Business or pleasure? I finished my schoolwork first, then wrote books. I followed this prioritization from 5th to 7th grade. I conquered fractions, located U.S. geography, studied rocks, and structured sentences; then, I escaped to writing about my fictional world. School came before work. However, lately, the line has blurred between the two. I work part-time as a CNA/ Patient Care Tech at Cartersville Piedmont Medical Center while attending Kennesaw State University full-time as a nursing major. My work has given me practical, hands-on experience. For example, while learning about anatomy at school, I transfer this information to work where patient diagnoses involve fractured bones, colorectal surgeries, organ failure, and more. By the time I graduate nursing school, I will already have a strong foundation in patient care. I know about patient comfort, medical terminology, documentation, aseptic techniques, healthcare workers, and hospital operations. In addition, my CNA training evolved my healthcare knowledge through class and clinicals, preparing me for nursing school. No matter my position, I give my all to my patients. My heart for nursing gives me the strength to wake up at 5 AM to get to work early and look at patients’ charts before I clock in. From my early start to staying past my scheduled end of a shift at 7 PM, or 1900 as we say in the medical field, my heart beats for nursing. The hardest part is leaving my patients because the hospital is open 24/7. After my shift is over, my patients are still there. Even after they are discharged from the hospital, they may continue to face health struggles, including chronic, lifelong illnesses. They are more than textbook examples for me. Working in Med Surg, I have seen many different patients, which has opened my eyes to the many avenues I can take as a nurse. I have an interest in labor and delivery or mother-baby nursing. My constantly moving nature draws me to the fast-paced setting of labor and delivery, but at the same time, the opportunity to educate new mothers and fathers pulls me to mother-baby. Sharing the joys of childbirth and helping parents navigate infant care would satisfy my passion for healthcare and education. As a children’s book author, I am also interested in pediatric care. I have inspired kids by speaking at elementary schools and kids’ camps, so I am well-versed in communication with kids. Regardless of my specialty, I want to continue growing my career by becoming a nurse practitioner. I am taking steps toward graduate school by studying chemistry and precalculus during my freshman year. Growing up, I separated the worlds of education and business, but I have realized that the two worlds build upon one another. Without schooling, we would not have trained professionals. Finding a balance between the two is needed. For example, being a working student can mean missing Student Nurses Association meetings to work. However, I do not see lost opportunities but different chances to grow. Now, I see how all experiences, even seemingly irrelevant ones, have culminated to form my identity. I learned customer service as a cashier and management skills as a hostess. Getting my books published taught me to turn dreams into realizations. As all professions gather to make healthcare possible, being integrative, dynamic, inspired, flexible, and full of experience helps me thrive in this work environment. So, business or pleasure? Since business and life pervade one another, I suppose that all life is either business or pleasure, and I am inclined to believe the latter.

Diligently, she worked at her sewing machine choosing the perfect fabric and using precision in every stitch. Once her work was complete, she brought it to the church for them to take on a mission trip. The 200 pillowcase dresses that she made were arrayed on appreciative girls in Africa. Surpassing her cancer, my nana gave to others. Every Christmas, my nana would gift each person in our extended family an elaborate, homemade gift. One year it was a small, highly detailed church model. Another year it was a hand-painted, wooden snowman as an outdoor decoration. She passed on the gift of giving to me. She helped me sew a set of kitchen towels to give to my mom. She also helped me volunteer creatively. I sewed fabric keychains to sell at my church market to raise money for a fundraiser. When my first book was in the process of being published, my nana was in a time of need. She was facing cancer for the third time. I saw this as an opportunity to finally give to her by dedicating my book to her as a moving gesture of my love for her. I want to continue giving to others. I plan to become an RN, and as a nurse, I will be able to help give the gift of life to my patients. A gift that I know the value of because my nana showed me the worth of a life well-lived. I want to encourage my patients to live their best life despite facing ill health. Even when she was physically the most in need of care, she continued to care for others who needed her wisdom formed by her life full of learning. One lesson she taught me was to get to know others. She did not just see the healthcare professionals who cared for her as staff. She formed relationships with those who cared for her at the hospital. I have undergone training as a CNA, and at my clinicals, I made sure to get to know the residents at the nursing home by helping them feel comfortable to open up to me. Being a nurse is about more than knowing how to do the necessary skills and understanding anatomy. There is another part that the textbooks do not teach you. It is also about being personal in caring for patients. My nana inspired me. She set an example for me. She read, painted, and sewed, so I followed her example and did the same thing. Reading led me to write 3 books that are all traditionally published. As an author, I have had the pleasure of speaking at Elementary schools and kids’ camps. When I am speaking to them, I always try to inspire them to read and write because reading and writing are foundations for learning in all subjects. They also are a way to express yourself and be creative. As a nurse, I plan to specialize in pediatrics so that I can keep working with kids and hopefully inspire them like my nana inspired me. I was honored to have my nana as a role model and to guide me. After she passed away, she kept guiding me because her death helped lead me to my decision to become a nurse. Even though I made my decision after she passed away, I know that she would be proud of me. I also know that I can carry on after her death and in my future career as a nurse because she gave me the strength to.

