, I became interested in Communication Disorders. Although I have diverse academic interests ranging from performing arts and music to psychology and early childhood education, watching my brother succeed in achieving goals and conquering milestones, brought me joy incomparable to anything else. After college, I hope to work with children, possibly as a language pathologist or a speech therapist. I also want to minor in music, so I plan to explore Music Therapy as a potential career path. I will continue advocating for mental health in college and beyond, raising awareness and inclusivity in the community.

I am fortunate - my town has an amazing Band Program. Almost everyone joins the band in fifth grade, so I joined too. I picked the clarinet. The instrument wasn’t too big or too small, so I picked it. I treated joining the band as an experiment: If I like it - great, if not - no loss. Eight years later, days away from graduation, I am still in the band. The journey wasn’t always smooth. Although I always loved playing, for years band was primarily a hobby for me. I gained a new appreciation for it when I joined the Symphonic Band in tenth grade. In truth, I was not ready to progress to the Symphonic Band level, but I had a scheduling conflict. Since I wanted to stay in the program, I convinced the band director to let me try. The experience was both humbling and inspiring. I was not prepared for the level of talent of my fellow students that I was now expected to match. Faced with the reality that I was, what felt like, miles behind everyone else, I had to practice almost non-stop to start playing well enough to belong. I improved much quicker than I thought possible. Hearing myself play exactly as a Symphonic Band musician should, made me feel amazing. In the last eight years, I gained a life-long appreciation for music and learned the value of dedication and teamwork. I now know what it means to push myself and what to do outside my “comfort zone.” In college, I plan to minor in music. I am considering studying Communication Disorders as a major and a potential career in Music Therapy. I hope to turn my passion into my livelihood, all thanks to my Band Program.

Growing up, English was my second language. I barely spoke to anyone at school and was extremely shy. It changed when my mom signed me up for a summer camp at a local community theater. She heard that the staff there did wonders for painfully shy kids like me. I was terrified, but I need not have worried. The staff lived up to their professional reputation and it became my dream to one day join them. I wanted to help other children feel the same elation I felt when no longer burdened by shyness. At 14, I was offered an internship and then a choreography position. I worked with elementary school students and was thrilled that my dream had come true. Suddenly, just like that, my run as a staff member ended. I was not invited to return the following year. To this day, I do not know what went wrong, and it broke my heart. I was saved by dance. I have been dancing since I was seven, both recreationally and competitively. After losing my theater job, I was determined to give the dance team my all. I joined more classes, learned new styles, and began working with preschoolers as a teaching assistant. Last year, at our annual banquet, I was honored to receive the “Team Leader” award. In ninth grade, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of high school. And then I didn’t. I had recovered, refocused, rebuilt. During the pandemic, the theater closed. The community, my family included, banded together and helped it reopen. I recently reached out to the management team. They were warm and welcoming. I feel that although the old wound may never fully heal, this experience helped me grow as a person. Ultimately, I am grateful for it

“Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe." Steven Spielberg In March 2020 the world came to a screeching halt when the quarantine due to the Coronavirus pandemic was announced. I was more fortunate than most - my family was safe, we had enough space in the house to spread out, and we did not lack food or resources. And yet, those ten weeks of the UNKNOWN were some of the scariest and most difficult of my life. I had to find little pockets of happiness in the world of uncertainty and fear. One of those pockets became the music of John Williams. More specifically, “Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. John Williams is one of my favorite composers. Most of his music contains clarinet parts and I very much enjoy playing his sometimes whimsical, sometimes disquieting, but always exciting and brilliant music. “Harry’s Wondrous World” represents the idea that miracles happen every day, that everybody can find their place in the world, and that even when you feel utterly alone, there are always people who will uplift you and see you through. It serves as a reminder that no matter how difficult your current situation may be, there are always better days ahead. When I played it on repeat in early 2020, I had no trouble picturing happier days, which kept me going. Even now, in the moments of doubts and uncertainty, I play it and it unfailingly helps me get through difficult patches; it inspires me to persevere and to look towards the future with hope and excitement.

