I have read so many books in my life, at least 75 just this year. I have read many favorites, like the Infernal Devices series, Heartstopper, All My Rage, and many, MANY more. I have also read some books that I despise like Heartless, They'll Never Catch Us, and Warcross. (Yes, I do judge a book by its cover.) Reading has shaped so much of my life and helped me get to where I am today. It has been the backbone of my entire childhood education and has helped me grow into the adult I am becoming. If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, I feel I have no other choice than to say Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. Just the writing itself is so breathtaking. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to feel like they are not alone in this world. I read this book during a critical time in my life when I was finally getting comfortable with being bisexual. It validated my thoughts and worries and made me feel like I wasn't the only person questioning who I was and who I was raised to be. This novel also had a stunning historical aspect, allowing the reader to get a glimpse into 1954 San Francisco, and see the historical struggle for LGBTQ rights, the struggle we are still fighting against today. This book is truly essential for everyone, LGBTQ or not. I have been surrounded by books my whole life. My mom is a reading specialist so I grew up in a library. Even today, I spend most of my school day in the library hanging out with my librarian, Mrs. Wolski. On top of that, I work at my local library. Books like Last Night at the Telegraph Club have shaped me into who I am and who I want to become. Reading about strong protagonists has inspired me to follow my dreams of being a speech pathologist. Reading about LGBTQ characters like Cath and Lily has helped me with my own journey of discovering my sexuality. There is a whole world to be found in books and I have only touched the surface. Screw To Kill a Mockingbird or Lord of The Flies, Last Night at the Telegraph Club is the true classic.

I haven't played a Nintendo game in years, since my mom spilled iced tea on our Wii and broke it. Then as I started hanging out at my coworker's family's house, I got back into it thanks to her son, John. He is the biggest Mario fan I know and helps me to feel like I'm a kid again, giving me a nice break from college applications, scholarships, and everything else that comes with senior year. If asked about my favorite Nintendo game, I feel I have no other choice than to say Mario Kart. The most memorable memory I have of playing it was just a few weeks ago at my co-worker Mary's house. It was the day before my first day of senior year, the day before John's first day of fifth grade, and his sister Bonnie's first day of eighth grade. We played many rounds, each round rotating different vehicles and characters, for hours until dinner. The most iconic round was on the Squeaky Clean Sprint race course, obviously taking place in a bathroom. Mary had told us there was a shortcut, located in the toilet on the map, we just had to get ourselves to it. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. All my life, school and most other things came relatively easy to me so failure never sat quite right with me. Naturally, I was not happy about not being able to get Princess Peach into the toilet via motorbike. (I am aware of how ridiculous I sound, I'm trying to embrace it...) By the end of the round, I was in last place. Again. Even the AI characters meant to fill up the leaderboard beat me. I faced it with a neutral face, trying my best to play it cool even when I was disappointed with myself. It made me realize that after not playing Mario Kart in many years, I needed to lower my unreachable expectations for myself and give myself a little grace. I don't always have to win either since you can learn more from losing than winning anyway. I spent the whole next day stressed out from all this senior year stuff being thrown at me and wishing I was playing Mario Kart with the Laughlins, even if I couldn't find the shortcuts and got last place over and over and over. I learned that day to enjoy every Mario Kart race, even if you lose, because even if you go up one place you are still making progress. What you may perceive as "small" progress is still progress, even if you can't find the toilet bowl shortcut in the Squeaky Clean Sprint.