My brother must have thought that I was a ball because when I was four, he hit me in the head with a baseball bat. He didn’t mean to, but the memory of that event remains engraved in my brain. Before I could even think about it, the bat hit me. Like a baseball being hit by a bat, my writing career was launched by a single spark of inspiration to write a book. The words of my first book flowed out of my 10-year-old self with ease, and my book, Zoey’s Zany Life, was traditionally published by the time I was 12. When I was 12, I wrote a sequel called Zoey’s Zany Summer, which was also traditionally published. The titular character of my book series, Zoey, showed me life from a different point of view. While Zoey is sporadic and messy, I am organized and careful. Despite our different personalities, I found a way to bring out the best in Zoey as she undergoes growth in character while remaining true to herself. Throughout my life, I’ve been supported by people like how a baseball is caught and supported by players. My parents and friends have always supported me in my endeavors. Without their encouragement, I would not have been able to have three books published. A baseball can bounce a bit on its own after not being caught. However, eventually, it needs someone to pick it back up again for it to be used for its original purpose. I struggled when my nana passed away from cancer, and I tried to face it on my own. At first, I put on a brave face, but eventually, I confided in my friends and family. Their love and care picked me back up and helped me fully return to school and my extracurricular activities. After seeing the physical toll cancer took on my nana yet her perseverance out of the hope that she would get better, I was inspired to dedicate my life to nursing so that I can give patients hope. I have undergone CNA training, which has taught me to encourage patients to take action in their health while aiding them in doing so. In clinicals, I have groomed, repositioned, and fed patients all while learning more about their interests and families. Becoming an RN will allow me to continue connecting with patients, and it will give me the knowledge to discover more ways to improve patients’ health and self-esteem. I will bring out the best in my patients like how I brought out the best in my character, Zoey. As an author, I have had the pleasure of speaking at elementary schools and kids’ camps. I love encouraging kids to read and write. I want to continue supporting kids by specializing in pediatrics as a nurse. As a pediatric nurse, I will think through my patients’ points of view to see how I can best help them as they grow. Maybe my brother was right hitting me with a baseball bat. Maybe I am a ball: bouncing back and relying on the help of others. Maybe we’re all balls- different types of balls. Some are basketballs and can bounce back easily. Some are bowling balls and can’t bounce at all. As a nurse, I plan to help all kinds of patients bounce back to their normal lives and show them how vulnerability does not make them weak because people cannot be their best selves without other people. Every ball needs a team for it to be used properly.

