have always had a servant's heart. My purpose in life is to help others and use the gifts God has given me to better the world. I am going to college to become a massage therapist. Not many people know about this profession or about how much they help people. It's true that massage therapists can work in spas and resorts but they do so much more. Being a massage therapist means I can help people recovering from car accidents, veterans, people who do hard work that is taxing on their body's, people with spinal and nerve conditions, and more. I can use the hands God gave me to help relieve some of the pain people feel and help them get back on track and live a more comfortable life. My dad has done a lot of laboring jobs such as construction, working on the railroad, being a mechanic, and much more. He works day in and day out to provide a good life for me and my family and it costs him dearly. There is nothing my dad wouldn't do for his kids but he hurts all the time. No kid wants to see their parents in pain. I want to help people and to give back to those who have given so much. After I graduate from college I plan to get some experience under my belt and then run my own massage therapy business. In doing so I will be able to achieve my entrepreneurial dreams and make my business the best it can be. I also want to give back to my community and inform more people of this kind of profession. I hope to be a roll model for others who want to pursue trades. When I was in the sixth grade I was stuck learning at a second grade level. Early on in my life I had some trauma and because of this it caused me to put school last. With everything going on in my life school just wasn't the first thing on my mind. When I found out just how far behind I was I was devastated. I wanted to give up but thankfully I had people in my corner cheering me on. I worked before and after school and stayed in from lunch and PE. When I graduated from 8th grade I not only caught up with my class I also scored the highest in the district on the written STAAR Test. The only way to overcome something is faith and hard work.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I grew up in a small town and got moved around a lot. Most of the time my dad was the only parent I had. I am the oldest out of five kids that live with me and three others that don't. My family and I never really had any money but I think that helped us to appreciate the little things a lot more. In school I participate in vocal. One of my favorite things to do is to go sing at the old folks home. We do this twice a school year. Once before Christmas and again before Valentine's day. When we pick our songs to sing we try to find ones that the residents might know. It is amazing what the power of music can do. A lot of the people at our old folks home have dementia. When we first walk in they seem to be distant and just out of touch with the world around them but when we start to sing you can see joy and life flood back into them. One resident in particular sang every single song with us ( sometimes louder than we did). It is always a moving performance for both the residents and us performers. I don't know for certain that they look forward to it but every school year the entire vocal class does. I have always had a servant's heart. My purpose in life is to help others and use the gifts God has given me to better the world. I am going to college to become a massage therapist. Not many people know about this profession or about how much they help people. It's true that massage therapists can work in spas and resorts but they do so much more. Being a massage therapist means I can help people recovering from car accidents, veterans, people who do hard work that is taxing on their body's, people with spinal and nerve conditions, and more. I can use the hands God gave me to help relieve some of the pain people feel and help them get back on track and live a more comfortable life. My dad has done a lot of laboring jobs such as construction, working on the railroad, being a mechanic, and much more. He works day in and day out to provide a good life for me and my family and it costs him dearly. There is nothing my dad wouldn't do for his kids but he hurts all the time. No kid wants to see their parents in pain. I want to help people and to give back to those who have given so much.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I have been through some of the worst things this world has to offer and yet I stand here today not because of my own strength but because of the strength God has given to me. As a little girl there have been several scary situations that I prayed to God and I saw him answer. I remember when I thought I was at my very lowest. I was a little girl who was being beaten, drugged, and starved yet I held no hate for my mother ( the abuser). I raised my baby sister and one day she was taken away and I was told I would never see her again. I fell to my knees crying out to God asking him for help because my heart couldn't take it. I suddenly felt all the pain in my chest and the lump in my throat vanish. My pain seemed to literally disappear. I know today that God knew I couldn't handle all the pain. I didn't hurt or feel anything but peace for a full week. and then my sister came back to me. I was saved from my abusive mother and sent to live with my bio dad who loved me very much. God saved my life and set me free of all my pain. As I think back to this moment it fills my eyes with tears. God didn't stop there he helped me with so so so much more and it is because of his love and his plan for me that I am here today writing this paper. Even when I was a little girl I wanted to help people. My dad has back problems and neck problems and is often in debilitating pain. Some days it's so bad he can't go to work and he will sleep for a full day. I am going to college to become a massage therapist. I will help people like my dad as well as veterans, people after car crashes or surgeries, farmers and people who have done back breaking work, people with scoliosis and more. I want to give back to others and help people with my degree. Life is hard enough but every little thing to help can mean so much. God gave me these hands and he is going to guide them to help others. I will live my life by him and in doing so live my life to the fullest by serving the people of this world.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I have faced a lot of hardships in my life. I was abused by my bio mom at a very young age, I saw my dad battle his alcohol addiction and win, and right now My step mom " the only real mom figure I've ever had" has decided she doesn't want to be my mom anymore. There have been struggles within each of these struggles and then some. Today I stand here not as someone who is broken but someone who withstood so much pain. I am strong and I know I will overcome these new struggles too. Growing up and even today I do not have much money. My dad never went to college. He dropped out in the eighth grade to help provide for his family. We haven't had much but we had each other and that has been more than enough. Because of the struggles I faced so early on in my life I was tossed from school to school and person to person like a hot potato. It was very hard to start school again and again. Finally when I got to high school I was stable enough to not move anymore. I have worked very hard in school and to hold myself together when life gets hard. I have been accepted into my dream college and I will be a first generation college student. Everyone in my life is proud of me for all I have done. I had to grow up really early in life and as I look at myself in the mirror I feel success knowing that I did it. I made it through those hard years and now I get to make my life one I want to live. I am thankful for the difficulties I have faced in my life. I wouldn't be who I am today without them. And I would also like to say that my pain didn't define me either. So I am both grateful and a where of who I am and how far I have come. I want to do my part to help others and sharpen my skills. There is so much the world has to offer me and having to work to open that door for myself makes everything mean so much more. Your background doesn't define you. It's the choices you make the dreams you chase and how you hold yourself as a person.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson and I have been able to make a positive impact on my community in a lot of ways. I am in a vocal class and every year we go sing at the old folks home in town. We sing for both Christmas and Valentine's day. We practice songs that they know and at the end we even ask for any requests. A lot of the people at our old folks home have dementia. When we first show up their faces are a bit blank but when they hear the songs they can remember the words. This one person in particular really struggled with his memory but when we started to sing he came alive and sang every single song with us. I am not ashamed to say that it brought tears to my eyes. Another thing that I have done in my community is pick up after a tornado. No one thought that we were going to have a tornado. We were just told we would have some strong wind which isn't abnormal for kansas. Our tornado sirens didn't go off when the storm hit but afterwards the radio was saying we did have a tornado. There were power outages, scared families, and debris everywhere. Once the Storm was over me and my family went outside to check on neighbors and pick up branches and stuff out of the roads. Everyone in town came together that day and it really felt like one big family. My school is very involved in our community. We all had a clean up day where each student participated in community service. I was happy to put in some hard work for our community. I swept, cleaned windows, and washed the bricks outside of the building. I swept till my hands got blisters but seeing the smile on peoples faces made every little bit worth it. I love my community and when I graduate from college I plan to come back here to start my own business and give back to my community. The impacts that I have made on my community might seem small but I know that they have meant a lot.``The desire to serve others is the highest impulse of the human heart and the rewards of such service are beyond measure."-Ganga Stone. I hope to continue to make a positive impact on others as my life progresses.

I have made a lot of achievements in my life but my greatest one would have to be getting caught up with my class. I struggled early in life with abuse. both mentally and physically from my biological mom and because of this My education was the last thing on my mind. When I got out of that situation and went to live with my dad we got me tested. When I was in the 6th grade I was learning at a 2nd grade level. From that day on I worked harder than I ever had in school. I stayed in during lunch, occasionally PE, Before, and after school to work and study. I felt this drive in me to be the best I could. By the time I was in 8th grade I had not only caught up with my whole class, I tested the highest on my writing STAAR Test. Not out of my grade out of the entire district. This is by far my greatest achievement. This taught me that the past doesn't define me and I have the choice to live the life I want to live. My goal is to graduate debt free and run my own business as a massage therapist. So far I have stayed completely out of debt but it has been a lot of hard work. None of my classmates understand what it is like to work 24 hours a week just to make enough money to pay for a college level class. I had to pay for this class to graduate highschool to be able to go to college. The simple things bring me so much joy in life and they give me the strength to get over the difficulties that come my way. Money isn't everything, it's the people you meet in life and the choices you make. No matter what struggles I may face in life, I know that I can get through them. I think that no matter where you come from you can do great things. I realized the potential that is inside of myself and strived to use that potential for something great. There is no hole too deep to climb out of. You just have to put down the shovel and start climbing. It can hurt. You will make mistakes and get dirt under your nails, you may have restless nights where you work yourself to the bone. but once you're out you can look back at how far you've come and understand how strong you are and know that you are capable of greatness.

There have been a lot of hardships in my life. Ones that have cut me to my core. Ones I still feel it to this day. When I was in the sixth grade I was stuck learning at a second grade level. All of my previous teachers had just passed me from grade to grade. From second grade up I was abused physically and mentally by my biological mother, making it hard to focus on my education. My dad was in prison for drinking and driving with my brother in the car. He had struggled with a lot of mental issues but he was always there for me and my brother. My bio mom was not. At the age of seven years old I had started trying to kill myself because of the abuse in my home, inflicted by my bio mom. As the years went on I just gave up on trying, on life, I lost all hope. I was such a broken little girl. I can't help but cry a bit as I'm writing this. When I finally got to live with my dad again I was going into the fifth grade. I had continued to inflict self harm on myself. I felt as though by hurting my skin I could release some of the pain I felt burning inside of me. My dad and my step mom did everything they could to get me help. My mental health struggles were so great that my schooling wasn’t thought of as much. I got tested in the 6th grade and that is when we found out I was stuck at a second grade learning level. I felt so defeated. Trapped in my life. Mrs. Yankowskey changed my life. She was my SPED teacher and she told me that to change my life I had to try. I had to try even though it hurt and I had to strive to be the best me I could be; I determined the rest of my life. My past didn't define me. From that day on I worked harder than I ever had in school. I stayed in during lunch, occasionally PE, Before, and after school to work and study. I felt this drive in me to be the best I could. By the time I was in 8th grade I had not only caught up with my whole class, I tested the highest on my writing STAAR Test. Not out of my grade out of the entire district. To this day I am a hard worker living the life I want to live. I love myself and I don't let my past define me. My name is Alexandria Anise Nicholson and I am still striving to be the best version of myself.

Life throws all sorts of challenges your way. The key to life isn't to try to avoid every obstacle but to do your best to get over them so you're prepared for the next one. I have grown up in a low income household all my life. Some birthdays I haven't gotten anything and one Easter my dad had to tell all of us kids that the Easter bunny wasn't real because he didn't have enough money to buy us candy and eggs. In school I have found that most people have there cars paid for them, there cell phones, and a lot of there college stuff. I do not have that at all. This has made me be more independent and to see the world in a more grateful light. I take better care of what I buy because I know how much it costs. My biggest obstacle is that I have to overcome college expenses. My goal is to graduate debt free and so far I have done that but it has been a lot of hard work. None of my classmates understand what it is like to work 24 hours a week just to make enough money to pay for a class. The best gifts in life are those that cost the least. Time with the ones you love, making something together, or going on a walk. The simple things bring me so much joy in life and they give me the strength to get over the difficulties that come my way. Money isn't everything, it's the people you meet in life who are. No matter what struggles may face me in life I know that I can get through them. I like to think that poverty isn't what has been the biggest struggle in my life. most of it has been family issues and social issues. I think that no matter where you come from you can do great things. You have to get out of this negative mindset and realize the potential that is inside of you and strive to use that potential for something great. There is no hole too deep to climb out of you just have to put down the shovel and start climbing. It can hurt. You will make mistakes and get dirt under your nails, you may have restless nights where you work yourself to the bone. but once you're out you can look back at how far you've come and understand how strong you really are and feel pride in who you are.

My community is just so kind. It is like one big family and though I have only really helped by picking up trash and giving to goodwill and stuff I wish to help more. When I lived in Alton ks I noticed that all of the cars on my road would speed by. We had no speed limit signs so it wasn't like they had anything to go off of but the town was filled with kids walking from place to place. This filled me with concern but it really hit me hard when my siblings almost got hit by a car. My siblings were encouraged to speak at a town council meeting but they were too scared so I said that I would do it. When I spoke I shared a story about a little girl who got hit by a car and only then did they put speed bumps in. I was asking them to put in speed bumps or speed limit signs to help keep the kids safe. As I looked around the room I was shocked to see tears forming in some people's eyes. I didn't get the speed bumps but I did get them to put in speed limit signs. I did this to influence change in my community and to shine light on the safety for the kids in my town. I am going to college to become a massage therapist. In doing this I will be able to help all different kinds of people. I will be able to give back to the workers in my community that gave so much to us. We look after each other here and we take pride in being so close. Everyone knows everyone and it just feels like one big family. I love this town and those in it and hope to inspire other kids in my community to chase their dreams and realize the beauty of helping others. We are all people just striving to get the most out of life and those who help us along our way leave a lasting impact in our lives. Helping others and being a part of a community is one of the most natural things for people to do. I want to be the best me I can be and help people to feel their best. Hard work is something that leaves us with a great feeling especially when we use it to help others.