Netflix has always been one of my favorite places to go when I need something to watch. There are so many movies, shows, and more that fit whatever I might be in the mood for that day. There are sappy romantic movies or jaw-dropping fantasy / dystopian series that give me a needed distraction from the world around me. I can always do a Gilmore Girls rewatch every fall, a Never Have I Ever rewatch every summer break, or a Seinfeld episode every Saturday morning with my coffee thanks to Netflix. There are many different titles on Netflix that I could most definitely rant about for hours on end. Like everyone else, I would no doubt say the Umbrella Academy, Grey's Anatomy, Heartstopper, etc. But if I had to pick just one to discuss in this essay, I find myself with no other choice than to say The Young Victoria. It follows Princess Alexandrina of Kent, as she inherits the throne of England and becomes Queen Victoria following the death of her uncle, William IV. The movie shows her journey of becoming queen and tells the story of how she fell in love with Prince Albert. The movie is based on the real Queen Victoria but with a fictional twist. The movie has such a romantic and whimsical vibe and is truly so heartwarming. This movie has such well-rounded characters that even though live in another time, are very relatable and go through struggles that real people go through. The romantic aspect is also worth noting. It has the charm and sweetness of a Hallmark movie, without that gut-wrenching cringe. This movie truly makes you want to fall in love. (I know that sounds cringey too but I promise it's a good movie.) Other than the relatable characters and historical truth to it, the Young Victoria doesn't really have any connection to the real world, so it is a very welcome distraction to take my mind off school, work, or anything else that I need to get away from (even if only for 1 hour and 44 minutes.) It is a must-watch for anyone who dreams of falling in love, anyone who wants their voice to be heard, and for the feminists (trust me- this is better than the Barbie movie.) I will never stop talking about the excellence and beauty of the Young Victoria until the day I die, this movie is an absolute masterpiece and must be put on your watchlist immediately.

Watching The Office was a huge part of my childhood. It marked my transition from childhood to becoming a teenager. I watched it when I needed a good laugh or a good cry. I rooted for a Jim and Pam endgame, a Michael and Jan break-up, and for Angela's son to be Dwight's. The show has many relatable characters going through real struggles, like marriage difficulty, break-ups, and addiction, but with a comedic twist. I have always related to characters like Pam, Oscar, and Jim, especially Stanley on Pretzel Day. The character that I relate most to, however, is Pam. She starts off very shy and timid, afraid to speak her mind. As the seasons go on, she comes out of her shell and discovers who she is. She runs across hot rocks on the beach, tells Jim how she feels about him and speaks up about her desire to move to the sales department. Her journey of discovering herself reminds me of my similar experience going through high school. When I started at Frontier as a freshman, I had no idea who I was or what I wanted to do with my life. I was just going through the motions, and keeping all the things I wanted to say in my head, much like Pam in seasons 1 and 2. Now going into my senior year of high school, I know where I'm headed. I know who I am, what I like about myself, and most importantly I know how to make my voice heard. I know what I want to do: go into speech pathology, because of my own experience in speech with my cleft lip and palate. Watching Pam learn who she is and what she wants inspired me to do the same.

I am very picky when it comes to movies. If it starts to become too slow, too confusing, or clearly something that I won't like, I don't hesitate to leave the theater / turn it off. I also watch different movies at different times of the year. For example, as soon as September 1 hits, I'm putting on When Harry Met Sally, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, You've Got Mail, Gilmore Girls, and anything "fall" that I can think of. I have winter-time favorites too; like Last Christmas, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and of course, the best Christmas movie, Die Hard. There are also movies that I can watch anytime during the year (they're just that good) like the Young Victoria, the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, or any of the Star Wars prequels. My all-time favorite movie, however, that I can watch anytime, anywhere, any place, is Muppets From Space. I grew up watching the muppets so any of those movies give me a boost, but Muppets From Space hits hard as the kids say. So if I could only watch one movie for the rest of my life, I feel I would have no other choice than to say Muppets From Space. Every year, the night before the first day of school, I watch Muppets From Space. It helps me take my mind off of school, even if it's only for 1 hour and 27 minutes. It is a yearly tradition that always starts my new school year on a high note. This movie is so ridiculous and stupid but in such a good way. It is a welcomed distraction from the real world, similar to shows like The Vampire Diaries or Downton Abbey. One of the characters, Gonzo, is convinced he is well, from space. Hence the title. He is convinced his alien family is speaking to him through his ABC cereal spelling "R U There?" My favorite part is the opening scene to "Brick House" where all the muppets are getting ready together in the same frat-style house. Animal washes his hair in the toilet and someone walks in on Fozzie showering in his raincoat. It is truly a laugh-out-loud movie. When school or work or anything like that gets me stressed out, movies are my comfort. Muppets from Space specifically is my #1 emotional support movie. Some people might feel embarrassed to say it, but I say it with pride, I am a movie fanatic.