My brother must have thought that I was a ball because when I was four, he hit me in the head with a baseball bat. He didn’t mean to, but the memory of that event remains engraved in my brain. Before I could even think about it, the bat hit me. Like a baseball being hit by a bat, my writing career was launched by a single spark of inspiration to write a book. The words of my first book flowed out of my 10-year-old self with ease, and my book, Zoey’s Zany Life, was traditionally published by the time I was 12. When I was 12, I wrote a sequel called Zoey’s Zany Summer, which was also traditionally published. The titular character of my book series, Zoey, showed me life from a different point of view. While Zoey is sporadic and messy, I am organized and careful. Despite our different personalities, I found a way to bring out the best in Zoey as she undergoes growth in character while remaining true to herself. Throughout my life, I’ve been supported by people like how a baseball is caught and supported by players. My parents and friends have always supported me in my endeavors. Without their encouragement, I would not have been able to have three books published. A baseball can bounce a bit on its own after not being caught. However, eventually, it needs someone to pick it back up again for it to be used for its original purpose. I struggled when my nana passed away from cancer, and I tried to face it on my own. At first, I put on a brave face, but eventually, I confided in my friends and family. Their love and care picked me back up and helped me fully return to school and my extracurricular activities. After seeing the physical toll cancer took on my nana yet her perseverance out of the hope that she would get better, I was inspired to dedicate my life to nursing so that I can give patients hope. I have undergone CNA training, which has taught me to encourage patients to take action in their health while aiding them in doing so. In clinicals, I have groomed, repositioned, and fed patients all while learning more about their interests and families. Becoming an RN will allow me to continue connecting with patients, and it will give me the knowledge to discover more ways to improve patients’ health and self-esteem. I will bring out the best in my patients like how I brought out the best in my character, Zoey. As an author, I have had the pleasure of speaking at elementary schools and kids’ camps. I love encouraging kids to read and write. I want to continue supporting kids by specializing in pediatrics as a nurse. As a pediatric nurse, I will think through my patients’ points of view to see how I can best help them as they grow. Maybe my brother was right hitting me with a baseball bat. Maybe I am a ball: bouncing back and relying on the help of others. Maybe we’re all balls- different types of balls. Some are basketballs and can bounce back easily. Some are bowling balls and can’t bounce at all. As a nurse, I plan to help all kinds of patients bounce back to their normal lives and show them how vulnerability does not make them weak because people cannot be their best selves without other people. Every ball needs a team for it to be used properly.

My brother must have thought that I was a ball because when I was four, he hit me in the head with a baseball bat. He didn’t mean to, but the memory of that event remains engraved in my brain. Before I could even think about it, the bat hit me. Like a baseball being hit by a bat, my writing career was launched by a single spark of inspiration to write a book. The words of my first book flowed out of my 10-year-old self with ease, and my book, Zoey’s Zany Life, was traditionally published by the time I was 12. When I was 12, I wrote a sequel called Zoey’s Zany Summer, which was also traditionally published. The titular character of my book series, Zoey, showed me life from a different point of view. While Zoey is sporadic and messy, I am organized and careful. Despite our different personalities, I found a way to bring out the best in Zoey as she undergoes growth in character while remaining true to herself. Throughout my life, I’ve been supported by people like how a baseball is caught and supported by players. My parents and friends have always supported me in my endeavors. Without their encouragement, I would not have been able to have three books published. A baseball can bounce a bit on its own after not being caught. However, eventually, it needs someone to pick it back up again for it to be used for its original purpose. I struggled when my nana passed away from cancer, and I tried to face it on my own. At first, I put on a brave face, but eventually, I confided in my friends and family. Their love and care picked me back up and helped me fully return to school and my extracurricular activities. After seeing the physical toll cancer took on my nana yet her perseverance out of the hope that she would get better, I was inspired to dedicate my life to nursing so that I can give patients hope. I have undergone CNA training, which has taught me to encourage patients to take action in their health while aiding them in doing so. In clinicals, I have groomed, repositioned, and fed patients all while learning more about their interests and families. Becoming an RN will allow me to continue connecting with patients, and it will give me the knowledge to discover more ways to improve patients’ health and self-esteem. I will bring out the best in my patients like how I brought out the best in my character, Zoey. As an author, I have had the pleasure of speaking at elementary schools and kids’ camps. I love encouraging kids to read and write. I want to continue supporting kids by specializing in pediatrics as a nurse. As a pediatric nurse, I will think through my patients’ points of view to see how I can best help them as they grow. Maybe my brother was right hitting me with a baseball bat. Maybe I am a ball: bouncing back and relying on the help of others. Maybe we’re all balls- different types of balls. Some are basketballs and can bounce back easily. Some are bowling balls and can’t bounce at all. As a nurse, I plan to help all kinds of patients bounce back to their normal lives and show them how vulnerability does not make them weak because people cannot be their best selves without other people. Every ball needs a team for it to be used properly.

