There is a magical place that helps anyone in need of a dress to be able to attend formal events without having to break their banks or skip on necessities to do so. It is run purely on generosity and the owner Ms. Linda is the most giving person I have ever meet. The place is called Rock n Frocks and was started as her daughter's Girl Scout project. At Rock n Frocks you can purchase a formal dress for homecoming or prom at an affordable price, if you can't afford the dress then you will be gifted the dress free of charge. All funds that come in go to rent, and the purchase new dresses. The best part of Rock n Frocks is that everyone is welcome. There is no judgment in this place. They go out of the way to ensure all sizes and body types are able to find what they need here size 00-4x are available. This is a LGBTQ friendly space, and truly accepting spaces can be hard to find. Generosity means helping those around you, giving away instead of holding onto things. Giving of oneself can be the most freeing thing. It is not as common a practice as it should be. Putting others needs before your own needs and wants is not a societal norm. I hope to be as generous a person in my endeavors and use Ms. Linda's example of what kind of impact one person can have on a person, family and an entire community. Having the ability to change another’s life for even a moment is always worth the effort. Making others happy will always leave a lasting impact on all involved.

Nike's famous slogan Just Do It, and Burger Kings Have it your way are perfect examples of recipes for joy. Joy is found in doing the things we enjoy in the ways we enjoy them. These activates vary from person to person, and it is no ones job to judge anyone doing anything as long as they are not harming another while doing it. For me joy can be found in the beauty of nature, art and music. I find joy sharing these activities with my friends, and family. I have been fortunate to volunteer with several agencies based on these interest. I have found giving back to others is what truly gives me joy. For this reason I have decided to become a teacher. As a teacher I can share my joy and give back to others for generations to come.

I am always looking for opportunities to learn new things but hard skills attained through education alone are not enough. Being an open minded and inquisitive person means I need hands on experiences as well. Music and the arts are what drive me. I find it within everything that I do. I listen to sound tracks when I do art, when I do work, and when I walk down the street. When I have free time, I am listen to or making music. I joined Orchestra mid Freshman year because I had a free period at school and wanted to learn something new. Through practice, I now play cello in the Symphony Orchestra. I love to play games, and all my favorites have what I consider excellent soundtracks. Pokemon is my favorite game, and the soundtrack has inspired me to play some of the instruments I play today. I started to play the flute because I love certain pieces so much, and I wanted to play them myself. Before high school, I was only focused on art. I enjoy painting, drawing, and sculpting. In high school, I took an airbrush class. I have created original character pieces, taken some commissions for drawing. I have designed several shirts for school groups as well. I earned my Associate of Arts degree in 2020 from Cuyahoga Community College. Since second grade, I have been a part of the National PTA Reflections art completion program. Ever since I began to play percussion in 5th grade, I've grown to love the art of performance more and more. Freshman year, I started to take music seriously when I joined the marching band at my high school. All my Senior year classes are in the music department, and I spend most of my lunchtime practicing.

For the first 15 years of my life, I was the only person in my household that had no disability. My family has a long history of disabilities, and within our household alone we deal with bipolar disorder and a traumatic brain injury in my older brother, ADHD and a learning disability in my youngest brother, a vision and learning disability in my mother, and PTSD and Anxiety in my sister and father. I had gotten used to the role of being abled until my own disability finally arose in Tourette’s syndrome. The doctors thought it was anxiety related at first, but we knew that couldn't be the case, and it wasn't. My tics did not only happen under stress, and I didn't feel particularly stressed anyways. While Tourette’s isn't completely inhibiting, not having full control of your body can cause so much fear. I have been scared to learn how to drive. Work, and other basic activities can be difficult. I have to be selective in where I sit. I have found that if the table is not stable or grounded correctly, my tics may cause me to knock it over. Some of my tics are verbal and I try to play them off as excitement. This causes me to seem easily excited. Thankfully, I have gotten a 504 plan for school, and I have been blessed with a good support system to help me. Finding out your life is going to be different than you imagined when you are in high school can be difficult for some. I am so blessed that my prior experiences with family and friends made this as smooth as possible. Everyone is accepting of me and I am able to help others understand and gain exposure to something they may not have otherwise encountered. My goals for my education are to learn as much as possible to be an effective teacher. I plan to double major in music education and art education. I want to use my time in university to better myself in knowledge and in character. I know I will not be the first teacher with Tourette's but chances are I will be the first one most of the people I interact with come into contact with. For this reason it is vital that I teach them not just what is in the lesson plan, but how to be accepting of everyone and that together we all learn more. My teachers have inspired me to make an impact on others the way that they have made an impact on me and countless other students. The arts are universal languages, and I think it is a very valuable thing for people to understand. To dedicate myself to teaching is an honor to me.

For the first 15 years of my life, I was the only person in my household that had no medical diagnosis of a disability or mental health concerns. My family has a long history of disabilities, and/or mental health concerns. Within our household alone we deal with bipolar disorder and a traumatic brain injury in my older brother, ADHD and a learning disability in my youngest brother, a vision and learning disability in my mother, and PTSD and Anxiety in my sister and father. I had gotten used to the role of being unlabeled until my own label finally arose in Tourette’s syndrome. While Tourette's isn't completely inhibiting, not having full control of your body at all times can cause so much fear. I have been scared to learn how to drive. Work and other basic activities can be difficult at times. I have to be selective in where I sit. I have found that if the table is not stable or grounded correctly, my tics may cause me to knock it over. Some of my tics are verbal and I try to play them off as excitement. This causes me to seem easily excited. Thankfully, I have gotten a 504 plan for school, and I have been blessed with a good support system to help me. My family is very accepting of each of its members. Knowing this helps each of us know that we will always have a place to call home. When I was nine years old, my brother gave me Pokémon White 2 thus the story of my love of Pokémon begins. One of the most incredible parts of Pokémon games is their soundtrack. Each piece is masterfully composed to fit the mood of the character, landscape, or situation. The Pokémon soundtrack has inspired me to learn new instruments and compose pieces of my own. I decided to learn to play the flute because I loved how beautiful it sounded in the piece Revelation Mountain from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. Outside of music, Pokémon has fostered my love of character creation and storytelling. Not only do the Pokémon themselves have great designs, but the people do too. The creators do an amazing job of creating characters that look like their personalities, and they are all unique and quirky in their own way. I have learned a lot about creating unique and effective designs from Pokémon. While visual arts is not my major, it is still of great interest to me and I will always love to expand my artistic abilities. My interest in Pokémon has fueled my creativity. That is why I consider it such a huge part of my identity. My goals for my education are to learn as much as possible to be an effective teacher. I plan to double major in music and art education. I want to use my time in university to better myself in knowledge and character. I know I will not be the first teacher with Tourette's but chances are I will be the first one most of the people I interact with come into contact with. For this reason, I must teach them not just what is in the lesson plan, but how to be accepting of everyone and that together we all learn more. My teachers have inspired me to make an impact on others the way that they have made an impact on me and countless other students. The arts are universal languages, and I think it is a very valuable thing for people to understand. To dedicate myself to teaching is an honor to me.