“For me, a stained glass window is a transparent partition between my heart and the heart of the world.” Marc Chagall Three years ago, I came to Chicago for the first time for a family wedding. I had an intense few weeks at a theater camp, where I had to supervise thirty energetic kids between the ages of seven and ten, for nine hours per day, five days a week. So, coming on this “vacation,” my plan was mostly to eat, sleep, and spend time with my cousins, many of whom I just met for the first time. My family had other plans. Against my will, I was dragged to the Art Institute of Chicago to “soak in some culture,” as my mother put it. And soak it in, I did. The piece of art that stopped me in my path was the “America Windows” by Marc Chagall. Six panels of stained glass windows in the most beautiful shades of blue. They were huge and overwhelming but also inviting. I spent what felt like hours staring at them. I found parts depicting various art forms and the pictures in the panels resonated with my heart. “The Windows” gave me a glimpse into another dimension - another human’s soul that understood so well the culture of my ancestors - Jewish emigres from Belarus. The pictures of music, dance, and theater are almost primitive, but they are also so real… I believe that day I realized that beauty in art, music, and dance doesn’t come from skill, although skill is important. It comes from expression, from the heart, from love. Now, when I dance or play music, I feel that expression. Ultimately, I believe that the seed for my decision to minor in music was planted on that August day in Chicago.

“You Can't Buy Happiness But You Can Buy Tap Shoes” Anonymous When I was younger, I was “verbally challenged.” It was mostly because I grew up speaking Russian until the age of five. My parents had this idea that I will pick up English once I go to school, but if I grow up speaking Russian, I will always be able to understand another language. In hindsight, they were right, but I didn’t see it their way when I first entered kindergarten not speaking a word of English. I spoke with an accent, which made me incredibly self-conscious, so I hated talking. To break me out of my shell, my mom signed me up for dance classes when I was seven years old. I loved it! Pliés, pirouettes, pretty poses. And best of all, no talking required. My favorite dance style was, is, and will always be tap. Whether it’s the rhythm, the energy, or the music - something about tap makes me incredibly happy. When I tap, I feel like I am speaking with my feet, and somehow, everyone understands. Yes, I am one of those people who walk into a room with a nice floor and think how fun it would be to tap on it My very last dance team competition was a few weeks ago. We tapped to “Grease.” In a dance competition, you always know you did well when an entire audience claps (not just your parents and teammates). We received the “Sheer Energy” judge’s special award - what a finish! Of course, I won’t be hanging up my tap shoes after graduation. I will continue tapping through college and beyond. I am excited to continue to improve and to find new floors to tap on.

When I saw this essay prompt, I thought: “This will be the easiest essay to write.”. After reading so many books, it should be pretty simple to choose one to write about, right? Wrong! In the end, I decided to write about the very first book that I stayed up through the night reading. The book I kept returning to in my mind months after turning in my final paper on it. I am pretty sure every school-aged kid in America has read this book. And yet… Today I want to write about Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. My parents grew up in the Soviet Union and when I was young I heard stories about censorship and persecution. I remember thinking: “What’s the big deal? So you can’t read certain books, but aren’t there plenty of others?” Somehow, as I started reading Fahrenheit 451 in tenth grade, I had an epiphany - I understood what my parents were talking about. Not sure why, but suddenly, I was able to imagine the world without books. A world where free thinkers are persecuted and institutionalized. The scariest thought of all - this world exists now. Today. There are plenty of countries in the world where this type of existence is a reality. As much as we like to think that our society is so far removed from the dystopian reality of Ray Bradbury’s world, it is so much closer than we realize. The only way to combat ignorance and darkness is to spread knowledge and support the free exchange of ideas. This was my takeaway from Fahrenheit 451. This book inspired me to read, learn, try harder, and fight for my beliefs - to do my small part to make sure in the future books are respected and firemen put out fires.