My dad is my biggest inspiration, my biggest fan, my safe space, and much more. My dad often talks about how he was trying to be both mom and dad for me. Everyone always assumes my bio mom picked my name but really it was my dad. My name is Alexandria Anise Nicholson. My dad was 17 turning 18 years old when I was born and he wanted me to have the name of a princess. He also named me after the lost scrolls of Alexandria which I think is really cool. He told me that I saved his life and the moment he saw me he knew his purpose in life was to be a dad. It wasn't always easy but he did his best. He came to my mother's day things, and would go on every class field trip. He learned how to do my hair and he would always do his best to show me he loved me. I still remember the day my dad dropped me off for driver's education. He started to cry as he dropped me off and when I got out of the car he took my picture. When I was learning to drive he told me that he trusted me and I just needed to trust in myself and to trust that if anything went wrong he had me. I remember him rolling down the windows while I drove on back roads and he recorded me. My dad always pays attention to what I love and he gets so nervous around my birthday because he just wants to make it perfect. I had a stepmom for a bit but they are separating. He keeps apologizing and I keep telling him that he was all I needed and that him as my dad has been more than enough. My dad cares very deeply about me and my educational journey so because I am in sped classes he always comes to the meetings and brings up all of his concerns. School hasn't been easy but I am doing really good and doing my best. I have been accepted to Fort Hays State University. I will be getting my associates degree in massage therapy. Because I will be a first generation college student, all of this is extremely important to me. I am filling out every scholarship I can find and working hard so that I can pay for my education. I do not shy away from hard work and I know that if I try hard enough then I will get some good out of this. After college I want to start my own massage therapy business and help those like my dad who work so hard but hurt all the time.

My Name is Alexandria Nicholson. I haven't been able to save up hardly any money from working because it has all been going to my college class. I am a hard working person who is trying her best to overcome obstacles in order to better myself and obtain a college degree. I have been in girl scouts for a large part of my life and we would often do community service work. It was simple little things here and there but it always made us feel good. Some people nowadays will never understand the great feeling that comes with some genuine hard work. This feeling is an amazing thing, and when it comes to obtaining my college degree I will take on the challenge head on. I want to go to college to become a massage therapist and give back to the community that gives so much to others. I live in a small town in the middle of Kansas. We have all different kinds of people, most of which are farmers, veterans and others who have put in a lot of physical work. By becoming a massage therapist I will be able to help those who hurt to live life more comfortably and to never regret the hard work they have put in. I want people to feel happy about the hard work they have done and not only think about the pain they feel. yes it is hard but they have all done something amazing and they should be able to see that instead of being blinded by their pain. life isn't easy and I won't take the easy way out. I will work hard to accomplish my goals, dreams and aspirations. Helping people is one of the most human natured things we can do. as kids we try to share and give and sometimes we lose that as we get older. I will not lose this nor will I lose my drive. This scholarship will help me to help others. I would not be a waste of money. I am an investment in Kansas's entrepreneurs and an investment in helping others. It is hard to get people to see who you are through an essay but hopefully someone will read this and see a glimpse of who I am and what I could do. I ask you to take a chance on me or someone else who is more deserving because we are all just people trying to do our best and asking for help when we need it. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson and the career path I am pursuing is that of massage therapy. As a little girl I always wanted to help. Whether that was helping cook in the kitchen, helping find a lost dog it's way home, or rubbing my mom's aching feet. With as big of a heart that I have you would think that obtaining this goal of becoming a massage therapist would be easy but it was actually anything but. I have a learning disability and this has been a huge obstacle in my path. oftentimes I'd find myself isolated from my peers and feeling helpless. In the sixth grade I was at a second grade learning level. I never thought I would get where I am today. Through hard work, perseverance and the encouragement of my family I am now caught up with my class and facing my future head on. I haven't been able to save money because I have had to pay for both my comp classes; obtaining them from another highschool via zoom. None of this has been easy but I know that I can get through this too. My other goal is to eventually run my own massage therapy business and give back to my community. I live in a small town where a lot of the people are in pain. from old age, back breaking labor on farms, and from serving our country in the military. By starting my own business I can give back to those who gave so much and help them live a more comfortable life. I have always been thankful for the help of others and now it's my turn. I didn't;t have much money growing up and going to goodwill was like going Christmas shopping. I would always get so excited because I knew that the things there were given by others to help people and because it was a store where my parents felt okay letting me pick out things. I bought dresses for school dances and so many other things that I felt good wearing. Sadly as a little kid the thought of my parents having to buy stuff for me always hurt. I have never wanted to take from others so in these past years I have been giving back by paying for groceries and helping in any way I can. Every person has potential. It takes a brave person to see just how much is there.

Who am I? Well that is tough to answer because I'm not fully sure yet. In these past few years of highschool I have developed an idea of who I am; however I think it is those closest to us who know us the best. But let's back up a second to the real question of this essay. What does it mean to be Authentically you? Well in order for someone to be Authentically themselves they have to be transparent, raw, and real. We as people are not perfect but to feel comfortable enough to be authentically you, you have to learn to embrace the beautiful parts of yourself as well as the not so beautiful parts. People are messy and oftentimes try to be who the world wants them to be. The world can't tell you who you are and by trying to meet these unattainable expectations you will never fully be yourself. I heard once that when people feel safe and comfortable they get weird. This is not only true, it is a freeing feeling and thing to be allowed to be as wacky as you are on the inside on the outside without fear of retaliation or judgment. I am learning to be myself and to feel comfortable in doing so. I get told how to act a lot and I am learning to stand up for myself and to say no this is me take it or leave it. When I was younger I always tried to fit in with people. dress how they do act like they do say the things they do but it didn't make me happy. The people who are good not only accept you for who you are but they love when you are authentically you. I used to feel uncomfortable in my skin. I had people tell me that I talk too much or I am (believe it or not) too happy and too sad. I think most people get told these things. Let me start off byd being authentic and telling you who I am. My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I love to listen to 90's interpretive music and rock. I wear makeup sometimes but I don't wear it all that often because my face hates makeup. I wear both baggy clothes and tight clothes. It just depends on what I feel like wearing. Very rarely am I on time for anything before 7 in the morning. My favorite color is purple, I love ghost stories, and I can not wear white without absolutely ruining an outfit. I do not fit into the scale of skinny or fat. I'm a weird medium and do not always love the way I look. I am trying to work on this bit by bit but it's a work in progress. I am terrible with electronics I quite literally do not understand how to activate voice messaging on my phone for texting people. My room is a mess and I won't even tell you about my locker. I am a picky person. I have been told my whole life that this is a bad thing but the one time I heard something good about this was when my aunt told me. " it's good your so picky about everything because you don't settle for less then you want or deserve." I have never thought about this trait of mine as being a good thing but now when I look back on it I can't help but smile. I am an over-thinker. I overthink everything and blow stuff out of proportion. Is this fun? Nope. Is this helpful? Absolutely not. Is this me? YES! I am a forgetful clumsy human being. and all of this is beautiful. To be authentically you is to love yourself and to understand no one is perfect. it is our imperfections that make us perfectly imperfect. This just so happens to be my favorite part about people. My purpose is to help people and to do the best I can. I strive to improve but not to change myself for others. I love myself and you try to take care of what you love and to better it and that is what I am doing. Who am I? I am me, and that's the best thing in this world to be.

Let's start off this story with Raven's home. While at school Cooper gets a vision of his mom tied up in a dark room being interrogated by these spy's. in his vision he notices that they all have the same kind of watch. Cooper then leaves in the middle of the school day to protect his mom. He tells her what is going to happen and she thinks that this is just silly. The next day Cooper is with his mom in a store while she picks out new fabrics to buy. low and behold K.C is working there and is wearing the watch from his dream. He confronts her showing off his terrible and none existent Kung Fu movies standing between her and his mom. K.C acts confused and tells him to put those things away alright. When he asks her about her watch, several agents swarm Cooper and his mom. K.C grabs Cooper and escapes. The irritated K.C straps Cooper into his seat while he screams don't hurt me. She goes I'm not going to hurt you, you blew my cover and now I have to take you somewhere safe so I can save your mom. Cooper insists that he needs to go with her and after she tells him no over and over he finally admits to getting visions. Impressed and annoyed, she agrees to let him come if he doesn't get in her way. Cooper gets excited in his new gig as a spy. As the story moves on it shows Raven in the room tied up just how Cooper saw in his vision. They tell her that she is going to reveal the identity of a model who has worked with Raven. This model is a supposed agent that works on K.C’s side. Raven refuses to tell them anything. The story pans back to Cooper and K.C. Cooper is in the car fiddling with stuff while she continually says don't touch that, don't touch that, boy what is wrong with you I said don't touch anything. Cooper says anything,anything? K.Ci looks up and says lord help me. Cooper then has a vision of the building that is holding his mom. He tells K.C and they go in. Raven is about to talk because they have threatened her kids. Cooper, hearing this yells no mom. K.Ci says Oh come on! As she begins fighting Cooper closes his eyes and wines ah ah ah ah as he punches and kicks dramatically in the air. Raven started to scoot in the chair she’s trapped in.. Finally with all the bad guys taken down K.C uses a Laser in her watch to cut through the rope holding Raven to the chair. Raven being raven yells not the weave you better not get my weave. Raven walks up and taps on her son's shoulder to get him to stop fighting the air. He opens his eyes and says your welcome bet you didn't know I had moves like that huh and Kaci says ya and now that we have we don’t ever want to see that again. Everyone escapes and K.C tells Cooper she will keep his secret and not to tell anyone because if they knew they could easily come for him. She says goodbye and the show ends with both Cooper and his mom saying they didn't want to watch a spy movie.

“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” - Oprah Winfrey. This quote is perfect for those who are passionate about the trades. My name is Alexandria Nicholson and I am pursuing a degree in a trade. I grew up in a household where my dad did so many different jobs. He has worked on the railroad, Construction, Lawnmowers, Cars, and is currently a culligan man. He has done so many things and has learned so much. He loves working hard and I share his ambition. My dad taught me a lot about the value of the trades and that is why I am pursuing a degree in massage therapy. I know what you are thinking, but this is a trade and a valuable one at that. With this I can run my own business, and help veterans, and workers who hurt after many years of service to their communities. Being a Massage therapist and a business owner I can have a positive impact on so many people. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." - Pablo Picasso; “The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi. The most influential people in this world said these things, and these words not only explain the importance of the Trades, but also what the trades mean to those who use them. I cannot sit down and stay still. I want to gain more skills, better myself, and put those skills to work. I might not be able to change the world but if I can make the world a better place for one person then that is good enough for me. My dad is proud of me and often tells me I was the best thing he has ever done but my dad doesn't know that he is the best teacher I have ever had. Too often in today's world people shy away from trades and hard work all together without knowing the feeling that comes with it. There is an indescribable joy in working hard and doing something good. Putting your skills to good use in his world is why we have skills in the first place and I know that mine will not be wasted.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson and I am the plus in LGBTQ+. I am straight however I live in a home in which there are people who are apart of the LGBTQ+ community and I am a big supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. I may not be technically apart of this community but the community has let me in with open arms and I love this community. I have been told by my brother who is bi and my uncle and friends that I might as well be a part of it because of how involved I am. I think that the LGBTQ+ community deserves to be seen as the accepting proud and beautiful thing that it is. It connects all different kinds of people and celebrates there differences and the beauty of every single person. Honestly before I really got involved in this community I felt very self conscious and didn't like my body. I was trying to fit in with what was told was beautiful. once I became a part of this community everyone was so confident in themselves and held each other up. They made me feel beautiful and to this day I am grateful. I want to go to school to become a massage therapist and run my own business. Everyone will be welcome, no one will be turned away despite their pronouns, sexual preferences, skin, age, disability, or anything like this. By being a business owner I can provide a truly equal opportunity business and that is something really special. I want to help every kind of person and to help them feel comfortable in their skin. Receiving this scholarship is a longshot I know this but I think that if given the chance I could get it. This would help me to get through college and to achieve my dreams. I want to show my family that anything is possible if they put there minds to it and in doing so open a door of possibility for everyone especially those who are apart of the LGBTQ+ community. I hope that in my house and in others People will feel comfortable and confident to pursue their dreams despite ridicule and possible rejection. It is scary but it is also the bravest thing and the best thing to teach anyone. Life isn't easy but this scholarship could make it easier, and so I hope that you won't judge me for my sexual preferences but that you will see me as a part of this community.