In my high school healthcare class, we were given the seemingly unusual task to track everything that we ate for three days. We were instructed to not alter our eating habits for the sake of the project. We also had to track the macronutrients in the foods that we ate. Tracking my intake of macronutrients was an eye-opening experience for me. It required me to pay attention to and understand nutrition facts labels. Many people make the unfair assumption that consuming carbs is unhealthy. While I was doing my healthcare project, I noticed that carbs only made up around 25% of my diet. I discovered that the carbs should make up around 40% of my diet. This was shocking to me, because I had always assumed that carbs were unhealthy since they were usually portrayed as so. In my healthcare class I learned that carbs are used to keep us energized, and the brain runs mainly on glucose from carbs. I also realized that since I am a distance runner and run nearly every day, carbs help to keep my endurance up. It is important to me to live a healthy lifestyle because it allows me to partake in the physical activities that I love to do. I have remained active throughout my life by doing gymnastics, cheerleading, track, and cross country. Living a healthy lifestyle is also a huge part of my academic success. Exercise has been proven to positively affect a person’s mood. Exercise gives me the motivation to work diligently in other areas of my life, especially in my schoolwork. I want to become an RN, and as an RN, I will be expected to promote a healthy lifestyle to patients. In order to do that, I need to understand what a healthy lifestyle is, and the best way to do that is by living one myself. I also want to be a good example to patients, and by living a healthy lifestyle now, it will be easier for me to continue living one when I become an RN. It can be a struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle while in school. School requires most of my time and focus, which can make finding time to exercise a struggle. However, I overcome this obstacle by listening to educational podcasts while running. The medical podcasts I listen to help me study for my healthcare class. I am able to learn more information about health, and I learn the proper pronunciations of medical terminology, which helps me with my healthcare presentations. I also listen to podcasts about different U.S. presidents for my AP U.S. History class, which gives me an insight into the presidents’ lives. I learn about their personality and personal lives, which helps me understand their motives for their political beliefs. Health has always been a very important part of my life. The various sports I have done led me to focus on my health. I wanted to perform well, and maintaining my health helped me to. Since I took my school’s healthcare class, I have continued to learn more about health. This is a topic that I am very passionate about, and I want to dedicate my life to it by becoming an RN and keeping patients healthy.

My Grandma was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was four years old. I saw her fight for her life in her battle against cancer until she passed away when I was fourteen. When she died, it was hard for me to accept. Despite her unwellness, she was always resilient and overcame. It was hard to see a great woman like her finally surrender in her battle against cancer. She had meant so much to me. We were very close, and she had raised me while my parents worked. I was distraught after her death, but I continued to work hard in school and cheer to honor her memory. I knew that she would want me to stay strong, and I could because she had been an example to me of what it means to stay strong in a hard situation. She had breast cancer three times in a period of ten years, and after she had cancer the second time, she still took care of ten acres of property. She also gave back to the community by sewing over a hundred dresses that were donated to people overseas in need. I realized that she had not lost her battle to cancer. She had fought hard until her very last breath. She did not let her weakness, which was cancer, control her. Instead, she fought by resisting it and not letting it ruin her happiness or success. I wanted to keep fighting for her and wanted to find a way to do that. A few months after my grandma died, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. Prior to having appendicitis, I was taking biology at my school and was top of my class. However, I knew that I did not want to become a biologist, so I was unsure of how to apply my love of biology to deciding a career. My experience in the hospital sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I remembered visiting my grandma while she was in the hospital. She was usually surrounded by nurses and doctors who worked to help her. I decided to dedicate my life to helping people like her by becoming a nurse, because she had dedicated her life to helping others such as me, my family, and the community from her community service. I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway, and I am currently working towards completing it. I also joined my school’s Health Occupation Students of America organization. Through my school I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I love learning how science can be practically applied to understanding the human body. Connecting what I learn in biology and chemistry to my healthcare class is always a satisfying experience for me. Even though my grandma was not alive after I made my decision, I know that she is proud of me just like she was in everything else that I did. Seeing her struggle and her demise was painful to bear, but my perseverance guided me on my journey in life. I hope that I can honor her memory by becoming a nurse.