I am an artist. As most artists do, I love to use various colors and textures in my works. While each piece is unique, they are still part of the collection, and a group is always more complete with all its details. This is also very true of being an American. Being an American means that none of us are perfect or the same, but together we are a stronger nation. America is like an unfinished canvas. America was founded on the idea that all men are created equal. Citizens have the right to life, liberty, and justice. However, at no point in its history have all its citizens had genuine freedom and equal access to justice. America is still battling racial division. Women had to fight for the right to vote and still must fight for equal rights and ownership of their bodies. Discrimination against the LGBTQ community still exists. We spend more on our military than on education. There are political and religious differences as well. Like paint on this canvas, each issue has left its mark on our great nation. Some spots are dark, and others are bright. Each issue leaves its textures on each of us as well. Depending on our life experiences, we feel the above struggles differently. Some affect us more deeply, while others directly affect our neighbors more, impacting our nation. America is known as the land of opportunity. It is known as a place where anyone can become anything if they work hard enough. Currently, this dream is hard for the youth to imagine due to lower incomes and the high cost of education, housing, medical, and basic needs. Despair not, because we, as all Americans before us, will persevere through innovating new ways to rise to meet these and other challenges to come. We are all free to speak our thoughts, and we are all responsible for the consequences of our actions. We will spark discussions, call for change, advocate for those in need and fix what needs fixing as best as possible. Today’s technology has connected us like never before and shined a light on the work still to be done. Being American means, we each are creators and innovators. Americans have the freedom to make the necessary changes to finally make the American dream come true for each citizen. This can only be done if we are brave enough to see past the differences and work together for all Americans.

When I go to college I plan to double major in music education and art education. I have had several teachers in the past who have inspired me to make an impact on students' lives the way they have made an impact on mine. Music and art were not always my intended career paths, but when I joined each of the different ensembles and art classes I am in during high school I felt increasingly strongly about making a career out of music and art. I love learning about performance and theory, and I love to share that knowledge with others as well, which is why I want to major in education. Visual art is an incredible way to express one's self, so I want to foster that experience for students. Currently, I perform in eight ensembles and I adore it. I earned my associate's of art degree when I was fifteen, and I like to create art wherever possible. My goal in college is to learn different techniques to improve my skills as a musician and artist and to learn to help others do the same. Seeing improvement in myself and others is what motivates me. This applies in and outside of the arts- I love seeing people improve as performers, artists, students, and as people. A benefit to becoming a teacher is debt forgiveness. Teachers have a lot of student loan forgiveness opportunities that I fully plan to take advantage of when possible. I started taking college classes when I was eleven years old through the College Credit Plus program. This decision has given me a big head start on my education, as I gained my associate’s degree at age fifteen. One of the biggest benefits this has provided for me is the ability to avoid paying for those classes. This knocks my general education classes our of the way when I transfer to a four year university, which will take the price down for me. I plan to pay for the rest of my education by applying for scholarships and working. I have been saving up for college. I work as much as possible without interference with my school work. I don’t want my education to become a financial burden on my family, especially given that my parents are still paying off their own student loans. I intend to pay for college with little family contribution. I have been applying to as many scholarships as possible.

The biggest cause of violence and hatred is ignorance. Therefore, the best way to fight violence and hatred is with education. This can span from hosting assemblies, seminars, and club meetings, to simply making a post on social media. Sadly, there will always be people who hate just to be hateful. Still, I believe with an increase in education we can lessen oppression in communities. Outside of assemblies or presentations about these types of social issues, there needs to be a change made in the school curriculum. Teaching proper history about different cultures, religions, women's rights, queer history, disability history, and more is very important. While we cannot speak for communities that we are not a part of, we can work to amplify the voices of those who need it. Each marginalized group experiences different types of oppression. Everyone needs to seek to see similarities and to stick together. For example, people of color face different struggles than those of oppressed religions, but in the end, our goal should be to lift each other and dismantle the system that seeks to dismantle us.

The final piece we did for our spring band concert was written by Michael Markowski, called City Trees. City Trees is by far my favorite piece that I've played in any ensemble that I've been in. The other parts I've played were fun, but none made me feel things the way this did. When we received the piece, our director had us read the program notes. What the work is about, how it was constructed, each part coming together to tell a story. The piece is about the composer's feelings and experiences in an environment not meant for someone like him. He feels out of place. This piece means a lot to me. I spent a lot of my junior year, especially over quarantine, trying to figure out who I was. Everything I thought I knew about myself, even my name, felt wrong and uncertain. We performed the piece right around the time I had started to come to terms with the fact that I am trans. Despite all of the support, there will always be people who don't like who you are- even your closest friends. The amount of shame and self-doubt that I was feeling was perfectly captured by parts of this piece, and the happiness I felt that I was beginning to understand my feelings was too. My favorite part of the piece is measure 118- the chords created by our ensemble shook me. It filled my head completely. Our director described this part of the piece as Markowski discovering and coming to terms with who he was, and that's precisely what it meant to me. It doesn't matter that there are people who won't support you, and loving yourself comes with time. This song inspired me to learn to love who I am.