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”― Christian D. Larson. My name is Alexandria Nicholson and I will be a first generation college graduate. I have had so many obstacles to overcome in my life and educational journey. When I was in the sixth grade I was diagnosed with a learning disability and was told that I had been stuck at a second grade learning level. This was very hard for me and it was difficult being separated from my peers. I wanted to do my best to get caught back up with them. Thanks to hard work and commitment at the end of my 8th grade year I was caught up with my class and ready for highschool. I have also had a lot of family situations that have made wanting to focus on my school work very hard. When your family is struggling it can be hard to think of anything else. I did my very best and made it past that obstacle too. Now my next obstacle is college and I can't wait to get through it. I am going to college to get my associates degree in massage therapy. After college I plan on using this to run my own business and give back to the community. This scholarship would help me to get through college, to start the next chapter of my life, and to better myself. I am trying really hard to achieve my dreams and with your help I can make this happen. College is something that I don't feel like I need to do. It is something I want to do. I want to improve my skills in order to do the best I can in my job field. I want to use my education to help those who are hurt such as veterans, people who have been in accidents, and just to give couples massages or something to help people to feel good and leave them with a smile on their face. Being a first generation college student my parents haven't saved any money for me. All the money that I have obtained and will obtain is through my own hard work. This would help give me some hope for my future and make me feel a little more confident in being able to finish and go to college.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson and my desired career path is that of a massage therapist. This job is not very well known but can help a lot of people. I have filled out as many scholarships as I can find as well as talked to experts. My family didn't save any money for any of us kids to go to college but with the help of scholarships I can achieve my dreams. I am working hard day in and day out filling out essay after essay. I also work a lot and have been trying to save my money. All of this has been advice from teachers, parents, and business owners in this career field. My mom has terrible problems with her feet and working all day in a hospital certainly doesn't help. My dad has back and shoulder problems that affect him every day, so much so that it often drives him to tears. Even as a little girl I wanted to make them feel better so I offered to massage my moms feet and my dads shoulders. to this day I still get asked to do both. I felt good to make others feel better and that is what I want to do with the rest of my life. I want to use the hands God has given me to help others. I have always had a profound interest in the workings of the human body but the thought of being a doctor or a chiropractor just didn't seem appealing or attainable. Once I found out massage therapy was an option my heart soured and I have been in love with the job ever since. I will be able to positively impact my community as well as others both while I am in school practicing and learning my trade and when I leave school. There is so much that I can offer the world with my career and more. I hope to get the word out about this job and inspire others as well as make my dream a reality. Not only will I be working in this field but I plan on opening my own massage therapy business. In doing so I want to be the best boss I can be. Having worked at places with bosses that are less than understanding and quite unpleasant to work for, I think that I can make a difference in people's lives by being the kind of boss I would have liked to have.

My financial education started by seeing everything my parents had done wrong. A lead NOT by example sort of thing. My name is Alexandria Nicholson and my parents have racked up a substantial amount of debt with credit cards, car payments and loans. I was about fourteen when I had learned of how far back their finances had really set them. It shook me. I never wanted to be as financially illiterate as they had been. Luckily it was around this time in my life when I was introduced to Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown teaches a lot of different subjects but the one that I have found him to be most passionate about is his finance class. In his class I learned how to balance checkbooks and budgets, The importance of paying off cars, student debt, and housing, but one of the things he taught me was that I could live my life without the pain of debt. I am eighteen years old and I have never had a credit card nor do I plan on getting one. I don't have any car payments and I am doing everything in my power to ensure I can get the education I want without taking out a single student loan. Finances aren't this complicated thing; it is as simple as adding and subtracting, only paying for what you need; can afford, and using common sense. Rich people didn't get to be rich without being weird. If you think they did then this is your wake up call. doing something stupid just because it's what everyone else is doing is beyond itiotic. if it's wrong it is still wrong the more idiots doing the wrong thing doesn't make it right. You don't need the newest car or the best apartment or to go to an ivy league school. What you need is to become financially literate. I will be going to college soon and from there into the world. I plan on using everything I have learned to make room for more opportunities, to live a life that is less stressful, and to make the most out of my life. I know that I will make mistakes everyone does but with knowing what I do today I can prevent some of those mistakes and fix the mistakes I will make. Life should not revolve around money. Money should just help you through life as an asset and when used correctly it can be.

“I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves:'' Feminism and abolition through the works of Mary Wollstonecraft. My name is Alexandria Nicholson. My dad chose my name because he said I was his princess. This is a bit embarrassing to tell people but my dad didn't name me this because of my beauty, he named me Alexandria because he hoped I would grow into a strong and independent woman. He also named me after the lost scrolls of Alexandria and he has always taught me to seek knowledge. I am very passionate about equality, hard work, and education. I am pursuing an associates degree in massage therapy so that I can run my own massage therapy business. This is very important to me as well as the fact that I will be a first generation college graduate. All of this is a chance for me to inspire young women to chase their dreams, be the change they want to see in the world, and even explore trade careers. I am a big sister and by doing all of these things I am opening their eyes to a whole new world of possibilities (which is really incredible) The people who make an impact in the world didn't stick to the safety of what everyone thought was right. The people who make impacts are weird,different, and they are GO GETTERS. Men can be strong and so can I. I was not raised to bow down to those who think less of me. I will guide others, fight fiercely and share my knowledge. This career is a great one and one that isn't well known. By being a massage therapist you can help people who have been in accidents, who suffer from scoliosis, veterans, and to help every day people to feel better. When I am able I want to come back to this site and start my own scholarship for massage therapy and in doing so help more people who are passionate about this field. I am a passionate human being who wants to help people with my job and inspire others with my story. Traditions were made to be broken, lives were meant to be changed, and hearts were meant to be touched. I will not shy from failure or discrimination. Sticking to our path even when we are being beaten down is what molds us into something beautiful and oftentimes molds us into the best shape to succeed. shoot for the stars in hopes to become one, and eventually be one for someone else.

Suppression, suffocation, panic, fear, pain. This is what anxiety means to me. My name is Alexandria Nicholson and I was diagnosed with severe social anxiety when I was in the 9th grade. I thought everyone felt the way I did and that I just couldn't handle it. I felt frail and embarrassed that the simplest things could make me feel so much pain. As a little girl I would find it hard to breathe when I stepped into a room of people, especially people I didn't know. As I grew older I felt it in more and more places even with people I knew. As I would walk down the school hallway I would feel my neck and back tense up as each gaze met mine. I would feel a lump start to grow in my throat. I felt like the walls were caving in as my mind races back and forth between glances. I would think of all the horrible things they could be thinking, each laugh I felt was directed at me. I felt isolated in a group of people. I was suffocating because of nothing and yet the cooking feeling that had grasped me would not let go. Tears would fill my eyes as I raced to get to my class. This happened every time the bell would ring. When I have been particularly worked up in a social setting I find that I can't speak. It is painful, scary, and honestly sickening to my stomach. I have gotten a lot better as my highschool years have progressed due to me seeking help from a therapist. I still have my struggles but I am overcoming them bit by bit. The next chapter in my life is college and honestly that is scary but I want to prove to myself that I am not my anxiety and that it doesn't limit what I can do. I want to better myself. I will be the first college graduate in my family. I will help those who hurt by becoming a massage therapist. This will challenge me but it will let me do what I love and more. Every step I take is one I can be proud of and I am determined to accomplish this next one. My story might have started with me suffocating but I am climbing out of the pit of anxiety bit by bit and will soon be able to breathe easy and look down at the pit I escaped proud of all I have done.

I am a Christian who loves to help others. My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I have only helped in community service a few times but each time has made an impact on me. I have cleaned up parks and many other places because me and some people close to me felt that it was needed and would do good. Each time has put me in perspective of how everything someone does can have an impact but more importantly so that the good acts of those have the biggest impact. Sure there might have been trash everywhere but it was put there by a bunch of individuals and it only takes one person to clean it up and make it look great. I believe that we can do all things in God but the best of things is to touch the hearts of others. My great grandpa who I call my pop used to be a pilot. sadly he has become blind so I read him books about people who have flown. I will never forget the day he began to cry and told me thank you and that I had done something very kind for him. I know a lot of the older people in my community are in pain due to things that happened to them previously in there lives. I am going to college to become a massage therapist and to start my own business; In doing so I will be able to help those in my community. This may not be community service necessarily but it is a service I can provide to my community. And a great one at that. I will continue to seek out God as he guides me through my profession and guides my hands to heal those who hurt. I will also continue to do community service in hopes to spark the love of helping and service in others. My old Pastor Mr. Rainy told me “the greatest thing that we can do for God is to serve him”. Each person has potential to do great things and we should use that potential to help others and to serve god. I am a first generation college student and I am using my potential in these ways. I have been accepted to Fort Hays state university and with hard work and determination and making my way to getting my associates degree. I can't wait to change the lives of others and to do God's work.

The battle we're fighting inside is often the hardest one to win. My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I was put in an abusive household when I was in the second grade. My biological mother ( The person I moved in with) would drug me, beat me, ridicule me, and leave me alone for days to take care of my younger siblings. The house we lived in had no running water or electricity. The winters were cold and the summers were so hot. If we were to take a bath we had to take cold baths with a few gallon water containers that would be bought from the store. Eventually everything had been too much for me and I cut my wrists with a knife I had found in the kitchen. The pain felt like it had released a little of the pain I had felt inside. At the age of seven years old I had attempted to kill myself multiple times. I tried to drown, and hang myself. As the years went on this only got worse and worse. When I got into the fourth grade I was taken from my bio mom and I moved in with my dad and his new Wife. They showed me love and affection that I had never known. I was taken to get help and that is when I was diagnosed with Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. I haven't committed self harm for 4 years now and I haven't had a PTSD attack for 2 years. I take medication for most of my mental health struggles but I have also acquired a lot of helpful coping strategies. When I start to have an anxiety attack or a PTSD attack I use a grounding technique. When I do this I name one thing I can taste, two things I can smell, three things I can feel, four things I can hear, and five things I can see. This helps me to feel grounded in the moment. Another thing I do is I give what I am feeling a name. I call my anxiety by name and then I tell myself what is causing it and that I am in control. This helps me to not let my anxiety or my PTSD or my Depression take hold of me. The best thing that helps me though is the simplest. I put a cold wet washcloth on the back of my neck. It sends a shock through my body forcing me to get out of my head and to be present in that moment. I go on walks, talk to people, and more but mostly I try to be aware of my mental state so I can seek help if needed. My future goals are to get my associates degree in massage therapy at Fort Hays state university in 2 years. My next goal is to start running my own business, Eventually own my own home, get married, and enjoy my life. I don't want to let mental illness keep me from what I love, who I am, and what I can do.

I have always had a strong relationship with God. when I get stressed or overwhelmed, I take the time to pray. I know that in him all things are possible and when life gets tough to give my worries to him. As a little girl, I used to step out into the rain and sing about God's love. Thinking back to it now, I probably looked a bit silly to my neighbors, but it was nothing short of pure love and devotion. God would never face me with a challenge I can't overcome. I have a learning disability. This just means that I need time out of class to help me focus and occasionally need things explained to me in a different way, but particularly with math. My learning disability is a challenge that God gave me so that by overcoming it, I would be stronger both in life and in my relationship with him. I have always wanted to help people. After high school, I will be going to Fort Hays State university to obtain my Associates degree in massage therapy. By getting my degree in massage therapy, I will be able to help people from all walks of life. I will continue to walk with purpose and faith as I embark on this journey so that I can make a positive impact on the world. My love and dedication to Christ will be the center of all that I will do. I am a hard worker who will overcome challenges and excel in my profession while touching the lives of others. I want to offer my help, kindness, and compassion to all those I can. In Christ, I can do all things, and God has sent me on this path for a reason. Through him and the hands God has given me, I will make a difference. I do not have much money, so I am filling out as many scholarships as possible hoping that someone might invest in me. Through all of the ups and downs in school, God has stood by my side. I know that by putting in the hard work and dedication, God will find someone who will help make my dream a reality. Proverbs 18:15 says, "An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." Daniel 1:17 states,"As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." Thank you, for your consideration Sincerely, Alexandria Nicholson

Empowerment to me means becoming stronger and more confident in my life and my beliefs. IT means that you can do things you never thought possible. So many things can empower people and a lot of things have empowered me. I have a learning disability. I am not sure what it is called to be perfectly honest but that, along with my ADD have made me face some significant barriers. In the sixth grade I was put in a sped class and was told that based on testing I was stuck learning at a second grade level. I felt hopeless but my friends, family, and teachers told me that they believed in me and often told me that I just had to find the strength in myself not to give up and to do whatever it took to better myself. I was empowered by the people who cared about me so much that I am now caught up with my senior class. They were the ones who empowered me but there have been times in which I have empowered others. I remember going to a daddy daughter dance. My little sister has always been more popular than me and more able to fit in with crowds but that day we didn't know anyone but each other. I was one of the oldest kids there and being the oldest in my family I felt more at ease there than with kids my own age. But hope was too scared to step out onto the dance floor. With me or my dad. I had the DJ play her favorite song and I went into the middle of the dance floor and started to dance by myself. She was horrified at first but as other people started to dance to it she felt more comfortable. I danced awful until she felt confident in her dancing. Me, my dad and my sister danced the night away while she thanked me later for helping her. I am still on my way to becoming a leader. Sometimes personal growth is going to hurt. Growing pains are not fun but they can lead you to become the best version of yourself. When I was in a public daycare for kids of all ages I had to learn this all too well. I have always been the goodie tooshoos but that day I was put in a position in which I had to do something good that the adults didn’t approve of. I was on the playground and when I looked over I saw My cousin being pushed against a fence being punched in the stomach. None of the workers who saw this did anything and I took the liberty of putting things into my own hands. I pulled the kid off of my cousin and yelled at people to get help. Several kids got the teachers who knew what was happening and then I (despite never hitting the kid) was told I could never come back. I am happy that I did what I did that day and do not think I will ever regret it. I empowered kids through my leadership to do what was right even when the adults wouldn't. In today's society Women need to be empowered more than ever and I want to be someone to empower others without the limitations of money. Empowerment means to be given the strength to be more than what you already are; it has affected my life in some great ways and I hope to empower more people as my life continues.