I wrote my first book when I was ten. Writing the book exemplified my perseverance, because it required me to not give up even when I had to rewrite certain portions or had trouble deciding the plot of the book. When the book was finished, I thought my work was done; however, finding a publisher at the age of ten proved to be a hard task as well. Many of the publishers whom I submitted my work to did not even consider me because they did not want to work with a child. I felt like my hard work was all for nothing, but I kept submitting my work until I found a publishing company that specializes in publishing books written by children. As a result of my perseverance, I was able to get my first book published. Since then, I have published two other books. The trait of perseverance is one that I learned from my grandma, who fought breast cancer for ten years until she passed away. She never let cancer control her. She powered through treatment with no complaints and retained as much of her lifestyle before she had cancer as possible. She remained active by walking and taking care of her garden. She stayed involved in church, because her faith was always the most important part of her life. Seeing her persevere through cancer is what drove me to persevere in my own life. My grandma was very proud of me for my perseverance in writing my first book and getting it published. She also was able to see the release of my second book. When she passed away a couple years ago, I was distraught and at first struggled to work hard in school and keep writing. Then I remembered how my grandma had lived her life and her perseverance. Even though she had passed, I wanted to continue persevering because I knew that she would have wanted me to. I did not let my grief prevent me from working hard. I did my best in school and wrote my third book. I know that my grandma would be proud of me. My grandma’s battle with cancer inspired me to decide to become nurse. As a nurse, I want to help other people persevere like she did. I have started preparing myself on the journey to become a nurse. I am finishing my high school’s healthcare pathway, and I am scheduled to take a CNA class this fall semester. I still have a long way to go on the journey to becoming an RN, but I know that I can persevere through. A hard part of being a nurse is seeing patients not make it. I am aware of this and have heard that this can deter people from becoming nurses. It will be hard seeing patients pass away like it was hard seeing my grandma pass away, but I will continue to persevere and do my duty by helping patients.

My Grandma was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was four years old. I saw her fight for her life in her battle against cancer until she passed away when I was fourteen. When she died, it was hard for me to accept. Despite her unwellness, she was always resilient and overcame. It was hard to see a great woman like her finally surrender in her battle against cancer. She had meant so much to me. We were very close, and she had raised me while my parents worked. I was distraught after her death, but I continued to work hard in school to honor her memory. I realized that she had not lost her battle to cancer. She had fought hard until her very last breath. I wanted to keep fighting for her and wanted to find a way to do that. During my freshman year of high school, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. Prior to having appendicitis, I was taking biology at my school and was top of my class. However, I knew that I did not want to become a biologist, so I was unsure of how to apply my love of biology to deciding a career. My experience in the hospital sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I was especially infatuated with the nurses I met. Their kindness and eagerness to address my concerns put me at ease and made me feel comfortable in the hospital. I realized how being a nurse would be the perfect career choice for me. I am a caring person, and I want my career to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Nurses dedicate their lives towards caring for others, and I want to join them in their pursuit for public health and individual patient care. I also want to dedicate my life to helping people like my grandma. Soon after I had appendicitis, I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway and am currently working towards completing it. Through my school I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I love learning how science can be practically applied to understanding the human body. Connecting what I learn in biology and chemistry to my healthcare class is always a satisfying experience for me. I want to specialize in pediatrics, because I want to instill a care of health in children. I want to help children be healthy while growing up so that they can continue to live a long, healthy life. Forming healthy habits at a young age has more long-lasting effects and teaching a new generation to live a healthy lifestyle one day leads to a generation of healthy adults who will pass down the lessons they have learned to other generations. Teaching children about health can also inspire them to pursue a career in the medical field. I love the curiosity of children and hope that I can satisfy some of it by sharing my knowledge with them.