A lot of people believe that they can not have an impact on the environment, because they're only one person. However, if each of these people worked to contribute to conservation efforts, we would have much more progress made. Personally, I do my part to protect the environment by recycling, picking up trash, and donating/reusing clothing. Recently, I worked with my mother and her school's clothing drive to donate clothing to underprivileged kids in the area. So far, we have collected 395 items of clothing. Personally, I enjoy this method of conservation the most, as it both protects the environment and helps families in need. While I do not believe it is entirely fair to criticize a single person when it comes to their conservation efforts, it is important to encourage others to do what they can. I wholeheartedly believe that the key to helping climate change is to hols large corporations accountable for their waste and carbon emissions, but people who are not in a position of power don't have much control in this situation. Instead, we can do our part by taking care of the earth on our small scale. Every bit of effort counts.

As a Girl Scout, I have volunteered with my troop in multiple settings. We have worked with the food bank, the animal shelter, and more. My favorite experience was the nursing home monthly crafts. We did a themed seasonal craft each month with the residents. I really enjoyed this experience because the residents were so excited every month. We built relationships and I liked teaching the crafts. During December, we also got to sing christmas carols. It was so heartwarming to watch their faces light up as they joined us to sing along. It was fun coming up with new ideas each month for our twenty-four visits. As a member of show choir, we perform in several invitationals throughout the year. Every year, we perform at the nursing home for the residents. I really enjoy this experience because music is really beneficial for people with conditions such as alzheimers or dementia, which are common in elderly folks. They always look excited to see us perform, and their smiles always make me happy.

In my opinion, the arts are the best way to express one's self. Music and art embody creative freedom. Truly, anything can happen in the arts. Music and art are important for so many reasons. They can be used to express emotions, raise awareness on important issues, and simply to entertain. The world without art and music would be lacking in important components of culture and history. Music and art are universal languages, able to be interpreted and understood by everyone. They bring people together and draw people to understanding and appreciating cultural differences. Music and art provide people with an outlet to pour their feelings and desires into. Using visual arts to display your emotions allows you to turn them into something physical, to materialize it. This helps out a lot with processing emotions, by putting it into something perceivable by the eye. Musical arts can do the same, but auditory. Music with words can be direct, poetic, or nonsensical. It can be used to tell stories literally or through metaphors. Without words, music can utilize many different instruments to evoke certain emotions. The use of melodies, dynamics, prosody, and other theoretical components allows for a lot of nuance in the true meaning of a piece of music. Creating music can be very therapeutic for people, and it is a great way to express one's emotions and desires. Music and art are also an impactful way to address important world issues. Whether it be political, social, or otherwise, the arts have always been a way to speak on important things. Lamenting of war, social unrest, loss of loved ones in tragedy can be done through visual and musical arts. The arts can raise awareness on important issues like this, and awareness sparks change. Music and art make the world less boring. Art and music do not need to mean anything to be important. While being incredibly meaningful as a whole, it is important to remember that the arts are meant to be fun as well. Putting on a performance can be fun for the performer and the audience, and a piece of art should be as fun to make as it can be to look at. It is not necessary to be good at art and music to enjoy them. This really brings together the idea of a universal language- anyone can participate and enjoy them, and skill is not a prerequisite to fun.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I have recieved is that if you aren't certain you want it, don't buy it. This mostly applies with clothing shopping in my experience. I will come across an article of clothing that I am interested in, but I am not sure that I absolutely want it. In this case, I never buy it. A lot of people waste money by buying things they initially think they might want, but never use. Clothing they don't end up wearing, food they don't end up eating, or games they dont end up playing. It is helpful to do research on a product and to thoroughly read the reviews on something to see for sure if it is worth buying. A lot of people justify buying things they don't need by saying that someday they might need it. The best way to combat this mentality is to simply buy it when you need it. While this can be an inconvenience when the time comes, if it isn't certain to be a necessity, consider it not a necessity. Because of this financial advice, I have saved a lot of money on clothes and other items that I do not need. I have always been financially cautious, but this has helped me even further with reducing spending. Some other financial techniques I have applied is not taking my card with me to places so I don't cave and eat put as opposed to making food at home and only spending extra cash I get from tips at work.

The most important thing to help people who struggle with mental health is to work to destigmatize it. This is especially important for people who suffer from delusions or hallucinations- instead of being seen as someone who's struggling, they're labelled as "crazy." There is a concerningly large amount of people who don't belive in mental illness at all, claiming that its "all in a person's head," or that they "make it up for attention." There are also issues with romanticizing mental illness, especially on social media. A good way to fight mental health stigmatization is to be willing to openly talk about it. Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, and encouraging others to reach out for help is important. Talking about mental illness should not have to be a sensitive topic, it is a normal thing that many people struggle with. These people deserve to know that they are not alone and that they are not being judged. Another way to destigmatize mental health is to avoid undermining their severity. Many people will use the words "OCD" or "ADHD" as adjectives, such saying that they're "so OCD" because they prefer to be tidy. The reason this is so harmful is because it misinforms people about what these disorders actually are. Having OCD involves compulsions that negatively affect the ability to function, but many just consider it extreme perfectionism. Finally, we can destigmatize mental health by being more compassionate and understanding to people who suffer from mental illness. This includes not comparing people's struggles, understanding the symptoms of a condition, and providing support when able. Very often, people say things such as "well other people have it worse" to undermine someone's symptoms. This is harmful because many people do not seek help because they don't think they need it.