My favorite Met gala was "In America: An Anthology of Fashion." in 2022. This Gala theme more simply put was the history of American fashion with an emphasis . Delve into the array of outfits that graced the red carpet. There were so many outfits that graced the red carpet. Sara Sampaio wore a stunning rose gold dress with a plunging v neck and cut out sides created by Michael Kors. She almost had a mermaid appeal about her that was both elegant and timeless. Brooklyn Beckham wore a beautiful pink dress that had a deep plunge that was rounded out. The sleeves of the dress were off the shoulder and flowy but also elegant like a greek goddess. Her dress was made by Valentino. Eva Chen wore a dress created by Peter Do. Her dress started off as a silky classy business suit on top that faded into a gorgeous flowing gown with a train a bride would envy. Sabrina Carpenter looked stunning in her outfit made by Paco Rabanne. Her outfit was a crop top of shimmering gold and a beautiful billowing skirt. she was glistening and practically glowing. Daisy Edgar-Jones wore a loose short dress that was dripping in sequin-like strands that extended past the end of the dress resembling a much more elegant flapper dress. Her dress was made by Oscar de la Renta. The dress code was gilded glamor, so the thin, sparkly outfits that showcased the history of American fashion. The dress that stood out as the most exemplary of the theme has to be the dress worn by Lily James.The outfit that missed the mark was that worn by Normani created by Christian Siriano . Her outfit was a very poofy, balloon-like velvety black skirt. The crop top was more skin tight than the skirt with strips of black fabric coming together at the base of her neck. The sleeves were gigantic and poofy and he had a huge circular hat on her head. Talk about the aesthetic appeal of The gala overall was beautiful with roses lining the red carpet and tall staircases. The lighting was beautiful and the room itself wasn't so over the top that it out-shined the guests. The dress that best fits the theme (worn by Lily James) Showed great cultural significance. Pearls were very much a symbol of class, beauty, and style in American culture in the 1920s. Her dress was literally dripping in them. It had a gorgeous blue pattern and was see-through yet still classy and had a beautiful glittery shine. Her hair resembled that of the popular style from the 1920s worn by men, but she pulled it off. I dare say better than most men. The dress's thigh slit showcased the popular style in America today. She had a gorgeous smokey eye and nude lip that really let the dress do the talking. The elegance is simple yet timeless and put together beautifully. The statement that the dress aimed to make was that our history in America is beautiful and the changes it has gone through continue to stunned us and other nations. She took a style a man would have had with her hair. She was humble with her make up and the dress wasn't over the top. Her outfit spoke volumes without her needing to utter a word.

Moxie is the best Netflix movie. Moxie is a feminist story that is not only relatable it is REVOLUTIONARY! We sit back day by day as terrible things unfold, wishing someone would do something and this main character did. A shy and introverted girl sees sexism in her school for what it is. Harmful and poisonous. She decides to put a unanimous newspaper article into her school. Calling out the discrimination, and sexist acts permeating the school. A lot of the boys get upset about these papers and openly mock them in class but the girls start to feel empowered by each story and word, moving them to do what they have never done before. The girls rally together and support one another in an effort to change the social injustice plaguing their school and their lives. The popular girls tend to stay out of this fight. This might seem petty and confusing but all is revealed as the story unfolds. A boy the main character used to call shrimpy isn't so shrimpy anymore. He openly supports the women's movement and shows respect for the main character and all women. This leads to a beautiful Teenage romance that I love. He finds out that she is the one writing the papers but I'll let you watch for yourself to see what happens next. This move is filled with teenage rage and feminism built to burn the sick social norms of to the ground. Friendships blossom and get ripped apart, teenagers find themselves, and the school goes through the ultimate metamorphosis. Full of funny witty moments and scenes so relatable you wanna join in the fight, this is a story you won't want to miss. Amazing rock music fuels our main character in her rebellious efforts and will leave you in a rock en roll mood you just can't shake. This story is a mess because LIFE IS MESSY. This movie is great for everyone and is a fun family watch. People love a relatable hero and for me this main character checks all my boxes. These trail blazers make their own watershed moment and call forth a demand for change so loud that it will shake you to your core. written with young girls in mind the movie wasn't just made to entertain it was made to help the next generation of people stand up loud and proud. I will not stand for injustice and once you watch this movie you won't either.

Andrew Russell Garfield is my favorite Spider-Man. I love Spider-Man because he is a struggling kid with too much going on just trying to do the right thing in every aspect of his life and Andrew Garfield depicts this perfectly. He is relatable and iconic in ways that really help us to feel as though we know him on a much deeper level. The most heart breaking scene shows this in such a raw untouched way that I get choked up anytime I watch it. He does not just have tears he cries he screams he holds the love of his life dead in his arms with snot, spit, and tears streaming from his face. He does not pretty cry, he cries in such a way his very soul seems to be screaming; begging god for help, trying to grasp anything left of her even though she is already gone. People do not neatly cry it is not meant to be a display of beauty it is a heart wrenching moment we feel in our heart and soul. He played his roll better than any Spider-Man. he has a certain gentle nature to his voice when he is talking to people both as Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Like a kid who is still finding himself and trying to communicate that genuine kindness in a way that is both real and easily understood. He is very witty and funny with his comebacks but he dose not do this without the mask because wearing the mask is almost like a security blanket and he feels more comfortable saying what he does with it then without. I feel as though they really made Spider-Man come to life when they hired Andrew Garfield to play this role.

What a mesmerizing, paralyzing, fucked-up little thrill Can't figure out just how you do it, and God knows I never will. Look I have written a million little essays and They all want the sugary sweat lies that plague are youth. Being a teenager sucks. All of the changes, insecurities, cliques. It is not something that most people enjoy. Adults look at us as if they are expecting everything to be okay because we don't pay a mortgage or have kids. It is not easy. falling in and out of love finding out your friends are not really your friends, now everyone cares about how you look and what you do, if you try too much your a try hard if you never try then your lazy. if you dress nice your a pick me if you dress sloppy your trashy. This is the time we find out who we are and what we want to do for the rest of our lives. We work a job, we go to school, we do the work and we hope that a little piece of paper with our grades on it shows enough of our self worth to get us into college so we can succeed as an adult. Teenagers are SCARED. You get to try new things which is fun but you have more responsibilities , harder classes, complicated relationships, and quoting my principle" school isn't hard just pay attention and turn your work in." Sometimes the kids are not the problem. Everyone says grow up and don't act grown. I always hear "do your best but don't work too hard". I don't know how I made it through My teenage years sometimes. I can't figure out just how I did that and god knows I never will. I will be going to college soon and I promise to be there for my siblings through their teen years because I won't tell them they should be fine. If you're fine as a teenager then everyone knows your not fine. Life can be good through those years but it is a fucked-up little thrill at it's core. a memorizing whirlwind of hormones and chaos with paralyzed teenagers thrown into the mix without knowing how they will make it out alive. This lyric describes my teenage experience and a lot of other people's. I just want to be honest so if you have read this think it over, and tell me can you think of a better way to describe your teenage years?

My name is Alexandria Nicholson. Mental health influences so many different things. I have anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I used to believe that I wasn't important and that I wasn't needed. I thought of myself as a burden that everyone would be happier without. I would have PTSD attacks in the shower thinking I heard screaming when it was laughing. and I would feel myslef suffocating in my minds pain reliving moments. I am allergic to my own tears and feeling the sting of them against my skin wasn't enough to even take me out of that dark place in my mind. Every day in the hallway I would fell as though I was being judged and watched with a scorn full eye. That my every insecurity was practically glowing. I would sweat and shake and feel a lump well up in my throat as I thought of every mean thing that people could think about me. My friends and teachers would often find me crying in the bathroom. Overwhelmed having a panic attack. I never thought I would be able to get a job or be a functioning adult. I thought how can there be a loving god if I am always in pain. every night I would lay awake crying praying for things to get better asking god why he would do this to me. Everything changed when I talked to a therapist and she said anytime you start to let your mind wander to those dark places think logically. I tried this and everything changed with one thing. the change of my mind. I would take a shower and think I heard crying and then I would turn the water to cold to snap me out of it and then I would call out and ask if everything was okay and i would get the response of f yes fallowed by my siblings talking and playful giggles. When I walked down the hallway I would start to feel that anxiety creep up and I would stop and think who would know this about you who knows what your insecure about no one cares about how frizzy your hair is or the color of shews you wear. no one Is thinking about you so in depth. I started to better myself and even love myself. today I am not in therapy I am doing great and I work almost 24 hours a week. I have participated in vocal, been the lead in a play, and have been in forensics. I have a boyfriend and I have been accepted into my dream college. I am going to school to get my associate degree in massage therapy and run my own business. Mental health is everything and to change your life for the better you first have to change your own mind.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson but everyone calls me Allie. I am the oldest out of eight kids. I only live with five of them. My dad dropped out in the eighth grade and my step mom dropped out from her first year of college. My parents are very kind and loving but there have been sometimes that they haven't been able to get me a birthday gift or I would have to stay home because they couldn't afford a babysitter. I am a hard working person who finds joy in working. Every day I go to school, come home, do as much of a chore as I can, go to work 5-9, come home do homework if I have any, and then I go to sleep and do it all over again. I work hard because every little bit I can give back to my family means so much. I work because I want to be an example to my younger siblings and teach them the importance of hard work. Lastly I want to make myself the person I aspire to be. I want to go to college get my degree in massage therapy and run my own business. This is a dream I can make come true. I think of myself as Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. I work hard to chase a dream and make it come true. And this dream that was mine is now a dream me and my family share. My parents encourage me every step of the way and My siblings stand there as my biggest cheerleaders. I hope to gain and sharpen my skills in order to run my business in the best way I can. Life is too short not to go after your dreams.

My Name is Alexandria Nicholson and it just wouldn't be fall without a Pumpkin Pie Frappuccino. I am a high school senior who works almost every day a week and still finds time to help at home so coffee is a must have for me. Starbucks Coffee is the best I don't know what it is but there is just something about it. And my favorite time of year to get one of there drinks is fall. Yes I am that person who loves pumpkin and this drink is amazing. Any time My mom, sister, and I have a girls day we go to star bucks. Most of our girls days are spent in the fall so this is the drink I get most often. Anytime I think of those special fall days, I think of that drink and of time spent with family. This drink will always be a reminder of the good days. I need coffee to fuel my days but this is something more special. This is more than coffee and though it's a cold drink it warms my heart every time I get to drink it. Every time I feel fall start to roll in with the crisp autome breeze I get excited to head back to that same coffee place. The place I love and the place where my loved ones spend time with me. I t's the little things in life we hold on to. A familiar taste, smell, color. Whatever it may be it will stay with you for years to come. When I am older and have kids of my own I will happily share this special seasonal tradition with them in hopes that when fall comes around they too will get excited to go to Star bucks. Coffee is great but star bucks coffee is an experience. As the leaves catch there gentle rusted color and fall to the ground those who know me will find me sitting at a table with my family enjoying this amazing drink. Pumpkin pie Frappuccinos are the best fall drink hands down. There might be other contestants as the year goes on but the drink that goes with fall is that one hands down. I find myself excited to have that drink once I start college. And even more exciting I will be right by a Starbucks so I will get my fill of them soon enough. without the comfort of my family with me this drink will be a sweet reminder.

My Name is Alexandria Nicholson and the first song that that would be my soundtrack from the year is Wildest Dreams. In this song Taylor sings "some day when you leave me I hope these memories pull you around." and "Say you'll remember me standing in a white dress staring at the sunset" This makes me think of the memories with my family and that I want them to think of when they think of me. I want them to think of me with good memories and with joy and love. It also makes me think of reassuring them that I will come back to see them after college and during college. The next song I think of is New Romantics. I have never been popular in school and often times I have been bullied. People are going to talk crap and when me and my boyfriend got together I was really happy even though other people weren't. At our winter dance I saw people giving me and him some mean looks but I have had so many people be rude to me that we took each other into our arms and danced in front of everyone. and then the sound of the music and the flashing lights just made everything like a dream. It's so fun being in love and in a romantic place. In the song New Romantics Taylor sings We are too busy dancin' To get knocked off our feet. Baby, we're the new romantics. The best people in life are free so come on, come along with me The best people in life are free. Please take my hand and Please take me dancin' " This year has been a lot of remembering the good times, reassuring family that I love them and that I will always come back home, And falling more and more in love with my amazing boyfriend. Much like Taylor I sing about my life and I sing with heart and soul. She already took the words from my mouth when she wrote these songs and now I sing the words with her from my phone and the radio in my car. I can't wait to see what other songs by her my life will match up with in the future and what new songs she will make. For now I will sing these songs with a smile on my face happy with how my year has gone.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson and I love Minecraft. I love every aspect of this game. It allows us to be as creative as possible. My favorite thing to do in this game is to help expand a village. Often people just plunder and pillage villagers. they are peaceful and funny looking little guys just working to build a better life. they work hard together like aunts in an aunt hill. They farm, fish, and create. Yet they don't have the means to make there little village everything it could be. I play on survival fighting off monsters and building a wall around the village. It is not an easy task but that is what makes it fun. Once the fence is built high enough to keep all monsters out day by Minecraft day and literal day I can go out and gather materials to start work on the next step of the project. The villagers take too much space up with their houses all around. In order to fix this and make more room I begin to work on creating a hotel. This takes a lot of time too and I put two beds per room. once the hotel is all built I start the demolition. I start to break down each house making room for the villagers jobs. I start with the gardens making multi layered gardens that the villagers can get to easily but that can hold almost quadruple the amount of crops. the next thing I work on is the farms. This is hard work. I bring in new animals and create bigger pins for them. I also have to supply the food for them. Once I do this I go through and help build up and improve all of the blacksmiths stations and libraries. The prosperity brings new villagers and helps the community to grow. I added a little pond with docs. I make sure to set little fishing poles and boats in chests by the docs. I take pride in it once I am done and then I look for more creative things to add to the village over time. I also stand as the protector fighting off mobs if they get in. I am a big sister to 6 kids so we often work together and implement new ideas. we work for a common cause and have a lot of fun doing it.