My Grandma was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was four years old. I saw her fight for her life in her battle against cancer until she passed away when I was fourteen. When she died, it was hard for me to accept. Despite her unwellness, she was always resilient and overcame. It was hard to see a great woman like her finally surrender in her battle against cancer. She had meant so much to me. We were very close, and she had raised me while my parents worked. I was distraught after her death, but I continued to work hard in school and cheer to honor her memory. I knew that she would want me to stay strong, and I could because she had been an example to me of what it means to stay strong in a hard situation. I realized that she had not lost her battle to cancer. She had fought hard until her very last breath. I wanted to keep fighting for her and wanted to find a way to do that. I remembered visiting my grandma while she was in the hospital. She was usually surrounded by nurses and doctors who worked to help her. I decided to dedicate my life to helping people like her by becoming a nurse. Even though she was not alive after I made my decision, I know that she is proud of me just like she was in everything else that I did. Seeing her struggle and her demise was painful to bear, but my perseverance guided me on my journey in life. I hope that I can honor her memory by becoming a nurse.

During my freshman year of high school, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. Prior to having appendicitis, I was taking biology at my school and was top of my class. However, I knew that I did not want to become a biologist, so I was unsure of how to apply my love of biology to deciding a career. My experience in the hospital sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I was especially infatuated with the nurses I met. Their kindness and eagerness to address my concerns put me at ease and made me feel comfortable in the hospital. I realized how nursing would be the perfect career choice for me. I am a caring person, and I want my career to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Nurses dedicate their lives towards caring for others, and I want to join them in their pursuit for public health and individual patient care. Soon after I had appendicitis, I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway and am currently working towards completing it. I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I love learning how science can be practically applied to understanding the human body. Connecting what I learn in biology and chemistry to my healthcare class is always a satisfying experience for me.

During my freshman year of high school, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. Prior to having appendicitis, I was taking biology at my school and was top of my class. However, I knew that I did not want to become a biologist, so I was unsure of how to apply my love of biology to deciding a career. My experience in the hospital sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I was especially infatuated with the nurses I met. Their kindness and eagerness to address my concerns put me at ease and made me feel comfortable in the hospital. I realized how being a nurse would be the perfect career choice for me. I am a caring person, and I want my career to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Nurses dedicate their lives towards caring for others, and I want to join them in their pursuit for public health and individual patient care. Soon after I had appendicitis, I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway, and I am currently working towards completing it. I also joined my school’s Health Occupation Students of America organization. Through my school I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I love learning how science can be practically applied to understanding the human body. Connecting what I learn in biology and chemistry to my healthcare class is always a satisfying experience for me. I want to live up to my full potential, and nursing has many advancement opportunities. I am scheduled to take a CNA course through my school’s dual enrollment program. After I finish my course, I plan to work as a medical intern until I turn eighteen and can practice as a CNA while I attend college. I plan to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a registered nurse. As I work as a registered nurse, I plan to earn my master’s degree so that I can become a nurse practitioner. Becoming a nurse practitioner would give me more independence by having more responsibilities such as diagnosing patients and prescribing treatments. I want to specialize in pediatrics, because I want to instill a care of health in children. I want to help children be healthy while growing up so that they can continue to live a long, healthy life. Forming healthy habits at a young age has more long-lasting effects and teaching a new generation to live a healthy lifestyle one day leads to a generation of healthy adults who will pass down the lessons they have learned to other generations. Teaching children about health can also inspire them to pursue a career in the medical field. I love the curiosity of children and hope that I can satisfy some of it by sharing my knowledge with them.

During my freshman year of high school, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. This sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I realized that I wanted to become a registered nurse. I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway and am working towards completing it. I also joined my school’s Health Occupation Students of America organization. Through my school I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I am scheduled to take a CNA course through my school’s dual enrollment program. After I finish my course, I plan to work as a medical intern until I turn eighteen and can practice as a CNA as I attend college. I plan to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a registered nurse. I plan to specialize in pediatrics so that I can care for kids and foster their knowledge of health. As I work as a registered nurse, I plan to earn my master’s degree so that I can become a nurse practitioner and become more independent by taking on more responsibility such as diagnosing patients and prescribing treatments. Healthcare workers are hardworking individuals who dedicate their lives towards caring for others, and I want to join them in their pursuit for public health and individual patient care.