I remember being wheel-chaired into the elevator to enter the unit for mental health crises. I felt hopeless, which was confusing and unusual for someone like me, who'd strives to be independent in any way that I could be. I'd hidden anything that I felt for the past three years, and it had all come to a head that day. I never had to struggle to eat, I'd never been homeless, and my parents were together. I didn't understand why I felt the way I did if I had the life I'd had and why it all came crashing down on me. On top of that, I held the belief that because other people had it worse, my mental health struggles "weren't that bad," my problems didn't matter. As it turns out, mental illness doesn't care what someone's life has been like. It impacts as many lives as it can. The belief that only those with "bad lives" can struggle with it is what drove the struggles of myself and many others to worsen. The stigma behind mental illness takes lives. The stigmatization doesn't just affect illnesses like depression or anxiety, like dissociative identity disorder or schizophrenia. I want to encourage people to seek help for their struggles, regardless of the life they've lived and how "bad" they think their efforts are. I want to speak out and advocate for more accessible mental health resources because medication and therapy aren’t something everyone can afford to have. I also want to support increased educational resources for people to learn about mental illnesses and disorders- it shouldn't take a psychology class to teach people that schizophrenia don’t mean someone is "crazy" or violent. As someone who has struggled with mental health, resources must be available to all.

Do what thou wilt, but harm none." It's an old saying that is prominent in pagan religion. It also happens to be the philosophy that I live by. I was made fun of throughout my childhood for my silly interests. I liked books others thought were weird, I wore clothes that weren't trendy, and I liked Pokémon way more than anyone should. I excused how I, and many others like me, were treated for a while. It was pretty strange of me to dress like that and act like a book character on the playground? That was so weird. As I grew older, I realized that that was not Ok. Besides being "different," What did I do wrong? I wasn't hurting anyone. I was doing what made me happy. That's the core of my philosophy- if someone isn't hurting someone else, why is what they're doing anyone's business but theirs? The short answer is it isn't. I want to share this phrase because I want others to understand this sentiment. It is essential to call out harmful behavior when you see it. But it is even more critical to not engage in unhealthy behaviors yourself. More importantly, I want people to understand that it is okay to engage in their harmless interests. I want people to hear this phrase because I believe that it is, at its core, the solution to needless hatred. No one is hurting someone else with skin color, gender, sexuality, or religious beliefs. One's culture, body, or fashion taste is not harmful to another. So, what should you do if you don't like these aspects about someone? To put it as kindly as I can, keep your mouth closed and worry about yourself.

Music and the arts are what drive me. I find it within everything that I do. I listen to it when I do art, when I do work, and when I walk down the street. When I have free time, I listen to or make music. I joined Orchestra mid Freshman year because I had a free period at school and wanted to learn something new. Through practice, I now play cello in the Symphony Orchestra. I love to play games, and all my favorites have what I consider excellent soundtracks. Pokemon is my favorite game globally, and the soundtrack has inspired me to play some of the instruments I play today. I started to play the flute because I love certain pieces so much, and I wanted to play them myself. Before high school, I was only focused on art. I enjoy painting, drawing, and sculpting. In high school, I took an airbrush class. I have created original character pieces, taken some commissions for drawing my friend’s Dungeons and Dragons characters, and other requested projects. I have designed several shirts for school groups as well. I earned my Associate of Arts degree in 2020 from Cuyahoga Community College. Since second grade, I have been a part of the National PTA Reflections art completion program. I am currently in a band, orchestra, and choir for a total of eight ensembles. Singing, dancing, and instrumental performance give me a great appreciation for performing arts. Ever since I began to play percussion in 5th grade, I've grown to love the art of performance more and more. Freshman year, I started to take music seriously when I joined the marching band at my high school. All my Senior year classes are in the music department, and I spend most of my lunchtime practicing.

I have learned that not everything will come naturally to me. It sounds simple and obvious, but for many people like me, it can be not easy to come to terms with. Ever since I was little, academics has come easily to me. I was put in the gifted program in third grade. I could write essays quickly, read a chapter book in a few hours, and plug any number into an equation. Since I was so good at school, I couldn't accept failure. I would quit if I ever came across something I couldn't do immediately. If it's not easy, it's not for me. In fifth grade, I started to play percussion in my school band. This, too, came quickly to me at first. However, like any other subject, this too got harder as the years went by. Even so, I didn't practice much. I felt that if I paid attention to class, I wouldn't need to do work outside of class. Come eighth grade; we had to audition for our spots in the marching band for next year. I, of course, did not practice. And as a result, I fell on my face and failed the audition. I'd failed things before, sure, but this felt different. This isn't something I wanted to quit. Finally, I realized that if I ever wanted to be truly good at something, I had to work at it. As much as failing the audition sucked, I'm very thankful for the wake-up slap. Since then, I have been practicing loads, and I even became one of our drumline captains senior year. I have learned that it is okay to struggle, but it is not okay to quit if you want to do it.

I deserve this scholarship because I am an absolute Pokemon master. Colleges don't truly need good scholars, athletes, and leaders, they need people like me. Being a Pokemon master is truly the only way to make a difference in the world. I have beaten every Pokemon game, and completed the Pokedex by catching all 898 Pokemon. Truly I am an expert, and deserving of this scholarship as a result. My academic goals are to learn the best way to infiltrate all world leaders to remove order, as I don't like being told what to do. Instead, decisions should all be made on a whim. My career goals are to de-fund all forms of public education, replace all world leaders with other Pokemon masters (they are more qualified,) and encourage jestering and general tomfoolery to avoid being boring. The biggest obstacle I have ever overcome is the Pokemon league. The league consists of the 5 strongest trainers in the region- the Elite 4 and champion. Each trainer specializes in one type of Pokemon, so it is necessary to raise a diverse team of your own Pokemon in order to ensure you've covered your weaknesses. Despite this incredible challenge, I have proven in every region I am the strongest trainer out there.

When I was in third grade, I read a book series called Guardians of Ga'Hoole. It was a simple fantasy series about owls. On the surface, this doesn't sound too inspiring. And the books themselves really weren't- the purpose was to entertain and to feed into fantasy. I can't remember anything about the story that stuck out to me as inspiring. However, these books have inspired me in a different way, outside of the story. One day in class, we were assigned to write a letter to any celebrity in the world. If possible, the letters would get sent out. No one expected much of it, a couple of third graders fangirling about their favorite actor or singer is just a fun little activity, right? I wrote a letter to Kathryn Lasky, author of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole Series. I told her how much I loved her series, the cool character designs, and the fun battle scenes. I stuck in a couple of drawings of my favorite characters from the book and sealed the envelope. Everyone submitted their letters and we went on with class. A few weeks later, my teacher set down a letter on my desk- "From Kathryn Lasky." She thanked me for my letter, and said that she hoped I continued in my love of reading. What was most important, she said she loved the drawings I sent. Hearing such kind words from someone who I admired like that made me never want to stop drawing. Ever since, I have been improving in my creative and artistic abilities. The reason this is the book that inspired me most is not because of the stories, it is because of the kind woman behind them who encouraged me to continue doing what I love.