I am team Jeremiah. He has loved her forever but was willing to let her be with his brother if it meant she was happy. Conrad makes Belly question everything and he is incredibly hot and cold to her. HE is not clear with how he feels and that is what Belly needs. She loved Conrad first but she will love Jeremiah last. The first choice isn't always the right one. Both of these boys pull her in different directions but conrad does this selfishly and Jeremiah does this do to his overwhelming unconditional love. No matter what hardships they both face Jeremiah is there for Belly while conrad just shows up when he wants to and plays with her heart and her head. Also would you just look at the two brothers I mean come on Jeremiah is clearly winning that race. When they boys's mom passes who is there. It is Jeremiah. He is awesome, Reliable, and he is the only right choice. Belly played with his heart at first but now that she has lived a little she knows in her heart of hearts that he is the only one for her. He said that if she breaks his heart he is afraid he might dye but she holds him in her arms and tells him that will not happen. She loves him he loves her. Sorry not sorry Conrad you had your chance but your terrible personality ruined it and it is not your brothers fault. The She knows now and she isn't thinking with just her head or her heart she is felling and thinking with both. The way she looks at him says it all. This love was accidental but perfectly imperfect. you can feel there passion through the screen and anyone who prefers conrad is just crazy. This show is beautiful and a whirlwind just like when Jeremiah spins belly around. Facts are facts and the fact is Jeremiah is so much better. people grow and change and they did for the better in this show and belly ended up with the right person. I wish they would come out with more episodes but they won't. I will just keep the very happy thought of these two love birds in my mind. they will live beyond happily ever after while conrad pickes himself up and turns him slef into a better person like he should

My very favorite Nintendo game is Mario Cart. I would play it at my house with my family all the time. Thanks giving was the first holiday I had ever brought someone to and this someone was very special to me because I brought my new boyfriend at the time. His name is Ryan. After we had all eaten my dad pulled out the switch and all of my siblings started yelling which game they wanted to play but my dad ignored them all and put in Mario cart. My boyfriend is a shy person but the second that game popped up on the Tv Ryan grabbed a controller without second thought and jumped right in. My mom and dad both competed and Ryan would yell any time he lost and a roar of giggles could be heard all throughout the house. My dad who was frustrated from my mom still beating him in the past 3 races pasted the controller to Ryan. I took Ryan's old controller and we all raced to the finish line. I would try to distract him by kissing his cheek and he would say nope and move. it was hilarious and so much fun. A Thanksgiving I will never forget with people I love. Everyone got a little closer that day and Ryan was welcomed into our family with open arms. I really knew what I was grateful for and that was the time we got to spend together. I plan on making this a tradition for years to come and share this with his side of the family and maybe someday if he holds his cards right a family of our own.

I Admire her acting. Zendaya is able to take on many different roles and is dedicated to playing each of them to the best of her ability without infringing on her beliefs. Zendaya is an insperation to me and little girls everywhere. She really can do it all. she has sung in her acting and even become the producer on many shows even very early on in her Disney career. She is not just dedicated to the acting aspect she looks at all different parts of the production in order to make it the best it can be. Zendaya has big ideas and she lets them be heard. She is such a well sought after actress who often gets along and develops close relationships to the people she works with. Zendaya also knows how to bring a film to life while captivating the audience and letting them feel understood. She often plays the good guy roll and overcomes some struggle. She often plays characters in their teens. By doing so she is reaching out to an audience that is going through some huge changes in life and can be a roll model for them and a motivation. Zendaya embraces her individuality with a humbleness and grace. It is hard not to love such an inspirational woman I know that I do.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson. I walk to work most days for exercise and to just be outside. I don't like using a car to walk 3 blocks I can do that myself and still get to work 20 minuets early. I feel disgusted looking at what people leave behind on the ground too ever since I was a little girl I would go on walks. I would walk to the park, around the block, and anywhere and anytime I was allowed to. I still remember being in second grade and seeing a bunch of trash outside in a field by my house. I grabbed a trash bag and the next thing my parents knew I was outside picking up the trash and washing and keeping bottles for plants and anything my little mind could imagine. Today I still do this especially after we have a big celebration in town. I have gone out collecting beer bottles and picking up candy wrappers and all sorts of things. This to me is still a bit gross but my grandma actually used to dumpster dive to get food that hadn't gone bad yet. My dad never did this but we eat things past the expiration date if they still smell feel and taste normal. My siblings have learned a lot from me and if you were to look around town you would see all of them on their bikes running around in the fresh air. We never throw away clothes we pass them down and give them away and if they are ripped then we will use them as rags. not every piece of clothing is something you want to keep and if it is truly beyond using we will throw it away but typically we don't do this. Our house is not dirty because of the things we do but it actually is very clean. every kid is creative and we save a lot more money with how we live than most people and are quite happy about it. I will have to use a car when I move off to college but for now I don't drive. the things in my house we can't or won't eat we make sure our dogs can eat and then we feed it to them. most of the time they won't be too picky. So many things in this world could be fixed if we just try and with every little step I take I know that I am making a small difference which is still a difference.

I use a lot of google apps such as docs, sheets, drive and slides as well as accellus and Kahoot. These things really help me to study, plan, learn, and so much more. I like to use Kahoot for anything that I need to study. It helps me to remember things in a fun way. accellus has online lessons, tests, and notes. I like to print out the notes and write my own as the video goes on. These help me to study and also to answer the questions. If you don't do very well on the questions it has you watch the video over again so that you can find out what your missing from the lesson. Google sheets is a really good way to make schedules. I like to list out all of the things for the week if possible and it helps me to organize my very disorganised life. Google docs is perfect for notes and google sheets are a brilliant way to organise them or to present my work. Google drive holds everything that I would need whether it is to post on Thrillshare or to save pictures and important documents it holds everything and I can't lose it. My brain is scattered if my head wasn't attached I would lose it in an instant but these online tools help me to keep my work life and school together. Writing things down would be a good idea if I couldn't lose the paper. But having everything on a big laptop and my phone means I have what I need when I need it and how I need it. My life when I get to college is going to be so much more stressful and chaotic but I know that as long as these things are available to me I will not only do good I will thrive. I can use these things to show my family, friends, boyfriend, and classmates how to use these to the best of there ability if they're not using it already. I am so grateful to have these resources at my disposal. Not just for school. I write music and I need ways to store and keep my music and these things help me with that. Kahoot lets you answer fun questions and have good friendly competition It could be who knows the most about a certain movie or anything. you can even create your own which is awesome.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson but my family and friends call me Allie. My grandma was a very fun sweet person and I never knew she had cancer. My grandma had a feeding tube and I had seen her use it before but when I asked why she would smile and say oh nothin just makes it easy to eat. I never knew she was sick not even when she was at her worst. My grandma used to keep tissues in her pocket and cough so hard she would cough out blood. But I didn't know this and she would always just way my allergies are bad. She would share her fruit flavored cough drops with me from time to time. when my dad went to jail she would be the one to take me to see him. and we would always stop at Braum's. I would always get a strawberry milkshake and she would get a banana split. My grandma told me that I could be anything I want to be and to this day I hold that close to my heart. She would also always say that I was smart and strong. She would tell me to sing my heart out. And she would brush her hair a hundred strokes a night. When I was almost eight I had stayed with my grandma for a night. I had a nightmare so I fell asleep by her side and woke up to the most scary thing in my life. My grandma was crying screaming for my uncle who lived with her saying she needed to go to the hospital because she couldn't breathe. I couldn't console her and my uncle yelled at her and told her she was being dramatic. A few days later she was in the hospital and died from pneumonia she had throat cancer so when she got pneumonia her immune system just couldn't fight it. Every day I think of her and I try my hardest. I sing my loudest. And anytime we're out of town I get a strawberry milkshake. My grandma showed me that I am strong. She is the strongest person I know and I am glad I got to know her. I have a chance that I could get cancer and that is scary but she wouldn't want me to be scared so ill be scared if I get it and until then I will be happy and live my life with bliss. I never go to sleep without saying I love my family and goodnight because you never know when you are going to lose someone. I am going to school to become a massage therapist and help those who are in pain. I love my grandma and I know she is smiling watching over me. Cancer tried but didn't kill her spirit.

My name is Alexandria Nicholson. My goal is to run my own business as a massage therapist. Massage therapy isn't a well known or talked about career option. I did extensive research over which schools had these programs and only found one. I made sure that there program was still something they provided but when I applied to that college they literally did not have it listed on the website at all. I had to apply for general studies and have them move me to the massage therapy course. This was very frustrating. My grandma is not happy with my career choice which has made my decision more difficult. As a kid you want everyone to tell you that what you want to do is something you can do but when you get older and someone dose not believe in you it can really make you doubt yourself. I am still going to go after my goals despite what anyone thinks but this was something I struggled with. I also have ADHD and have been in sped classes since middle school. I never thought I would even be able to graduate high school but All my hard work has led me here and I know my ambition will carry me even further. I will be the first college student in my family. I have broken a lot of my family's patterns in my life so far and will continue to step into what I want my life to be and out of how there lives have been. My parents are both very proud of everything I have over come and now look at me with full faith that I can acheive my goals and dreams. Every struggle in my life has led me to where I am today. I welcome each challenge with open arms knowing that I will tackle it head on and become a better person for it. I am working 24 hours a week and still doing school work and helping at home. I am a hard worker and each challenge is an opportunity to grow and I can't wait to look back and see how far I have come. My struggles in college will be to be away from family and also transportation. I don't have my own car. My boyfriend is moving to hays with me so things won't be completely out of reach but public transportation will be a have to in my daily life. I will have to work during school to make sure I don't go into debt. I know that things will be difficult but I can do it.

The empress is my favorite. I do a lot for a lot of people and often find myself worrying that what I have done hasn't meant anything. But this card symbolizes that the influence I have had is a positive one. I am new to tarot cards and am eager to learn more. I am particularly interested in the paranormal psychics and more so this drew my attention. These cards have deep meanings and have been used for hundreds of years. Though they have started to lose there popularity it is something with a long history and it is extremely interesting. I do not want to start a family yet however I have been a mother like figure to many of my siblings which is also why this card is my favorite. Ever since I was little I have been drawn to art. I sing, paint, dance, draw, design, write stories and poetry I love all art. This card also is a symbol of the creation of art and I have made a lot of it in a lot of different ways. The empress tarot card symbolizes so many things but it also symbolizes love and romance. Currently I am dating someone who I am completely in love with. Every day I fall in love with him more and more so this card makes me think of him.I am graduating high school soon and will be going to college to get my associate degree in massage therapy so that I can run my own massage business. The empress card also represents new business so I am sure that this card will represent my future. I am a lot of things. A mother figure and nurturer to many, A hopeless romantic in love, An artist, And a future business owner and as I step out high school I will be stepping into a new stage of life. This card has checked off a lot of the boxes for me and because I can relate to it I hold it in my heart as my favorite taro card and can't wait to find my other favorites though I doubt they will ever mean as much to me as this card does. The taro cards look into my future my past and my present in ways that we can't fully understand but their accuracy is something to behold. I can't wait to learn more!

I would have everyone read Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Because this story is a very moving one that makes you ask your self how would you feel if told who you are to become rather than make your own path. It also shows how love can conquer all. This book takes you to another place. It is a deep dive into the main characters life. Her life has been drawn out for who she will be but as she feels the dread of this a boy catches her eye and little does she know that boy will steal her heart and give her the courage to be more than what society tells her to be. The things the author tells us and describes in the story helps the reader to relate the bits to their own life. in love and hate, friendship and family. Once you feel that understanding then you just can't put the book down. The books is filled with thrills, hilarious moments, and heart stopping conflicts, while this rebel fights for love and for freedom. I myself love a good romance and when I look at my boyfriend I do so in the same way this character does. This book helps you to understand the importance of family and how love and freedom shape our world. This book really makes you appreciate what you have. Sometimes we forget how much these things mean to us so if everyone were to read this book I think it would touch them deeply, help them have a love for books, and help them to be a better person.