Losing a leg is unimaginable for most people, especially runners. However, through her fiction novel The Running Dream, Wendelin Van Draanen gives a realistic, relatable, and convincing account from the point of view of a high school runner named Jessica who lost her leg in a car accident. During Jessica’s recovery, important issues for amputees are addressed. For example, when Jessica secretly takes more pain medications that she is prescribed, her dad discovers this and takes her off pain medications so that she does not become reliant on them. The story also educates readers about prosthetics by giving an in depth look at them during Jessica’s appointments at a prosthetic office and her research on running blades. The book addresses the financial difficulties for amputees as Jessica’s family struggles with insurance companies over payment for a regular prosthetic, and her team works hard to bring in donations for Jessica’s running blade. At first, Jessica struggles to appear different from others, which is demonstrated when she does not want her picture in the school newspaper. However, to raise money for her running blade, she moves into the spotlight. She has a newspaper article written about her, and she is featured in a news segment. She realizes the value in being different as her perseverance inspires her classmate, Rosa, who has cerebral palsy. The book ends with Jessica running a ten-mile race while pushing Rosa in a wheelchair. As a runner myself, this story showed me a different aspect of the running community. While Jessica’s story is fictional, it is inspired by real athletes with disabilities. Her recovery is an inspiration to all, and her run for Rosa exemplifies how selfless actions can connect people together. Its heartfelt and encouraging message is what makes The Running Dream my favorite book.

A struggle for me early on in my junior year of high school was balancing my time between studying for my healthcare class and maintaining my own health through fitness and exercise. During a muscular system unit, I came up with a solution to my dilemma. I started to listen to medical podcasts while I ran. While I learned about the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction, I was able to contract my muscles as I ran. I pictured my actin filaments and myosin filaments sliding past each other. I continued listening to medical podcasts while I ran. When I studied the respiratory system, I pictured the gas exchange taking place as I took labored breaths to sustain myself as I ran. Even when I was not able to completely grasp a concept without a visual, I was able to familiarize myself with the medical vocabulary I needed. After I finished a podcast, I would watch a YouTube video on the topic for a visual aid. The YouTube videos would also talk about the topic so that I could listen to the information again. Hearing the medical terms correctly pronounced on podcasts and videos was instrumental to me correctly pronouncing them during healthcare presentations in class. Podcasts became a huge time saver for me, and I started to use them to study for my AP US History class as well. I found a podcast that had episodes each focusing on an individual president. The episodes did not just focus on their politics; they also talked about presidents’ personal lives. The episodes brought the presidents to life and learning more about their different personal lives helped me differentiate between presidents and helped me see the motives behind their political beliefs. Finding good podcasts saved me time and deepened my learning.

During my freshman year of high school, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. This sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I realized that I wanted to become a registered nurse. I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway and am working towards completing it. I also joined my school’s Health Occupation Students of America organization. Through my school I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I am scheduled to take a CNA course through my school’s dual enrollment program. After I finish my course, I plan to work as a medical intern until I turn eighteen and can practice as a CNA as I attend college. I plan to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a registered nurse. I plan to specialize in pediatrics so that I can care for kids and foster their knowledge of health. As I work as a registered nurse, I plan to earn my master’s degree so that I can become a nurse practitioner and become more independent by taking on more responsibility such as diagnosing patients and prescribing treatments. Healthcare workers are hardworking individuals who dedicate their lives towards caring for others, and I want to join them in their pursuit for public health and individual patient care.

