I remember starting high school and learning there were no clubs that I could join that involved Community Service. I wanted to be in service to a good cause, but I didn’t know where to go. So, Freshman year, I felt a little lost. The following year I tried out for my school’s track team, and made it. The girls on the team were really good. And I liked being a part of a well respected team, but I kept feeling like something was missing. I wanted to be a part of something bigger. Something that made a difference in someone’s life. One day at track practice, my Coach, who was also my Social Studies teacher, got frustrated with me. The team had been working on hurdles for a few weeks, leading up to a really important track meet at the Audubon Armory . And I was still struggling. Coach kept telling me I needed to stop being afraid, and to “...just get to the other side of the hurdle Lee!”. He shouted from across the field. But I was terrified of hurdles. Sick to my stomach, kind of terrified. My fear wouldn’t let me commit to a clean jump to save my own life. Out of the seven hurdles standing, I cleared one. If you counted the last hurdle I nicked with my back toe, just before falling flat on my stomach. It was embarrassing. My teammates all turned away as I gathered myself. After ending practice early that day, Coach asked me if I even wanted to be on the team. I didn’t know what to say. I just stood there with throbbing shins, scraped knees, and a bruised ego and started to cry. That evening, I went home, straight to my room and cried some more. I thought long and hard about what Coach asked me. And then it hit me. I was afraid because I didn’t have any other emotion to put in place of that fear. Fear was my default emotion whenever I was trying something new, or when I was being met with a challenge, but lacked the passion to take it on. It was then that I realized I never went into track practice with my team in mind. I only saw it as a task. There was a shift in my thinking. I began to see my team as individuals who wanted to succeed, just like I did. I started to have a reason to go to track practice, and work harder. I cared about the girls on my team, and I didn't want to let them down. I became more team oriented, by working on the skills that would contribute to us being stronger, and ultimately leading us to wins. Today, as an experienced Hemodialysis Technologist, those lessons I’ve learned about team building, and being led by passion and purpose have brought me to this point in my journey. Everyday I go into work, I make myself available to my team. Not only do I anticipate the needs of the patients, but I anticipate the needs of the Nurses and Techs. I listen to any the Nurse's directives that will help solve any problems that arise, and I feel comfortable to share helpful input that makes a Nurses day go smoother. Spring Semester of 2025, I will be starting my Pre-Nursing program, and I’m so excited. Fear no longer dictates my life’s choices. Being a part of a team, and having a passion will always triumph over fear.