The final piece we did for our spring band concert was a piece written by Michael Markowski, called City Trees. City Trees is by far my favorite piece that I've played in any ensemble that I've been in. The other pieces I've played were fun, but none made me feel things the way this did. When we received the piece, our director had us read the program notes. What the piece is about, how it was constructed, each part coming together to tell a story. The piece is about the composers feelings and experiences in an environment not meant for someone like him. He feels out of place. This piece means a lot to me. I spent a lot of my junior year, especially over quarantine, trying to figure out who I was. Everything I thought I knew about myself, even my own name, felt wrong and uncertain. We performed the piece right around the time I had started to come to terms with the fact that I am trans. Despite all of the support, there will always be people who don't like who you are- even your closest friends. The amount of shame and self doubt that I was feeling was perfectly captured by parts of this piece, and the happiness I felt that I was beginning to understand my feelings was too. My favorite part of the piece is measure 118- the chords created by our ensemble shook me. It filled my head completely. Our director described this part of the piece as Markowski discovering and coming to terms with who he was, and that's exactly what it meant to me. It doesn't matter that there's people who won't support you, and loving yourself comes with time. This song inspired me to learn to love who I am.

Learning to come to terms with who I am as a person while trying to get others to accept me has been quite the struggle in my life, but it has made me stronger and I am proud of that. Educating and then re-educating my family was exhausting, but I am thankful to be where I am with them today. Struggling with confusion and shame is very common for queer kids, especially those raised in a religious household. My biggest struggle was not having a sense of identity, I didn’t even know my name, and that took a huge toll on me. When I asked my parents about changing my name at first it was a hard no. After several requests and lots of discussions, it was decided that we would try out some names. I liked Atlas but my mom said she would call me Maps as her children all have M names. I went back to the drawing board. Knowing names have to carry a special meaning to them for my mom I looked for something we would both like. We decided on McAllister. Allister for short. Our family is part Irish so it is a nod to our heritage. My name now means defender of men. My mom liked this as she views my advocacy and support for all as a strength. Teaching my family about who I am was incredibly difficult. I know who I am now and I am proud of it. I am also proud of the growth I have seen in my family over the years. For Christmas, my parents added McAllister as a legal middle name so my religious relatives would call me by it. I have learned knowledge, time, and patience lead to understanding and acceptance from those that matter.

For the first 15 years of my life, I was the only person in my household that had no medical diagnosis of a disability or mental health concerns. My family has a long history of disabilities, and/or mental health concerns. Within our household alone we deal with bipolar disorder and a traumatic brain injury in my older brother, ADHD and a learning disability in my youngest brother, a vision and learning disability in my mother, and PTSD and Anxiety in my sister and father. I had gotten used to the role of being unlabeled until my own label finally arose in Tourette’s syndrome. While Tourette's isn't completely inhibiting, not having full control of your body at all times can cause so much fear. I have been scared to learn how to drive. Work and other basic activities can be difficult at times. I have to be selective in where I sit. I have found that if the table is not stable or grounded correctly, my tics may cause me to knock it over. Some of my tics are verbal and I try to play them off as excitement. This causes me to seem easily excited. Thankfully, I have gotten a 504 plan for school, and I have been blessed with a good support system to help me. My family is very accepting of each of its members. Knowing this helps each of us know that we will always have a place to call home. When I was nine years old, my brother gave me Pokémon White 2 thus the story of my love of Pokémon begins. One of the most incredible parts of Pokémon games is their soundtrack. Each piece is masterfully composed to fit the mood of the character, landscape, or situation. The Pokémon soundtrack has inspired me to learn new instruments and compose pieces of my own. I decided to learn to play the flute because I loved how beautiful it sounded in the piece Revelation Mountain from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. Outside of music, Pokémon has fostered my love of character creation and storytelling. Not only do the Pokémon themselves have great designs, but the people do too. The creators do an amazing job of creating characters that look like their personalities, and they are all unique and quirky in their own way. I have learned a lot about creating unique and effective designs from Pokémon. While visual arts is not my major, it is still of great interest to me and I will always love to expand my artistic abilities. My interest in Pokémon has fueled my creativity. That is why I consider it such a huge part of my identity. My goals for my education are to learn as much as possible to be an effective teacher. I plan to double major in music and art education. I want to use my time in university to better myself in knowledge and character. I know I will not be the first teacher with Tourette's but chances are I will be the first one most of the people I interact with come into contact with. For this reason, I must teach them not just what is in the lesson plan, but how to be accepting of everyone and that together we all learn more. My teachers have inspired me to make an impact on others the way that they have made an impact on me and countless other students. The arts are universal languages, and I think it is a very valuable thing for people to understand. To dedicate myself to teaching is an honor to me.