My Name is Alexandria Nicholson and his chapter of my life would be called The Broken Chain. My whole life I have seen patterns within my family and these patterns are not ones I want to fallow. My family has a history of drunks drop outs and starting a family very early. I will never drink and I have never drank. The smell of alcohol makes me physically ill. So that is one link I broke without even trying. But the others weren't so easy. I grew up in a broken home and as much of my siblings would agree I have been there second mom since the day they were a part of this family. I would like to add that my living conditions have improved a lot and that I am now happily living with my step mom and my dad. But having to be a parental figure of sorts has made me stronger and has helped me to grow as a person. I love my siblings very much but this has taught me that I do not want to start a family until I am ready . Which means living my life first, going after my goals and meeting someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. I have been in sped classes since middle school because of my rough home life at first and also because of My ADHD and anxiety. I can proudly say that now I don't need that class in the ways I once did and now I use my resources to have extra time to work in a school day. I have made it through this portion of my education journey and am choosing to step into the next. I have been accepted into college which is exciting but it is also exciting because I will be a first generation college student. I have taken every link in my family chain and broken my family's cycle and in doing so I have proven to myself and others that it is possible to become the person you want to be. I am excited to leave these broken family traditions behind me and step into my future as an adult. My story is only just started and every step I have taken has put me where I am today and every step I will take will put me where I will be tomorrow. I am not the exact same person that my story started with and closing this chapter will be hard because I'm saying goodbye to my childhood but I know that if little me could see how far I have come she'd be smiling. And the kid in me will never fully go away and I find both comfort and joy knowing that I will be taking that with me into this new chapter.

I will be a first-generation college graduate and business owner. My life has not been the most easy thing. I have moved all over the place lost loved ones and gained some. Life has thrown me plenty of curve balls but thanks to my stubbornness to succeed and overcome diversity and problems I have gotten farther than I ever thought I would. In the sixth grade, we found out I was stuck learning at a second-grade level. In the second grade, I had teachers who would get frustrated by me asking questions over and over again so they would send me out in the hall. The reason I struggled to retain information was my ADHD. Sadly I wasn't diagnosed this until the fifth grade and all of the years before my teachers would just pass me from one grade to the next. This made me not want to ask questions anymore and asking them would give me severe anxiety enough to make me have a panic attack. the system had failed me and all that time I thought that I was the failure. In the sixth grade, I made the choice to work hard and do my best to get caught up with my class. Not to be amongst my peers but to better myself. By the time I was in eighth grade, I was caught up with my class and I even got the highest grade on my writing STAR test out of the whole district. before I went into high school I moved 3 states away and when I started high school I did so without any friends. I was bullied badly for 2 years but because I have ignored them and I have held strong they eventually got tired of me and now they don't bug me anymore. I was dealt a bad hand from the start of my educational journey but I turned my struggle into motivation and to this day I have continued to push myself to learn as much as possible. When I was in school in sixth grade I didn't even think I would graduate high school and that I would probably just do construction or anything I could just to get by. Now I have a goal and a dream to go to college get my associate degree and start my own massage therapy business. Diversity and struggles aren't there to hold you down and keep you there. They are there so we can grow as people; break free from the chains that bound us to give us the strength to pave the way for the life we want to live.

When I was in 2nd grade I was being abused at home by my biological mother. I was being beaten, starved, and drugged. I was a scared little girl in a world of pain. One person looked at me with a kindness that I can't even describe. Her name was Mrs Thompson and she was a wonderful person. every day she would bring me snacks and ask how I was. I would always lie but she somehow could tell. sometimes I would break down during a test from frustration and stress. she always said the same thing to me. She would say "We all make mistakes don't get unglued smile it's all in your attitude. I couldn't help but smile when she'd say that. Another time I remember a girl cursed at me and hit me in the face with a dogeball. I didn't cry. I held my breath. but she saw me. she saw my pain and she came over to me and gave me a hug and asked what was wrong. The fact that she just knew broke me into tears. I sobbed in her arms and I told her about what that girl did and about everything at home. She held me and told me that everything would be okay. I to this day have never met a kinder individual with such sweet caring eyes. I needed help and she knew it even when I would lie to her face. She told me I was strong in everything I did and that I could trust her and talk to her any time I needed. Even after I left her class I would come back to visit her when I got the chance and she would let me take care of the class pets. I know that she didn't get me out of the living situation I was in but the kindness she showed me helped me to survive the abuse and eventually leave and live with my dad. I haven't seen her in years now but I know that if I do she will look at me and see how much I have grown as a person and how happy I have become. She helped me to think that accepting help and talking to people about my problems isn't a bad thing, it is a good and very healthy thing to do especially when you need it. Now that I am living with my dad in a better situation I and grateful to be able to look back and know that someone was there for me in my worst.

I have PTSD, Anxiety, and depression. From the age of seven, I was abused by my biological mother. We lived in a house with no running water or electricity. I shared a room with my brother Aiden and made sure he never fully knew how baldy we had it. My biological mother would beat me, drug me, and even leave me alone for days at a time to watch my brother. I would have to try to find something, anything for us to eat or drink it was emotionally, mentally, and physically scary. Things only got worse when my biological mom had a baby. My sister's name was Tippi and I raised her from a newborn baby to the age of 2. We had neighbors who would sometimes help with food or water, but most of them were druggies and didn't want to call the police because they could end up arrested too. All of this went on till I was in the fourth grade. I got to move back in with my dad. Aiden came with me but Tippi went to her dad since we weren't full siblings. I slowly regained happiness that I never thought I would be able to feel again but the past still affected me. I still remember taking showers and then thinking I heard a baby crying and I would feel unable to move or breathe. It felt like I was back in that abusive household all over again. I would curl up into a ball and cry. some nights I would lie awake thinking that I was the reason everything with my mom was so terrible. I thought that I was the one to blame for the pain I felt and that If god loved me or anyone else he wouldn't have made me so horrible. It took a long time for me to feel comfortable making friends or opening up about everything but the thing that was the hardest was changing my mindset from "this is my fault" to "this isn't my fault." Because of all the emotional and mental trauma I had gone through by the time I hit sixth grade, I was stuck learning at a second-grade level. Thankfully I had teachers and family that supported and encouraged me to try my best to get caught up. I would spend every day before and after school studying and working on my schoolwork. When I was in eighth grade I was caught up with my class. I will never forget the day a para told me that I didn't need her anymore and that I was going to go to college and do great things. Just thinking about that has me teary-eyed writing this. After eighth-grade year, my family and I moved from Texas to Kansas. I started high school 3 states away from where I grew up and from all my friends. It was scary to feel so new and to feel so isolated by my classmates. They had all known each other for years but to them I was an outsider someone they didn't want or even care to get to know. My whole class pretended I didn't exist for two weeks. I thought that was the worst part but when they finally acknowledged me they bullied me into wanting to kill myself. I had come so far in school in life and then everything changed and I was hurting again. It felt like I just couldn't catch a break. Finally, some people started talking to me and as time passed I made some friends and the bullying slowed to a halt. I want to see a therapist about my depression anxiety and PTSD. She helped me to overcome so much and now I can say in a few months it will be 2 years since my last ptsd attack and five months since my last panic attack. I am now the oldest of 7 kids 6 live with me. I found my relationship with god again and I am genuinely happy. I have a boyfriend who I have been dating for a year and I hope one day I'll marry. My future is looking brighter each day. I just got accepted to my dream college where I am going to pursue my associate's degree in massage therapy. I plan on graduating and running my own business after a few years. I never would have thought that my life could be as good as it is right now but thanks to the people who care about me and the changes I made in myself I have been able to live the life I want to live without being defined or held back by my past. I have so much good to offer the world and I can't wait to start my educational journey and to help people.

I come from a big family but none of them have gone to college. It can be hard sometimes to have so many people but so little money. I remember a couple of times I didn't even get a birthday gift, not because my parents didn't want to get me one just because at that time we typically don't have much money. I am a hard-working person who oddly enough, finds enjoyment in the work I do. I have a good work ethic and I want to make the most out of my life despite my family's money situation. I am working double shifts almost every week and working hard to find ways to help pay for college. I have just gotten accepted to my dream college where I will get my associate degree in massage therapy. I want to run my own business and make a difference in the world by helping people. Success doesn't mean that you won't ever fail. Success means that you face failure head-on rather than run from it, and when you do fail, you learn from it to better yourself and your life. I know that to run my own business I am going to fail at something every now and then but I'm not scared of it because it comes with the job and it will give me a chance to learn and grow with my business. If everything always went right the first time then success wouldn't mean anything because you wouldn't have to try for it. success is something you get when you pour your heart and soul into something and to get over every obstacle you have to change the way you think about something and look from different angles to accomplish your goal. success is not measured in what you want to do but in what you have done. Anyone can succeed you just have to have the grit, bravery and perseverance to achieve it. When I think about what life looks like I think of the back roads in Texas where I used to live. Very rarely would you get one straight smooth road most of the time it would be a twisty turny bumpy mess that would leave me car-sick. But it makes the good roads feel so much sweeter. To succeed you have to not only realize your goal but realize what you have around you, It could be your loving family, a best friend, a boyfriend, a coworker, a boss, a mentor, a teacher or a unique opportunity. You have to be flexible to be successful money doesn't measure success. It can help you to be successful but you are the deciding factor. No one can blame a situation for them being unsuccessful, they can only blame themselves and how they dealt with the problem. Life is not easy so you can't expect success to be an easy accomplishment but if you acknowledge the difficulty, your self-worth, what you have and how you can achieve it I know I will achieve mine.

I moved to Kansas my freshman year. I had lived in Texas my whole life so moving 3 states away was really difficult for me. I have always been a little shy and going into highschool without my friend's was hard. I had hoped I could keep in touch with my friends back home but over time they stopped talking to me. The first two weeks of school were the worst. I was bullied and everyone pretended I didn't exist. One person finally talked to me and soon introduced me to other people. I didn't feel like such an outcast and I started to feel more comfortable. After a while the bullying stopped and now I'm much happier. Being the new kid anywhere is difficult. Everyone sees you and everyone is trying to decide wether or not you fit in. And for someone who is shy that can be overwhelming. Your always going to be new in some shape or form and highschool helps you to get comfortable with that. Since I've moved here I have managed to come out of my shell. I have severe anxiety but I have sang in front of hundreds of people. It can be scary at first but the more I put myself out there and try new things the better my life becomes and the more I grow as a person. I just got accepted to my dream college and my goal is to get my associates degree in massage therapy. I am a hard worker and I can't wait to keep trying new and difficult things in order to live the life I want to live. I want to change the world by helping people but in order to do that I had to change inside. I feel so close to graduation and I can't wait to meet my goals and learn everything I want to learn. Being the new kid in highschool wasn't fun but it prepared me for being the new kid on campus. I will be a first generation college graduate and business owner and I can't wait to be the new kid again. The struggles we face make us strong so that we can accept more difficult challenges when they come our way. We will make some friends and lose some along the way, we will smile and frown, life will be easy and hard, but it's all to help you become the person you're ment to be.

Jack Terry was alone and scared for the first part of his life. He had no one and nothing. Nothing but what was inside of him. He was rescued and taken from that terrible place but I'm sure his pain and struggles stayed with him, yet he didn't let them define him and he forged his own path threw hard work and determination. I was 7 years old when I went to go live with my abusive biological mother. I was alone and scared. Not to the degree he was but From an early age we both struggled. I got out of that terrible situation in the 4th grade but my past still haunted me. I had Ptsd attacks and because I was so heavily abused, by the time I was in 6th grade I was stuck at a 2nd grade education level. I didn't let my past define me and now I am not only caught up with my class I have just been accepted to my dream college. I will be a first-generation college graduate as well as business owner. Just like him, I want to help people. I want to be a massage therapist and help people to feel better and to have a better quality of life. Your struggles and your pain don't define you but when you look back on them you can find the courage to live the life you want to live. To forge your own path and make your own watershed moment. Everyone has potential inside of them, they just have to realize and acknowledge it to put it to use. I want to make a difference not just in my own life but in other people's. Jack Terry has inspired me to work even harder and to look for the good in my life when all I see is pain. Seek out the good in life and your life will be good. I hope that I will be an inspiration to those who want to forge their own paths just like how Jack Terry has been an inspiration to mine. I am the oldest out of 6 and I am very lucky to have such a wonderful, beautiful, messy family today when I go home I will take some time to let them know that. I am happy that now I am not alone and that in the end, Jack Terry wasn't either. Life is what you make it and I will make mine worthwhile.

My goal is to go to Fort Hays State University and get my associate degree in massage therapy. I want to learn everything about this profession so that I can make the most out of my career. my next goal is to run my massage therapy business. I am a hard worker and a trailblazer. I already have been accepted to the college I want and I will be a first-generation college student and business owner. I don't have much money and most days I find myself staying up till midnight working on homework and working double shifts at the subway. The rest of my time is spent cleaning the house and helping my family in any way I can. I am the oldest out of 6 and my siblings look up to me so I try to be the best I can so they can be the best they can be. My lack of money doesn't stop me from trying. At this moment in time I don't even have a car so I take my parents or I walk all the way to work. I have faced a lot of obstacles in my life but my determination, drive, and commitment have helped me to overcome them. I love to learn and though I'm not the smartest person I try to get as much knowledge as I can, Especially when it can be beneficial to me later on in life. I want to help people which is why I want to become a massage therapist. I know that the work I can do could be beneficial to people. I also want to be a business owner because I want to make my business everything I dream it can be. I want to add value to my communities and be the best boss I can be while making a life for myself. I am doing everything in my power to better myself, my life, and the lives of others. I want to put my skills to use and learn more skills along the way. I hope to grow with my business and to be an inspiration to anyone who dares to dream big, seek knowledge, and be the change they want to see in the world. I have goals and I am meeting them little by little. Everyone has potential, I can only hope that these words will help you see the potential in me.