I grew up in a household where LGBTQ+ rights were a given. My sister identifies as LGBTQ+ and it is very natural for my mother and me to be supportive of her. Outside of my home, I have also always been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. One place I always felt safe was my dance studio. I have been a part of this studio for the last eleven years, dancing both recreationally and competitively. Most of my teammates I have known for years and I always felt like all of us were on the same page regarding LGBTQ+ advocacy. Recently, however, I noticed that one of the members of the junior competition team posted content on social media that made me extremely uncomfortable. She was posting that she did not support same-sex relationships and found them “weird.” Some of my closest friends on the team are part of the LGBTQ+ community, including my own sister, so I knew that I had to step in. I alerted the studio staff of my observations and with the support of my LGBTQ+ friends, we initiated a frank conversation about inclusion, as a team. It happened to be the most effective tactic, because, without calling anyone out, we were able to discuss different perspectives and share points of view. The team member in question was very young and she was mainly reposting content she did not fully understand. She was mortified that she unintentionally posted so many things that were so hurtful to her friends. This conversation was also a warning to the younger (and the older) team members about the dangers and pitfalls of social media and irresponsible posting. This incident, although uncomfortable, reconfirmed for me the importance of speaking my mind and calling out intolerance whenever and wherever it appears.

“There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.” Vicki Baum “Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music.” William Stafford I started dancing when I was seven years old. On the first day of my first class, I was greeted by Miss Samantha, a high school senior - our teaching assistant. She was so patient and poised and danced so beautifully! She immediately became my role model – I was so fascinated by her! Fast-forward eight years. I am Miss Michelle, greeting three-year-olds on their first day of our “Twinkle Toes” dance class. Right away, I fell in love with working with kids. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, when I get to spend time with our littlest dancers, are the best parts of my week. My favorite part is that the kids teach you to expect the unexpected and don’t think about scary things like tests or jobs. I know that even the toughest days will immediately turn around when I see them. The best part of class is “circle time.” We start by picking a place to fly to during the butterfly stretch. Most days, we “visit” Disney World, but Unicornland, Candyland, and Santa’s Village are also popular destinations. There, we go fishing by touching our toes and then sharing what we “catched” (I usually catch a jellyfish, but sometimes I’ll spice it up and catch a seahorse). The kids get excited by the littlest things and work so hard! I love seeing how much they grow and change every week. I am intensely grateful to be a part of their lives. On a different note, I met Miss Samantha’s baby boy, Matthew, a few months ago. Rumor has it he is planning on joining dance when he is old enough!

“He who is forewarned is forearmed.” Proverb I have always been a procrastinator. I have been leaving everything until the last minute and it worked pretty well for me over the years. Recently, however, I noticed that it has become much harder for me to maintain this habit. My classes are harder, the coursework is more time-consuming, and submitting an assignment is no longer a guarantee of a good grade. What is a guarantee, however, is that once I enter college, this problem will become so much more real. I always knew this in the back of my mind, but the realization “hit home” during my junior year when I started taking AP classes. I realized that if I were to maintain this habit, I would fail. Furthermore, beyond passing or failing, I realized that I want to be proud of my work, and giving myself enough time to thoroughly complete tasks is essential. Breaking bad habits is hard, but knowing what they are and understanding your own weaknesses is half the battle. Awareness is my chief weapon against procrastination. I am on the constant lookout for the tell-tale signs of procrastination creeping in. I am experimenting with creating schedules I know I can stick to, setting achievable goals, and rewarding myself for meeting them. Discovering methods and techniques to help me overcome procrastination patterns is an ongoing struggle, but I am motivated because solving this puzzle will be key to my future success.