I haven't always been a natural musician. I played the violin from fifth grade to the beginning of sixth, but I was so stressed out during my summer lessons that I passed out and broke the violin in half. Safe to say that was the end of my violin days. In seventh and eighth grade, I had to take general music since I wasn't in any other music classes where I learned how to play "Riptide" by Vance Joy on the acoustic guitar. My older brother Jack has always been the guitarist, not me. I started playing the drums during my sophomore year of high school, I did 40 hours of yard work to work off a $600 drum set my dad bought me. I took lessons once a week for a year or two, but I wasn't really feeling it. I had trouble playing different parts at one time. Then when I got a job at the library, and I needed another school night free to work, I took that as my cue to call it quits. Most recently, I have been learning how to play the ukulele, since it is now available to check out at the library where I work. I really enjoy it; how relaxing and care free it is. (It's not too difficult either) Music has always been a big part of my life, through the various instruments I tried and the hundreds of songs I listen to per day. Especially when I drive, I am more relaxed if I have Caamp or Flipturn blasting through the speakers with my window down. Music is a part of my every day life and it has helped me to see the world through its lyrics. Songs help me to step into the shoes of other individuals and groups of people going through real struggles. "Charlie Boy" by the Lumineers puts the listener into the shoes of a family who's relative recently volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War. When I saw the Lumineers live, the lead singer Wesley Schultz said that this song is a true story, about his uncle. Songs like this give me a new perspective and help me understand things I did not quite know before. So much power lies between lyrics. You can learn a lot from songs, lyrics, even the notes and chords themselves, you just have to know where to look.

Volleyball used to hold a place in my heart. I played on my school's modified team in middle school, and privately with Niagara Frontier. It was a way to work out my stress, and to have a place to get away from everything that was bothering me. But soon enough, volleyball was the thing I needed to get away from. I was bullied on modified and made to feel like an outsider because of my skill set and different speech due to my cleft lip and palate. I played club at NFVB for three years, and was bullied on each team I played on. If I switched from a travel team to something more local, it didn't change a thing. For the longest time, I associated the sport with my experiences while playing it. I completed each season with a good attitude and a smile on my face (even if it was a facade), and then my last season was cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak. I used the quarantine time to bow out of volleyball, and as far away as I could get from NFVB. I'm not sure if it was one of the best or worst decisions I ever made. I miss volleyball, I miss the rush of an ace and getting to use my whistle and down-ref. But I knew I couldn't go back. As much as I wanted to try out for JV or varsity volleyball, all that I really looked forward to was the senior night, 4 years away. So I didn't try out, but I did find a solution where I could get a senior night. My junior year, last spring, I decided to try out for unified basketball as a helper. That was most definitely one of the best decisions I ever made. It was fun, got my heart pounding, and most importantly: had the inclusivity I was looking for but never found with volleyball. Playing on Unified helped me separate the people from the sport and make peace with volleyball. I'm sure I made my younger self jealous by playing on a team meant for people like us, with cleft lips, cleft palates, Down Syndrome, and other differences. Now this school year, I will get my own senior night, and more importantly will be able to help our players have a senior night and feel, for once, just like everybody else. I hope to bring this inclusivity with me to college, at Nazareth University, where I plan to participate in their Special Olympic programs and maybe even a volleyball club or local team.

After watching the first few episodes of season 1, I was definitely team Jeremiah. He was sweet and seemed to care about Belly more than Conrad did. Conrad had that "ooo look at me I am so dark and mysterious" thing going on, so obviously Belly and Jeremiah were the better option. As we got to see more of Conrad's true colors, I confess I was swayed to his side. He reminded me a bit of me actually, the way he holds all his anxiety and feelings deep inside and hesitates to let other people in. I especially related to his panic attack on Cleveland's sailboat. It is also as clear as day that Belly will always be in love with Conrad, so Jeremiah never had a chance to have Belly's whole heart, since part of it will always belong to Conrad. Then as I started watching the early episodes of season 2, the Belly and Conrad flashbacks solidified my viewpoint even more. I loved how he gave her his sweater, as that is such a cliche but good cliche boyfriend thing to do. Of course, the prom break-up was very on the nose, and broke my heart, but not as much as seeing what Susannah's death did to Conrad and Jeremiah. They both needed Belly, needed her presence to get through their shared pain. Belly should not have expected him to be there for her fully when she was not there for him fully. Their argument at the funeral was completely ridiculous. She needed to cut him some slack during that horrible time for not just her, but everyone touched by Susannah's kindness. I think that scene where Belly and Jeremiah get a flat tire on their journey to find Conrad is such a powerful metaphoric slap in the face to Belly when Belly realizes that through her drama with Conrad, she completely ignored her best friend Jere during the death of his mother. I think it was a well-needed wake-up call to Belly. So if the question is Conrad or Jeremiah, I say neither. Conrad has his own issues and mental health to deal with and does not need the extra stress that comes with Belly. Jeremiah is a good guy and does not deserve to be tossed around and flung back in a box like a used toy. Belly needs to work through some things herself as well like Susannah's death, her parents' divorce, and her upcoming senior year. I would have to say that I am "Team Belly".