I am the oldest out of 6. Kids come to me all of the time with their problems and ask me for advice, guidance, and help. I have shown leadership in many ways, both big and small. This year there was a tornado in my town. All of the students were in the basement. The music teacher, Mrs Conway brought in a bunch of little kindergarteners. They had been in a building outside and were soaking wet from the rain and shivering cold. I came over and laid my jacket over 3 little girls. Other people saw me do this and took off their jackets and gave them to the little kids. I didn't tell them to do it but I sparked something inside of them. They came to help those in need. Another time I showed leader ship was when I had a mean PE teacher in the 7th grade. PE was the last period of the day and we were not allowed to go to the restroom. This might not sound like a big problem but girls would pee themselves because he wouldn't let them go to the restroom. One day I had to go to the bathroom and so did several other girls. I asked the teacher if we could go to the restroom but he said no. I went with a group of girls to the girl's bathroom but the door was locked. We had no boys in the building at that time because we had separate PE times. So I kicked open the boy's bathroom door and we all went to the bathroom in there. From that day the teacher left the girl's bathroom unlocked. Another time I showed leadership skills was in the 8th grade. A girl named Zoe Thomas had collapsed in the school gym and couldn't get up. Zoe's leg was hurting badly and the coach said she could go to the nurse in 5 minutes. He never let her leave. The bell rang for everyone to go home and I was supposed to go to the bus. Instead, I grabbed her by the waist and held her up. I told her I would get her help. Mrs Ledesma was walking by and saw us. She ran over and held her other side. Once she had her I let go and I ran out to the street. I flagged down a truck going by. It was Mr. Rainy. My pastor and lunch person. I told him we needed help and without hesitation, he called 911 and told Mrs. Ledesma and me to put Zoe in the back of his truck. He brought her to an ambulance in front of the school. She was taken to the hospital. It turned out that because he had broken her knee before, she had chronic growing pains that were debilitating and left her unable to walk. she stayed in that hospital for 3 days. In my community, I always help those who need it. I speak up against problems and I will never stop or look the other way. I want to own my own business and I hope to inspire and motivate others to be leaders in their own lives. Whether it's my sibling standing up against a bully, a classmate fighting for a fair dress code, or an employee fighting for equal rights. I believe everyone is capable of making a difference and being a leader is just one way to do it.

Mental health can impact both our physical and mental well-being. Not all struggles are out in the open and oftin the most difficult ones lie in ourselves. My community is more slow-paced when it comes to the normalizing of emotions in our community. In this world today we need to both be open to the idea of letting our inner feelings show and accepting other people positively. I myself struggle with depression and anxiety. Sometimes I just need to cry and that is okay. by explaining to my parents the relief I feel y letting these intense feelings go they have come to understand that maybe just because it's not how they deal with there problems doesn't mean my way is wrong. My little brother Maverick who is only 6 has anxiety attacks. Because I know what it feels like I am who helps him. I take a cold washcloth and place it on the back of his neck while telling him to smell the flowers and blow out the birthday candles. this kind of imagination both takes his mind off the problem and helps him breathe. Once he is calm I tell him that sometimes it can be hard to be around so many people and to feel overwhelmed but that it's okay and I get upset like that too. Most importantly I tell him that he can come to me whenever he needs me and that his being upset isn't a bad thing. He works on it every day and I can see the relief in his eyes when he sees me walk into a room. he knows I love him and I am there. I have helped people all over the school to know that they can come and talk to me whenever they want or they don't have to say anything or they just need to cry they can. Every person has worth and struggles. I am both an advocate for people's physical health by telling the principal when a rapest was on campus, but also a mental advocate for myself and other students by addressing problems or being a safe place. this world needs to have more people who are willing to be open-minded and understand that the feelings we have aren't easy, but we can make it a little bit easier by being there for others. It's time to start a watershed moment and be the change we want to see in the world.

The world is not black and white and not everyone deals with things in the same ways. I was abused at a very young age and to this day It still affects me. I used to be suicidal and hated myself. I no longer want to do that and I now love my life but it will always be something I struggled with. I felt trapped. I had always heard people talk about fight or flight but never heard them talk about freeze. I have Ptsd and freeze comes into play when I have an episode. I feel like I can hear and sometimes see a moment in such a vivid crippling way it feels like time has stopped and I'm being forced to relive it over and over again. I stop and hyperventilate until I find myself having a panic attack. Before I started taking medicine for my anxiety I would start to feel a panic attack just by walking down the school hallway. Every day was miserable every day was filled with crippling pain that I couldn't escape. I felt like I was in a box and the walls were caving in all around me and all I could do was stand there and watch it happen. I finally got help from a Therapist. She helped me to have a deeper understanding of my problems and now I am happy to say I haven't had a PTSD attack in a year. I am feeling much less stressed and managing my depression and anxiety in healthy ways. She helped me and now I want to help give back to my community. I don't want to work with mental health because I know the toll it would take on me, Instead I want to help others by being a massage therapist. A massage therapist provides therapeutic massages with oils heat and other things to help people to feel better. whether that person is a veteran whose years of service have left them with chronic pain or someone on a weekend getaway looking to relax. no matter who a person is or what they have been through I will be able to help them. This world is full of good and good people and I want to be someone who puts a little more good in this world.

I grew up in a big family. I am the oldest out of 6 and I will be the first person in my family to go to college. my whole life Both of my parents have hated going to work but I want to do what I love and not just do something to keep the lights on. I want to start my own business as a massage therapist. I won't just be helping my clients I will be the best boss I can so that my employees don't hate every day they come to work. I want to let kids clean and do simple tasks there to help them gain valuable work ethic and give them some work experience. My community is ever growing and changing And I would like to have a positive impact on it and the people within it. My community is mostly made up of hard-working farmers and laborers most of which are in terrible pain. By alleviating some of their pain I can help them live a better life. A time I felt emotional weakness was when I was living with my biological mother. I am living in a better place with my dad who loves and takes great care of me and my sibling. but at the time of this, I was 8 years old and it was easter night. I woke up to hear screaming. I opened my bedroom door to see that my step dad who was in an angry drunken stupor was beating my bio mom. She was lying on the floor covering her face while he punched and kicked at her. I was in my PJs and I yelled at him to stop. he saw me and he jumped up. but then I heard the baby crying. he took my year-old baby sister out of her crib and ran outside with her. I knew I had to do something so I grabbed my easter dress I had set out to wear in the morning and I chased after him. My bio mom had managed to accidentally spray herself with pepper spray so she was walking around blind. I found my stepdad holding my babysitter. When she saw me she reached out for me to hold her. I calmly asked him to give me the baby. He moved her to his hip. He then hit me so hard in the face that I fell sideways on the road. Everything went white. all I could feel was the cold assault on my face and body and the stinging of my face. I wanted to just lay there and not get up but I heard my little brothers scream. He watched what my stepdad had done to me. I heard faintly my bio mom yelling did you hit my baby? I knew she couldn't get the baby from my stepdad and that If My brother had screamed my stepdad would go after him next. so I forced myself up off the road. when I did I was that I had class in my arm where someone had broken a beer bottle. I dizzily stood up and forced myself forward and got my brother the neighbor had heard us and told us to come into his house. I took Aiden into the house I tried to leave to go get my little sister but they saw my injuries and wouldn't let me. I stayed and comforted my little brother. I did the best with what I could in that moment and what I did was enough.

Our universe is vastly growing and changing yet full of beautiful complex patterns that appear in the creation of stars the cells of leaves and in our society and history as people. I will be a first-generation college graduate. I am breaking a pattern and thus changing something. Every little change that we, as people make has an impact even if it doesn't look like much, but it has as much change in our world as changing strands of DNA. I am being the change I want to see in the world. I not only want to graduate college but I plan on running my own business as a massage therapist. I am going to help people by alleviating the stress and pain that some of our veterans and our farmers feel every single day. My work will serve as a watershed movement in my town and family by improving one life after another. I also am filling out scholarships in the hope that I won't have college debt or debt of any kind. Debt has become a socially acceptable thing in our world and I am fighting to show people that you can make it through life without it and by doing so live a better life. I am an observant person who looks at patterns in our world. I am in a data analysis and analytics class and each and every piece of information paints a picture that leaves you with a deeper understanding of our universe and the way we as people live. I don't want to be another person who just falls into the background of society and lives my life based on how everyone else lives there's. by consciously noticing and looking at the patterns and each individual aspect of the world I can see ways I want to change it. our world is the most complex thing that simultaneously is so simple. I want to change the world by changing what my family has always done and by changing what the majority of people have done to inspire change in other people. But you have to make the conscious decision to put yourself out there even when it's scary and even when it's hard. Everyone in their own way wishes the world would change but you can't just wish for it if you want to see real change. We as people have the opportunity and the gift to make change happen and if you help me then you'll be changing the world too.

My parents don't have much money and I help with it whenever I can. I work whenever I can and I do my very best in school. I am a hard worker and not only an inspiration to my siblings but to my parents as well. I am currently saving up for a car and I have paid off my college comp class 3 months early with all the money I earned myself. I am saving as much as I can and hardly spending while job shadowing people who are in the workforce I want to go into. I am filling out scholarships and staying motivated so that when I graduate I won't have debt weighing me down. I know that this is not going to be easy but nothing in life worth having is.“Without a strong educational system, democracy is crippled. Knowledge is not the only key to power. It is the citadel of human freedom.” Harry S. Truman. The fruit grown by the working man's lips tastes the sweetest. I am a go-getter and a visionary. I notwill go to college I am going to run my own business to give back to the community that gave me so much. My parents aren't the only people who raised me it took a village. When I walk across that stage I know that there will be a crowd of people crying not because I'm leaving but because they are proud of the person I have become. I see the obstacles in my path and instead of fearing that I won't surpass them, I charge through them knowing that the only real way to fail is to give up or not try at all. I can't wait to learn and grow with my business. I do not fear the mistakes I will make. They are inevitable. I am excited to get out there and make them so I can learn from them and teach others how to avoid them. My family has a cycle of dropping out of high school and I will be the first to break that chain and surpass expectations. I will not fail to try or to find ways to get where I need to go. I am a trailblazer who wants to know everything I can about what I want to do in this life. I will change people's lives for the better and I will be the change I want to see in the world.

I want to start my own business as a massage therapist. The community I live in is small and made up of hard-working people and farmers. Everywhere I look I see the influence each person has on our community and I want to be one of them. Each person does so much in our community but a lot of people are in terrible pain because of the hard work they do. By opening my own massage therapy place in town I will be able to alleviate some of that pain and help them to feel their best. By each person feeling their best they will be able to live a happier life and get more work done. My business will help strengthen our community by helping the people who make it what it is today and by drawing in more people to it. By running a small business I will also get the chance to show young people in my community that if they can dream it they can do it. I would love to let kids learn from me and to be a kind understanding boss to those who could work for me. Our community is full of teenagers and I know how beneficial it can be to find a job at that crucial time in your life. I would be more than willing to let young people help me out whether that would be them cleaning the place for me or organizing oils. I want to help this community by using my work to thank the veterans and the farmers in my community as well as a safe learning place for future farmers and future entrepreneurs. To develop my business I will first go to Fort Hays University to get my associate in massage therapy. I am currently doing job shadowing and talking to massage therapists and business owners to know which steps I should take and what mistakes to avoid. While in college I will work as a massage therapist at some places in town because they provide jobs during the program. This will help me to gain valuable work experience and help me to see how other people run their businesses and what works best for them. Though massage therapy isn't the most heard of career it is one in which I can help people of all ages in a lot of different ways. I can't wait to make a difference.

Some of my mental illness has come from life experience and some from genetics. My dad has struggled with depression and anxiety. He is also bipolar. I have depression and severe anxiety. My depression started very early in life. Me and my brother were living with my dad and in the 1st grade he got in a wreck with my brother. He was an alcoholic and though he loved us very much he had his own demons and being a single dad he didn't think he was enough which is what led him to drink and drive that day. My brother is 2 and a half years younger than me. He was in critical condition and had to be flown to 3 different hospitals because the first 2 wouldn't take him. My bio mom pulled me out of school and told me my brother might die. That was the first time I felt this helpless panic. He got stitches in his head and ended up being okay. My dad went to prison for 2 years. At the time he was away, I was living with my abusive mom. She beat me, starved me, drugged me and constantly told me that I was ugly and stupid and worthless. I wanted to end my life at the age of 7 years old. My bio mom had a baby and left her with me at this time sometimes for days at a time. We had no heat or running water and I had no idea what I was doing. I made sure my brother never fully knew the struggles I had in that house. To this day he doesn't remember anything bad about our bio mom or the time we lived with her. I also have ADD. this means I struggle to focus and pay attention. My teachers at the time did not help me when I struggled instead they would get frustrated and send me out to the hallway. years passed like this until the 4th grade. My brother, my sister, and I were taken out of that situation. My brother and I moved in with my dad. I thought it was my fault that I couldn't live with my mom. The whole time I was being abused I thought I deserved it and that anything bad was my fault. I was such a broken scared little girl who hated myself. My dad got sober and he helped me to see that I was loved but the trauma stayed with me. I had PTSD, Depression, severe anxiety, And separation anxiety. I would go to take a shower and in the sound of the water running, I would think I heard a baby crying. But no one would be crying. I would feel like I couldn't breathe and then I'd curl up in a ball and cry. I felt like I was there back with my mom back with my baby sister not knowing what to do but knowing I needed to help her. Feeling so helpless and stuck. We moved to a new school and I finally found teachers who would help me and encourage me to see my self-worth. In the sixth grade, I was stuck at a second-grade level but by the 8th grade, I was caught up with the rest of my class. My stepmom showed me love that I never knew I was supposed to have. I got on medicine went to therapy and have not been suicidal for 3 years. I love my life and can't wait to make it the best I can.