For the first 15 years of my life, I was the only person in my household that had no medical diagnosis of a disability or mental health concerns. I was able to graduate with my Associates Degree in Arts before my Junior year began. My family has a long history of disabilities, and/or mental health concerns. Within our household alone we deal with bipolar disorder and a traumatic brain injury in my older brother, ADHD and a learning disability in my youngest brother, a vision and learning disability in my mother, and PTSD and Anxiety in my sister and father. I had gotten used to the role of being gifted and medically unlabeled until my own label finally arose in Tourette’s syndrome. While Tourette’s isn't completely inhibiting, not having full control of your body can cause so much fear. I have been scared to learn how to drive. Work and other basic activities can be difficult when I have flares. I have to be selective in where I sit. I have found that if the table is not stable or grounded correctly, my tics may cause me to knock it over. Some of my tics are verbal and I try to play them off as excitement. This causes me to seem easily excited. Thankfully, I have gotten a 504 plan for school, and I have been blessed with a good support system to help me. Mental health is important to me because so many Americans are afraid to talk about it. There is such fear or stigma around saying one has a mental health issue, or that someone they are related to suffers from one. My family is very accepting of each of its members. Knowing this helps each of us know that we will always have a place to call home. My family and I do not hide the fact that each of us is unique. As a result, we are stronger together. I spent a lot of my junior year, trying to figure out who I was. Everything I thought I knew about myself, even my own name, felt wrong and uncertain. I had started to come to terms with the fact that I am also trans. Finding out your life is going to be different than you imagined when you are in high school can be difficult. Not everyone is accepting of me, yet I can help others understand and gain exposure to something/ someone they may not have otherwise encountered. I also feel it is a great asset for people to learn how to interact, and learn from those who are different from themself. My goals for my education are to learn as much as possible to be an effective teacher. I plan to double major in music and art education. I want to use my time in university to better myself in knowledge and character. I know I will not be the first teacher with Tourette's. However, chances are I will be the first one most people I interact with come into contact with. For this reason, I must teach them not just what is in the lesson plan, but how to be accepting of everyone. A key takeaway from my classes just like in my family will be we are all unique, and able. My teachers have inspired me to make an impact on others the way that they have made an impact on me. The arts are universal languages, and I think it is a very valuable thing for people to understand. To dedicate myself to teaching is an honor to me.

There is so much pressure to do something great. Yet what many don't consider is the greatness of what making an impact on someone's life can do to make them happy. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math by my guidance counselor. I would meet with her daily and work with her on her missing work to try to get her caught back up in the class. If she missed a day, I would message her to find out why and reschedule. After a few months of work, she made steady improvements. During commencement, I watched as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma. Later my parents told me the school counselor informed them she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. Teachers doubted she would have graduated if something had not changed with her. I had never known impact like that before. I could not be prouder of the work that she put in. As Gay-Straight Alliance president, I make it a point to do activities that involved the entire group. I want everyone to get to know each other, and have a voice. Having a welcoming safe space to meet like-minded people is so important, especially for teenagers. I have dedicated my leadership to educating my group members and even those outside of the group. One of our school's board members has a history of being disrespectful and rude to LGBT students, so I went to a board meeting to speak out against him. I think it is very important for students to have a voice in how their school is run. I wanted to use my position to encourage others to speak up for themselves as well.

Learning to come to terms with who I am as a person while trying to get others to accept me has been quite the struggle in my life, but it has made me stronger and I am proud of that. Educating and then re-educating my family was exhausting, but I am thankful to be where I am with them today. Struggling with confusion and shame is very common for queer kids, especially those raised in a religious household. My biggest struggle was not having a sense of identity, I didn’t even know my own name, and that took a huge toll on me. When I asked my parents about changing my name at first it was a hard no. After several requests and lots of discussions, it was decided that we would try out some names. I liked Atlas but my mom said she would call me Maps as her children all have M names. I went back to the drawing board. Knowing names have to carry a special meaning to them for my mom I looked for something we would both like. We decided on McAllister. Allister for short. Our family is part Irish so it is a nod to our heritage. My name now means defender of men. My mom liked this as she views my advocacy and support for all as a strength. Teaching my family about who i am was incredibly difficult. I know who I am now and I am proud of it. I am also proud of the growth I have seen in my family over the years. For Christmas, my parents added McAllister as a legal middle name so my religious relatives would call me by it. I have learned knowledge, time, and patience lead to understanding and acceptance from those that matter.

Having the ability to change another’s life for even a moment is always worth the effort. Making others happy will always leave a lasting impact. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math by my guidance counselor. I would meet with her daily and work with her on her missing work to try to get her caught up in the class. If she missed a day, I would message her to reschedule. After a few months of work, she made steady improvements. During commencement, I watched as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma. Later my parents told me the school counselor informed them she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. Teachers doubted she would have graduated if something had not changed. I had never known impact like that before, and I could not be prouder of the work that she put in. I was a camp counselor at Camp Mi-Bro-Be. My job was to ensure the safety of the students. I monitored behavior and made sure the whole group stayed together. At Cleveland Metropolitan Summer Band Camp, I was the only youth volunteer. Camp was open to all interested high school students. To my surprise, most of these students had not even touched an instrument before. With Nehemiah Mission I cut down trees, repainted porches, cleaned up trash, and pulled weeds at homes. As a Girl Scout I transported milk at the Cleveland food bank. I also cleaned kennels at the animal shelter. Monthly nursing home crafts with themed seasonal craft were great. With Miss Berea, I raised funds at the Relay for Life events. Another favorite is the Linus project blanket-making nights for children at the Ronald McDonald House.

There is so much pressure to do something great. Yet what many don't consider is the greatness of what making an impact on someones life can do to make them happy. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math by my guidance counselor. I would meet with her daily and work with her on her missing work to try to get her caught back up in the class. If she missed a day, I would message her to find out why and reschedule. After a few months of work, she made steady improvements. During commencement, I watched as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma. Later my parents told me the school counselor informed them she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. Teachers doubted she would have graduated if something had not changed with her. I had never known impact like that before. I could not be prouder of the work that she put in. As Gay Straight Alliance president, I made it a point to do activities that involved the entire group. I want everyone to get to know each other, and have a voice. Having a welcoming safe space to meet like-minded people is so important, especially for teenagers. I have dedicated my leadership to educating my group members and even those outside of the group. One of our school's board members has a history of being unsupportive and rude to LGBT students, so I went to a board meeting to speak out against him. I think it is very important for students to have a voice in how their school is run. I wanted to use my position to encourage others to speak up for themselves as well.