During my freshman year of high school, I had a stabbing pain on the right side of my abdomen. This stabbing pain turned out to be a wakeup call for what I want to do with my life. I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had an emergency surgery called an appendectomy to treat me. This sparked my interest in the healthcare field by giving me the opportunity to see healthcare professionals in action. I was very eager to ask them questions about my condition and took great interest in their answers as well as the articles they gave to me to read. I realized that I wanted to become a registered nurse. I joined my high school’s healthcare career pathway and am working towards completing it. I also joined my school’s Health Occupation Students of America organization. Through my school I have learned about anatomy and physiology, first aid, and taking vital signs. I am scheduled to take a CNA course through my school’s dual enrollment program. After I finish my course, I plan to work as a medical intern until I turn eighteen and can practice as a CNA as I attend college. I plan to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a registered nurse. I plan to specialize in pediatrics so that I can care for kids and foster their knowledge of health. As I work as a registered nurse, I plan to earn my master’s degree so that I can become a nurse practitioner and become more independent by taking on more responsibility such as diagnosing patients and prescribing treatments. Healthcare workers are hardworking individuals who dedicate their lives towards caring for others, and I want to join them in their pursuit for public health and individual patient care.

Often children are disregarded or belittled because of their age. However, through experience, I have learned that children can do amazing things. When I was ten years old, I wrote my first book. My book was ignored by publishers, who did not want to work with a child, until I found a publisher who specialized in publishing books written by children. My book was the first one published by this publishing house. Having my book published allowed my voice to be heard, and it proved to those who read my book that a person can do great things at a young age. I was invited to speak to elementary schools about my book and I went to encourage kids to write their own stories. I showed them how my journey in writing had simply begun with writing short stories. The kids were eager to ask me questions, and I gave them sentence starters so that they could branch off and create their own stories. Since my book was published, my publishing house has published another book written by another child author and illustrated by children around the world. I attended the book signing for this book and felt blessed to have pioneered the way to getting a book published by this publishing house. Recently, I had the pleasure of releasing my third book at a local festival. I talked to many young girls and boys who felt inspired by my story, and I gave out information on how to submit work to my publishing house. Being an author has allowed me to inspire children to write. I want children to use their imagination and use a pencil and paper to explore infinity.

Often children are disregarded or belittled because of their age. However, through experience, I have learned that children can do amazing things. When I was ten years old, I wrote my first book. My book was ignored by publishers, who did not want to work with a child, until I found a publisher who specialized in publishing books written by children. My book was the first one published by this publishing house. Having my book published allowed my voice to be heard, and it proved to those who read my book that a person can do great things at a young age. I was invited to speak to elementary schools about my book and I went to encourage kids to write their own stories. I showed them how my journey in writing had simply begun with writing short stories. The kids were eager to ask me questions, and I gave them sentence starters so that they could branch off and create their own stories. Since my book was published, my publishing house has published another book written by another child author and illustrated by children around the world. I attended the book signing for this book and felt blessed to have pioneered the way to getting a book published by this publishing house. Recently, I had the pleasure of releasing my third book at a local festival. I talked to many young girls and boys who felt inspired by my story, and I gave out information on how to submit work to my publishing house. Being an author has allowed me to inspire children to write. I want children to use their imagination and use a pencil and paper to explore infinity.

The C in credit card stands for controlling. Credit card companies control their cardholders by profiting off their cardholders’ plunge into debt. It is important that people interested in getting a credit card fully understand what owning a credit card entails before they decide to get one. Credit cards can seem enticing. They allow cardholders to use money they do not have by purchasing goods or services on credit. However, if a cardholder does not pay the full balance, the balance will become larger because of interest charges. Cardholders only need to make a minimum monthly payment to keep their credit card. This allows credit card companies to profit off interest from a larger balance. Credit card companies also use a tactic called universal default, which is where they charge higher interest rates because a cardholder does not make the minimum payment, or they miss or make a late payment on an unrelated credit product. Credit card companies further deceive cardholders by making contracts long and hard to understand. There has been an effort to try to resolve this issue through implementation of policy to make contracts shorter and at a lower reading level. However, the effects of these policies have been minimal, and contracts are still too difficult for most cardholders to understand. College students are a prime target for credit card companies because they usually do not have much money to spend and are less likely to understand how credit cards work. Understanding how credit cards work can keep cardholders from being deceived and thus out of debt. Therefore, learning how credit cards work is an important lesson, especially for college students. I choose not to own a credit card until I need to and stick to debit, because I only use money I have.