I knew I wanted to be a speech pathologist since I was in third grade. I had just had an expander put in to prepare my mouth for my upcoming bone graft surgery on my cleft lip and palate, and I had to brush food off of it every day after lunch. I started using my speech teacher's bathroom to evade the mean girls in my class and their stares. I was so grateful for her because she made me feel seen; like I mattered to her. I knew then that I wanted to be that person for the next generation of speech kids. I wanted to be their Mrs. Daley. Mrs. Daley’s impact on me has led me down the path I’m on. She planted the seed for wanting to work with kids, working in a school, and speech pathology specifically. She helped me see the good in my situation. How I can use my experiences with my cleft to be there for students going through similar things. She still inspires me today. She inspires me to want to be just like her. With her help, I was able to have hope for the future. I want to pass that hope on to the next generation. I hope to do a lot of good in speech pathology. I had considered going to medical school, but I wanted the power to help without the ability to hurt: leaving speech the perfect field. I want to reach kids, to help them not just with their speech but with their mental health and self-esteem as well. I want them to know that they are not alone. I have been in their shoes and know through my own experiences exactly what they are going through and that they will be okay. I just recently had my sixth surgery. Six surgeries by 16 years old. I know this struggle first hand, of seeing the same seemingly heartless surgeons once a year while they prod and poke at my mouth and their residents watch me and take notes like I am an animal at the zoo. I know the struggle to make progress in speech, real progress, when my "D's" still come out as "G's" even after all these years. Why I still struggle to say and evade saying words that start with "L's". I have even thought of starting a teen support group so that people like me can join together and fight together and suffer together and heal together. I want to be there for future kids going through the same things I am going through now. I want to see a real change in the mental health of craniofacial kids. I want to make a positive impact in the speech pathology field and in the world. This is only the first step on a long journey to making a kinder world.

When I first heard the term “mental health” I didn’t think it was ‘real’. I didn’t think of it as anything important until I saw my cousin facing his bipolar disorder, saw my brother suffer through his senior year during COVID- his mental health hanging by a thread, and my own developing anxiety. I have seen firsthand the importance of balance between physical and mental health. As a high school student, the teachers that I’ve had that have actually payed attention to that aspect of their students are the ones that really make a difference. If you’re stressed, the good teachers won’t shove it under the rug. My history teacher during my freshman and sophomore years, Mr Fischer, opening up about his depression really made me feel heard and like I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. My eye opening to the world of mental health has made me see the world as it is, with no filter and nothing hidden. It has opened my eyes to people suffering that I had not seen before. I do see it now; I see this suffering in my family, in my friends, and in myself. But this discovery has also brought allies and friends that make me feel like I’m not alone even if I feel lonely or depressed or anxious. With this clear sight of mental health, I am able to be the Mr Fischer for them and help them through their issues and vice versa. Especially with my cleft lip and palate- and everything that has come with that (braces, expanders, 6 surgeries, etc), it has been hard to force myself to keep going to school every day when my peers are bullying me for my voice and assuming I am not intelligent due to my facial difference. I have thought of starting a teen support group for other teens with craniofacial differences to validate each others’ feelings and perspectives. If given this scholarship, I will prioritize my mental health and that of my peers. I want to make others feel heard like my role models have done for me. I will continue to advocate specifically for kids with craniofacial differences and how we can shine through adversity. I want to help kids that feel the same way I felt, stuck. Everyone has the potential to stand out and be themselves; and with the right support systems, they will be able to.