There is so much pressure on people to do something great in their lifetimes. However what many don't consider is the greatness of what making someone, just one person, happy is. Just one compliment can make someone's day. Just one small favor can make someone smile. One "Hello, how are you?" can save a life. It is important to never underestimate the impact one simple act of kindness can have on a persons day. That is why all that I require of myself to rest easy is to make someone happy each day. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math by my guidance counselor. I would meet with her daily and work with her on her missing work to try to get her caught back up in the class. If she missed a day, I would message her to find out why and reschedule. After a few months of work, she made steady improvements. During commencement, I watched as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma. Later my parents told me the school counselor informed them she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. Teachers doubted she would have graduated if something had not changed with her. I had never known impact like that before. I could not be prouder of the work that she put in. I know, it isn't as great a legacy as curing cancer or achieving world peace, Yet, for me it is enough to know for them I made a difference. Making a difference does not need to be huge to have impact. It only takes a ripple to start a wave.

There is no meaning to life. As in, theres nothing we were put on this earth specifically to do. We exist to exist, and so the way to live to achieve the meaning of life is to live and to enjoy it. I don't believe that there is a universal purpose to living, so in order to have the will to live we have to create on for ourselves. This meaning that we creat becomes our goals, dreams, and aspirations. For me, my purpose is to enjoy life and to educate people about what I am passionate about. Enjoying life entails travelling the world, enjoying my hobbies, and having fun with friends. Educating people on my passions entails my ideal career- I want to be a music teacher. Achieving the meaning of life depends on the person. Life does not have meaning until we give it one, so there are as many different meanings as there are people. To achieve the meaning of life is to simply live.

Living with gratitude is very important to me. It is important to always appreciate those who do services for you. Many people don't think it necessary to do so, especially for people who are getting paid for what they do. As a counter, it doesn't cost anything to be polite and say thank you. Thanking fast food workers, bus drivers, and delivery services is the bare minimum in my opinion. Gratitude goes further than saying "please" and "thank you," although making sure to say a simple thank you is always necessary. Gratitude is being kind and giving back to those who help you. It is also never taking what you have for granted. I always take time to appreciate what I am priviledged enough to have. There are many who are not fortunate enough to have simple necessities, so its important to be grateful for those too. I exhibit gratitude by always being kind and saying thank you, and giving back through volunteering as I can.

In first grade my parents presented me the option of a big change for my second-grade school year. Our school district would be creating a standalone full day gifted program. I and ninteen other students were invited to join. To participate this would mean that I would no longer go to the same school as my older siblings. I would get to ride bus to the new school and would make lots of new friends. Thankfully a number of my close friends are still from this second grade class and Our senior class of 2022 will be the first class to graduate from this standalone group. I have continued challenging myself wherever possible. During the summer before my 7th grade, my parents attended an informational meeting about College Credit Plus and presented me with the idea. I gave it a shot and have since earned my associate’s of arts degree. I chose to do this because growing up I saw my parents struggle to do their coursework to earn their online Bachelor’s while raising four kids. I wanted to gain independence, save money, and get my general education classes completed so I could focus on music. Since earning my degree, I have continued to take classes that will contribute to my bachelor’s. In high school, I have chosen to take as many ensemble and art courses as possible as I intend to double major in music and art education. I believe that being in these ensembles and my art class experience has helped me prepare for my University studies. I work as much as possible without interference with my studies. I don’t want my education to become a financial burden on my family, especially given that my parents are still paying off their student loans.

My goal in college is to learn different techniques to improve my skills as a musician and artist and to learn to help others do the same. Seeing improvement in myself and others is what motivates me. This applies in and outside of the arts- I love seeing people improve as performers, artists, students, and as people. As a teacher I not only want to provide information for my students, but I want my classroom to be a safe space for kids. I desire to be a role model and I want students to feel comfortable coming to me for problems in and outside of the curriculum. I want to be seen as a leader, a teacher, and most importantly a friend. My teachers have done an excellent job of providing that environment for me, and I want to pass on what I've learned from them. I plan to inspire the way that I have been inspired, in and outside of college. In order to achieve my goals, I'm going to go to college to gain my degree. Gaining an education is the best way to become successful.

"Do what thou wilt, but harm none." It's an old saying that is prominent in pagan religion. It also happens to be the philosophy that I live by. Throughout much of my childhood, I was made fun of for my silly interests. I liked books others thought were weird, I wore clothes that weren't trendy, and I liked Pokémon way more than any one person should. For a while, I excused how I, and many others like me, were treated. "It was pretty cringe of me to dress like that, and acting like a book character on the playground? That was so strange. I would have made fun of me too." As I've grown older, I realized that that was not ok. Besides being "cringe," what did I do wrong? I wasn't hurting anyone. I was doing what made me happy. That's the core of my philosophy- as long as someone isn't hurting someone else, why is what they're doing anyone's business but theirs? Short answer, it isn't. I want to share this phrase because I want others to understand this sentiment. It is important to call out harmful behavior when you see it. But it is even more important to not engage in harmful behaviors yourself. More importantly, I want people to understand that it is okay to engage in their harmless interests. I want people to hear this phrase because I believe that it is, at its core, the solution to needless hatred. No one is hurting someone else with their skin color, gender, sexuality, or religious beliefs. One's culture, body, or fashion taste is not harmful to another. So what should you do if you don't like these aspects about someone? To put it as kindly as I can, worry about yourself.

My artistic vision is encompassed by the world of fantasy. In my opinion, depicting things that can not be seen in real life is invaluable, because otherwise we would never get to experience something so incredible. This is why the majority of my work depicts the world of fantasy. In this example, I drew my favorite fantasy creature, a dragon. I especially love the versatility of dragons. They can be depicted in the sky, in fire, in space, and in the sea. The reason fantasy is of such interest to me is because of the media I loved as a child. I have always loved fantasy books such as Wings of Fire, and games like pokemon. For many, fantasy worlds are a welcoming way to escape the mundane real world. I want to expand this escape world for myself and anyone else who likes to view my work.