I want to go to college to get my associate's degree in massage therapy. I want to run my own business. I chose this because I think being a business owner is something I could excel at and my work could greatly benefit the community. My community is filled with hard-working farmers and laborers who feel constant pain and by being a massage therapist I can help them and leave individuals in my community feeling their best. I want to help the veterans in my community and all of the hard-working individuals that have helped our nation as well as anyone I can help. People in this town get married pretty frequently and I could give a massage for brides and their bride's mades or the groom and his best men. I will be the first person in my family to go to college let alone run their own business. My dad has talked to me about how he hates going to his job and by being the boss I can actively help my employees to have the best work experience possible and I can make my work experience better too. I want to be an inspiration to young people and show them that if they can dream it they can do it. Owning your own business isn't for everyone but I know some young go-getters in my community would thrive if they were just given a chance. By being a business owner in my community I would be more than happy to share everything I have learned to help people along the way. I am a big sister to six amazing kids so I know how to get things done and find ways to work around struggles. Success for me would be people from my community and others being my clients and noticing a difference in their lives. I want to help people and this is one of the best ways I can do that. By adding more opportunities and businesses in our community I can help to expand it and help it to grow. we have a very good close-knit community that with a little help can flourish into something beautiful. I dream big and work hard and through whatever challenges I may face in this world I will stand strong because I know this is what I am meant to do and what I will do. I'm not waiting for my future I'm paving my way to it right now.

The movie Moxie has had the greatest impact on my life. This movie points out the normalism of sexism and then proceeds to show that it shouldn't be. A young girl tries to write about what is important to her and then she starts a secret paper calling out the sexist people in the school and in turn starts a revolution. I have been treated badly simplybecause I am a girl. I will never forget the time I was sitting on the bus while some kids were throwing paper and it landed in my seat. A kid reached over to get it and touched my butt. I was shocked and told him what he did. He looked me in the eyes and said and I quote " I could have rapped you but I didn't so shut up." The fact that anyone would touch my body without my permission and then proceed to tell me that I shouldn't complain because they didn't rape me makes my stomach turn and my blood boil. I live in a community where there are a lot of older people. And those older people want things to stay the way they were back then. A rapist just got out of jail on bail and he came into the fast food place where I work and I had to make him food while feeling sick and scared for my life. I was going to walk home that day but because my coworker knew he was dangerous he drove me home. I want people to be held accountable for there actions. We arn't objects were people and we deserve the same opportunities and respect as men. I am going to go to college to become a massage therapist and I can't help but acknowledge the fact that at some point in my career I could be in danger. I want my little sisters to watch this movie and know that we are still fighting and we can make a difference. I will stand up to issues just like the main character and speak my truth and my pain. We as people in general need to uplift each other because life is difficult as it is. Moxie is very near and dear to my heart because she is brave and finds the strength in herself slowly but surely. I have found this in myself and I see it in younger women every day. This town will change in the most wonderful way in time and I hope to be apart of that change. As an entrapenuar and woman business owner.

A show that I could watch over and over again is the seven deadly sins. This show is hilarious. Every time I find myself watching it I can't help but laugh. The struggle between the two main characters slowly starts to show itself as the show unfolds. It's a Romeo Juliet kind of story that leaves you on the edge of your seat wanting more. But the love in this isn't the only thing that makes you want to watch it. Seeing the friendship between each character grow stronger and stronger to defeat a common evil is thrilling. The fact that both main characters have to rebel against there own kind to bring peace and prosperity to both worlds is moving. In the end against all odds the two star crossed lovers get to be together forever. This show is action packed, hilarious, moving, and just an all around great show. The character designs also add humor to it in a way that both reflects there personality and strengths. Each character is different and let's you see the world from different perspectives. The voicing for the characters could not have been better and every little detail makes this show a masterpiece.

In my freshman year I not only moved school I moved 3 states away from where I grew up. I moved away from all my friends and my family to start a new life. It was scary and I was really sad to go especially because I would be starting high school. When I first came to the school I was bullied and ignored. The only person who did anything was my teacher Mrs. Knoll. She moved me away from the kids who were mean to me and took the time to help each kid individually with both in-school things and out-of-school things. She let me come into her room during lunch to talk and work on stuff for her class. She was always understanding, patient and kind. She is one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege of knowing. She let my whole class know every day that we are loved and we can do anything we put our minds to. She also reminded me that there are a lot of sides to each person. Because of her, I want to be a business owner. But more than that, she showed me I can be. She has taught me to prioritize my mental health before my work, that we are only human and we can't do it all, and that, that is okay. She understood the need for a balance between both home and school life. It is rare to find an educator who actively acknowledges every aspect of a student's life and not just where they fit in it. She has changed how I look at my life. I now look at my future with possibilities and opportunities instead of dreading what my future might hold. I am excited to contribute to this world. Like Mrs. Knoll, I will be there for people, listen, help whenever I can, and take the time to acknowledge all aspects of people's lives and not just where I fit into them. I only wish Mrs. Knoll hadn't quit so that she could continue to change students' lives in the way she changed mine. My happy outlook on life comes from a lot of what Mrs. Knoll taught me. She wasn't just a teacher to me she was someone I looked up to and she is someone who has changes countless lives for the better and every one of her students would agree with me.

My mental health has made a big impact on my academic performance. When I am calm and collected and ready to take on the day I do a great job but when I am stressed and overwhelmed and unprepared it does the opposite. I have had mental breakdowns in class before and had to fight back the tears that have welled up in my eyes. The outlook you have can change the trajectory of your day and your life. If you don't think you can do something you won't. Every night I disconnect from electronics and I spend time with my family. talking to them and not thinking of my work helps me to unwind and refresh my mindset for the night. I keep a routine every night that way I feel good and ready when I go to sleep. I wake up early and start the day by saying hello to my parents and by taking a step outside. I take the time to make coffee and eat a good breakfast. I get ready and still have time to sit down and not feel rushed out the door. When I get to school I am always the first person to get to class and I sit there myself for a few minutes while I ready myself for that class. Doing this gets me well rested, refueled, calm, and happy, and gives me a feeling of readiness that I don't get any other way. I also try to look in the mirror every morning and tell myself out loud or in my head that I am beautiful and capable, and that whatever my best effort is that day is good enough. It is important to give yourself the time to process information, to know when you need a break, and to know that needing a break is okay. We're only human and we can't do it all but at the same time, we can do anything we put our minds to, so it's important to keep your mind healthy. Keep yourself around people who will bring you up instead of putting you down that way those who matter to you will speak words that will mean the most to you. Acknowledge your accomplishments both big and small and look at the bright side of things. I will continue to put my mental health first in school, and life, and to keep in mind the importance of other people's mental health.

I was abused at a very young age by my bio mom and because of this, I have struggled mentally with so many things. I have ADHD and as a student in class I would forget things very very quickly and re-ask questions over and over but sadly instead of them trying to help me they got frustrated and would kick me out of class to sit in the hallway. I was passed from grade to grade to grade until I moved in with my dad and got into a better living situation. In my 5th-grade year at the very end, they found out I had ADHD and I needed help. In sixth grade, I moved to a new school and found out I was stuck at a 2nd-grade level of learning. I worked before and after school every single day until by my 8th grade year I was caught up with my class. This was great but because of the neglect of my past teachers and my bio mom I didn't think it was enough. I hated myself. I tried to kill myself over and over again but none of my attempts worked. I was so badly affected by everything I was scared to ever ask for help and I'd have a panic attack when I didn't understand something. I couldn't help but think that if my mom could hate me so much to drug me and beat me and starve me then not even god could love me. Every night I'd lay awake crying silently. One day I realized I get to pick who I consider family and anyone who would treat me like that isn't family. I realized that the people who did love me knew I had potential and that my life had meaning. I changed my mindset and changed my life. I wanted to help people but I didn't know how. My dad has sacrificed so much and has back, neck, and shoulder pain from working construction and the railroad tracks. My step mom who has been the only real mother figure in my life has wrist and foot pain. My grandmother has back pain because of her scoliosis. I started to give them massages to try to help them to feel a little better. I found out that I could become a massage therapist and instantly I knew that was what I wanted to do. I took it one step further and I am currently planning on becoming a massage therapist and running my own business. I will be the first person in my family to go to college let alone run their own business. I talk to people who have struggled the way I have and I tell them how they can get out of their situation. You can become whoever you want to be and live the life you want to live. Today I still struggle with abandonment issues, anxiety and depression but I am no longer in therapy I am making a life for myself and I am going to help people. Every little step I take is important and Today I can say I love myself and I am happy.

I am going to run my own business. I am the oldest of 6 and am often looked up to by my brothers and sisters alike. I will be the first person to go to college in my family and the first to run my own business. I want to become a massage therapist to help those with chronic painful conditions and to help those who just want to relax. I have moved all over the place in my life and every single place I go I meet people who are in terrible pain. My whole life I have wanted to do my part to help those who are in pain. I think this comes from me seeing my dad in pain. He dropped out of school in the 8th grade and when he had me at the age of 19 he worked day in and day out at the railroad tracks to give me the best life possible. Sadly all of his hard work left him with back, neck, and shoulder issues that affect him every day. My stepmom works as a CNA. She's always on her feet going from person to person taking care of residents. She was abused as a child and has foot problems from always wearing shoes that were too small for her. With a mixture of her being on her feet all day and her foot problems, she is in such bad pain when she gets home. I started giving both of my parents massages to help them to feel better and when I found out I could make a career out of it I knew that's what I was going to do. I live in a small town and in this small town, we have a lot of farmers doing backbreaking work that supports our nation as a whole. Everywhere you look you find hardworking individuals and though what they do is amazing so many of them are in pain from the work they've done. These people support our nation and I want to help them in any way I can and show them that in return for their hard work, they have gotten more than just pain. They have nourished our growing nation and helped it to flourish. By helping reduce the amount of pain these individuals have I am helping to improve their lives and give back to those who have given so much more.

I am the oldest of 6 kids. My dad has always had chronic back neck and shoulder pain and though I couldn't do much sometimes I'd take the time out of my day to rub his shoulders. My stepmom has rist problems and feet problems because as a child she was abused. She spends her days helping people as a CNA so (though it's not my favorite thing to do ) When she gets off work I rub her wrists and her feet. I think these things have influenced me to pursue massage therapy. Massage therapy is not a well-known career however it's a good one that can help a lot of people. Massage therapists help those who have been in surgery, car wrecks, accidents and even our veterans. I want to help people who need it and those who are just looking to let go of some built-up stress and tension. Because this job isn't very well known I think that by implementing it in our community I can help people to feel better one way or another and have a happier healthier community. I meet people every day who hurt or who need a break. physical pain is both mentally and physically draining it can leave you aggravated, restless and feeling helpless. You shouldn't have to hurt constantly because of a mistake or sacrifice. I want to run my own business that way I can invite people from all walks of life who have never even thought about the benefits massage therapy can have. Every little thing matters good and bad and I want to put good into the world bit by bit until I can look around and know that I made someone's life easier even if it was just for one moment. I hope to inspire those to help others when they can because lord knows we need it. I am determined to make a difference in this world, in my state, In my community, And in others lives. I'm daring to dream big, risk failure, and put myself out there because I know my purpose is to help others and make changes. A butterfly goes through a lot of changes but before it can spread its wings it has to break out of its cacoon and face the world head-on, knowing that while it's changed, the world has changed alongside it, growing and changing around it and you have to hope that the world around it has transformed with it for the better.

I grew up being the oldest in an abusive household. I had to raise my newborn baby sister at 7 years old in a house with no running water or heat. I was told by my abusive mother that I was ugly and dumb and because of this, I tried to end my life before it had even truly begun. I have struggled with depression Adhd extreme anxiety disorders and the fear that I will never be enough. My dad finally got me out of that bad situation. He saved my life. I was shown love and taught not to let my past limit or define myself because I am so much more than my pain. I have stopped needing therapy as of last year and I can happily say that I love myself and my life. I am chasing my dreams and making the life for myself I want to live. I believe that if you want your life to change for the better you have to change yourself for the better. Change the way you think, change the way you see yourself, and change the direction of your life to the direction you want to go. I chose to change all of this and I chose to not talk to my bio mom since the 6th grade. I have been able to help other people who are struggling because they know I understand. I can also help shine a light on the issues of home lives that other people might not understand so that they can sympathize with their situation. My career field might not directly impact the home lives of others but it can help them to feel better which is my goal. I want to help my community grow and flourish while chasing my dreams and making the most of this second chance at life that I have been given. I have already been told that I am an inspiration to those who have been at their lowest by showing them there is a way out and if you can't find it in yourself to get out of that dark place then other people and myself will be there to pull you out of the darkness and start a fire inside you that will shine light on all life's possibilities. You are not your pain it does not define you and it does not define me. A better life is possible and I am on my way there.