I believe in leadership by empowerment. I am passionate about mentoring, encouraging, and empowering children to become the best versions of themselves. I believe that when kids are encouraged to not be afraid to try new things at an early age, they grow into self-confident, creative, motivated, open-minded adults. This belief is based on my own experience. When I was a shy ten-year-old at a local community theater summer camp, trying to break out of my shell, a choreographer named Meaghan Noel helped me overcome my anxiety. She encouraged, motivated, gently pushed - just what I needed! Meaghan is my role model and my inspiration, more so because her life was cut short at 22 in a tragic car accident. Since then, I have been trying to follow in Meaghan’s footsteps. At 14, I got an internship and then became a choreographer at the same community theater where I first met Meaghan. There, I learned some things about myself: I love working with kids, I am great at managing complexity, and most importantly, I am a natural leader. In theater, tech week, which leads up to the show, is the most chaotic time of production. All the things that could go wrong do. Everything is falling apart and it seems that there is no way the curtain will go up on opening night. Once I joined the staff, I would volunteer to “direct traffic” backstage. Organizing thirty seven-ten-year-olds is equivalent to juggling multiple objects on a moving train - awkward, frustrating, and slightly dangerous. Making sure that the kids know where to stand, when to come on stage, how to get off the stage without knocking over set pieces or their friends, all without forgetting their lines or dance choreography is an impossible task! I devised a system, involving numbers, colors, masking tape, words of encouragement or a stern talking-to as needed… It is incredible - watching the production come together in the end. Sharing the joy of the children walking out onstage for the bows to the sound of tumultuous applause. And then, as time passes, watching the same shy and awkward kids flourish and thrive is the joy incomparable to anything else. I believe Meaghan was a leader. Not the type of leader who commands or rules, but one who empowers and inspires. I strive to be a leader, just like her. I share my passion for dance with the three-five-year-olds as a teaching assistant at my dance studio, where I have been dancing both recreationally and competitively for 11 years. As a part of the Taunton Band Council Mentorship Program, I privately tutor middle school students, helping them improve as musicians and gain a deep appreciation of music. I volunteer with local foster families, tutoring children in mathematics and reading. Every time I see a child take a risk, try something new, step outside their comfort zone, I want to believe that I honor Meaghan’s memory, impacting one life at a time, the way she impacted mine.

Every year, February through April is my busiest time. Things are crazy! It’s dance competition season - whirlwind of rehearsals, critique sessions, choreography adjustments. It’s crunch-time at school. It’s the season for band concerts and theater shows. Our 3-year-old dancers in “Twinkle Toes” and “Happy Feet” classes get a little extra excitable, preparing for their first ever dance recital. Every year, I imagine taking a deep breath at the beginning of February, and not letting it out until the end of April. The way it came to a screeching halt in March 2020 was completely surreal. I felt totally adrift with my pattern interrupted. I still had a month-and-a-half worth of a deep breath in me! Was I supposed to let it out? Continue holding it? I did not know… As days turned into weeks, I realized that I had to find a way to help me stay hopeful. A small ray of sunshine. So, I created a positivity jar. Every day I wrote something that made me happy and put it in the jar. It was so satisfying! In the beginning, it was mostly little things, like going for a walk or rewatching Ratatouille on Disney+. Gradually, good news became bigger and then really big good news started rolling in! Holding dance classes outside after the police barricaded off sections of the parking lot for us. Being able to have a (socially distanced) birthday party in May. Hugging my grandparents after months on Zoom. Two years later, my positivity jar is pretty full. I enjoy the simple pleasure of taking out and re-reading a piece of paper I wrote last week. Or last year. When I begin to feel overwhelmed, I just put my hand into a positivity jar, take a deep breath… and then let it all out.

“Sometimes people come into your life for a moment a day or a lifetime it matters not the time they spent with you but how they impacted your life in that time” Unknown When I was younger, I was extremely shy. I did not speak any English growing up, so in school I avoided talking. It all changed when my mom signed me up for a summer camp at Applause Academy. She heard the staff there did wonders for painfully shy kids like me. She was right. Applause helped me overcome my shyness, and one staff member in particular - a choreographer named Meaghan Noel - transformed my life. She encouraged, motivated, gently pushed. Just what I needed! After camp ended, Meaghan went back to college. I was looking forward to seeing her at camp the following summer, but it was not to be.... Meaghan was killed in a tragic car accident in March of 2015. In Meaghan’s honor, Applause Academy founded a Meaghan Noel Performing Arts Scholarship Fund. At every show, crew members assemble gift baskets, run raffles, sell snacks to help contribute to the fund. I wanted to do more! My friend and I decided to organize a talent show to raise money for the fund. A month later, we co-hosted Applause Academy’s “An Evening of Talent.” That year, Applause Academy awarded scholarships to four high school seniors. Meaghan helped me discover the elation one feels when is no longer burdened by shyness. I want to help other kids feel that elation. I dedicate time to teaching, mentoring, and tutoring children. Every time I see a child take a risk, try something new, step outside their comfort zone, I want to believe that I honor Meaghan’s memory, impacting one life at a time, the way she impacted mine.

When I was younger, I was extremely shy. I did not speak any English until I was five, was in the ESL program at school until third grade, and spoke with an accent. So, I did not say much and kept to myself. When I turned ten, my mother signed me up for a summer camp at a local community theater. She heard the staff there did wonders for painfully shy kids like me and they did not disappoint. They were there for me when I was terrified and overwhelmed, encouraging and gently pushing me - just what I needed! At the end of camp, I signed up for the fall show and then kept coming back. With each show, my confidence grew. No longer burdened by shyness, I wanted to help other kids feel the same elation. At 14, I joined the staff as a choreographer, working with elementary and middle school children. Ever since I dedicate my time to working with children. I am passionate about encouraging, motivating, and empowering them to become the best versions of themselves. At my dance studio, where I have been dancing both recreationally and competitively for 11 years, I share my love for dance with three-five-year-olds as an assistant teacher. Through the Band Council Mentorship Program in my school, I privately tutor middle school students, helping them improve as musicians and gain a deeper appreciation of music. I volunteer with local foster families, tutoring children in mathematics and reading. Every time I see a child take a risk, try something new, or step outside their comfort zone, I want to believe that I am positively impacting lives the way my life was impacted all those years ago.

One of my greatest passions is mental health advocacy and one of my goals in life is to continue to raise mental health awareness. My passion stems from my childhood and a long-standing disagreement I have with my family. Although I love my family very much, we don’t see eye-to-eye on the subject of mental health. My family is from the former Soviet Union, where mental health issues were considered weaknesses. “Suck it up and deal with it” was a common remedy for depression. Too frequently, I felt that we did not understand each other. Then, when I was seven, I met my half-brother, who was two then. My dad warned me that he was “different.” He had problems communicating and learning basic tasks. While he had the necessary help, my family never discussed it or called it what it was - autism. As a child, I had more questions than answers, so when I got older, I became passionate about mental health. I researched autism and how to best help Nicolas. I joined the Our Minds Matter (mental health awareness) club in school. I am working on finding my voice in discussing this subject with my family and bridging our communication gap. I will continue advocating for mental health in college and beyond. Because of my brother, I became interested in Communication Disorders. Although I have diverse academic interests ranging from the performing arts and music to psychology to early childhood education, watching my brother succeed in achieving goals and conquering milestones, brought me joy incomparable to anything else. After college, I hope to work with children, possibly as a language pathologist or a speech therapist. I also want to minor in music, so I plan to explore Music Therapy as a potential career path.

Since fifth grade, I have been playing clarinet in the Taunton Schools Band Program. Although I have always loved playing, I viewed the Band Program as more of a hobby than a serious academic pursuit. I gained a new appreciation for music and the Band Program when I joined the Symphonic Band in tenth grade. In truth, I was not ready to progress to the Symphonic Band level, but I had a scheduling conflict. I wanted to stay in the program, so I asked the band director to let me try. Prior to joining the Symphonic Band, I was never truly challenged to become a good player until I met the talented young musicians who now became my classmates. The experience was both humbling and inspiring. Faced with the reality that I was, what felt like, miles behind everyone else, I realized that I had to work very hard to start playing well enough to belong. During the first two months, I practiced almost non-stop. As a result, I was able to improve much quicker than I thought possible. Hearing myself play exactly like a Symphonic Band musician should made me feel amazing. At the beginning of this journey, I was nervous that I would never be good enough to deserve the privilege of being a Symphonic Band member. This experience was valuable for me, as I learned not to quit the second I encounter a slight (or even a significant) challenge. I now know what it means to push myself and step outside my “comfort zone.” In the future, I know that I will encounter obstacles, but my success in Symphonic Band will serve as a reminder that the only way to achieve success is through hard work, dedication, and believing in myself.