Having the ability to change another’s life for even a moment is amazing. Each attempt to help another has impacted me in different ways. Giving is always better than redesigning. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math. I would meet with her daily and work with her on her missing work. If she missed a day, I would message her to find out why and reschedule. After a few months of work, she made steady improvements. I watched as she graduated. Later my parents told me the school counselor informed them she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. Teachers doubted she would have graduated if something had not changed in her life. I had never known impact like that before. This summer I volunteered at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Summer Band Camp. I was the only youth volunteer. Each session was open to all interested high school students. To my surprise, most of these students had not even touched an instrument before. I helped teach the percussion section. They put on a four-song performance, and we marched two miles in the West Park Independence Day parade. At Nehemiah Mission in Cleveland, we worked to renovate homes in need. We cut down trees, repainted porches, cleaned up trash, and pulled weeds. As a Girl Scout, we transported milk at the Cleveland food bank. We also cleaned kennels at the animal shelter. We did monthly themed seasonal craft at a nursing home. With Miss Berea, my favorite memory is from the Relay for Life events. We would decorate luminaries, and we held a pageant each year called Little Miss Relay. We also held Linus project blanket-making nights for children at the Ronald McDonald House.

I look for creative opportunity in every situation. For example, my favorite pet photo is a photograph of my cat underneath a rainbow that shone through a window. I have always been a busy person, but I still stop to admire the small things. I always take time to notice the sunset, the leaves, and clouds. I love how nature has always been there to prove that there's some beauty in the world. When I took this picture, I was walking through my house and I noticed a rainbow shining through the window on the floor. I instantly started thinking of how to make a cool photograph out of this, and I decided to bring my cat over for a nice picture of him. Thinking of how to create art from something that can be seen every day is a characteristic I am proud of. I enjoy a wide variety of art and photography. I draw and have original character art of my own. My online name is Digilyss after one of my characters. I am the biggest Pokemon fan and enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons. I paint, animate, airbrush and sculpt. I have done some commissions for friends and family, as well as designed several shirts for various groups I am a part of. I earned my Associates Degree for Art in 2020 so I could dedicate my Junior and senior year too my music and theater interest. In theater, I have acted and directed. Musically, I sing alto and tenor in several ensembles and dance in show choir. I also enjoy playing the snare drum in marching band, percussion in band and orchestras, as well as playing the flute, cello and some keyboard. I like to make people relax, enjoy themselves, laugh and find joy in simple things.

I look for creative opportunity in every situation. For example, my favorite pet photo is a photograph of my cat underneath a rainbow that shone through a window. I have always been a busy person, but I still stop to admire the small things. I always take time to notice the sunset, the leaves, and clouds. I love how nature has always been there to prove that there's some beauty in the world. When I took this picture, I was walking through my house and I noticed a rainbow shining through the window on the floor. I instantly started thinking of how to make a cool photograph out of this, and I decided to bring my cat over for a nice picture of him. Thinking of how to create art from something that can be seen every day is a characteristic I am proud of. I enjoy a wide variety of art and photography. I draw and have original character art of my own. My online name is Digilyss after one of my characters. I painted my room to look like the night sky. I love my room because this is where I create and rehearse. I earned my Associates Degree for Art in 2020 so I could dedicate my Junior and senior year too my music and theater interest. In theater, I have acted and directed. Musically, I sing alto and tenor in several ensembles and dance in show choir. I also enjoy playing the snare drum in marching band, percussion in band and orchestras, as well as playing the flute, cello and some keyboard. I like to make people relax enjoy themselves, laugh and find joy in simple things.

When I was nine years old, my brother opened a present on Christmas day. It was two video games: Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2. He turned to me and said “You know, these games are pretty much the same thing, there are only a few differences. Here, you can have this one. That way we can play them together!” as he handed me Pokémon White 2 and the storie of my love of Pokémon begins, The Pokémon franchise has played a huge part in my life as a student. As childish as it may seem, my intense interest in the games has helped drive me towards my path as a music student. One of the most incredible parts of Pokémon games is their soundtrack. Each piece is masterfully composed to fit the mood of the character, landscape, or situation. The Pokémon soundtrack has inspired me to learn new instruments and compose pieces of my own. I decided to learn to play the flute because I loved how beautiful it sounded in the piece Revelation Mountain from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. Outside of music, Pokémon has fostered my love of character creation and storytelling. Not only do the Pokémon themselves have great designs, but the people do too. The creators do an amazing job of creating characters that look like their personalities, and they are all unique and quirky in their own way. I have learned a lot about creating unique and effective designs from Pokémon. While visual arts is not my major, it is still of great interest to me and I will always love to expand my artistic abilities. My interest in Pokémon has fueled my creativity, and that is why I consider it such a huge part of my identity.

Having the ability to change another's life by volunteering is always worth the effort. Oftentimes I get back more than I imagined possible when I help others. I have been blessed to volunteer with several great agencies that match all my various interests. Each has impacted me in different ways. I enjoy giving back because I know that anyone's situation can change in a moments notice. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math. Later my parents told me a school counselor shared she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. I had never known impact like that before. This fall I was a camp counselor at Camp Mi-Bro-Be, our school’s science and Nature camp for seventh graders. I also volunteer in Cleveland.At the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Summer Band Camp I was the only youth volunteer. I helped teach the percussion section. They put on a four-song performance at the end. We also marched two miles in the West Park Independence Day parade. A friend of our family told me about Cleveland's Playhouse STARS program for students. With my church we cut down trees, repainted porches, cleaned up trash, and pulled weeds. Freshman year I took a week-long missions trip to New York City. Senior year I taught music at Vacation Bible School. As a Girl Scout, we transported milk at the Cleveland food bank. We also cleaned kennels at the animal shelter. My favorite experience was the nursing home monthly crafts. With Miss Berea, I enjoyed the Relay for Life events. We decorated luminaries to for night to honor those who survived or were lost to cancer. We also held a pageant called Little Miss Relay. We participated in a blanket-making Linus project.

On our first day of speech class, everyone was asked to introduce themself by giving their name where they were from, a fact about that place, and why they are in the class. This did not seem like it would be an unusual thing to do at all. After all, it was a speech class and the teacher’s job is to get us speaking. The first person introduced themself and they were from Germany. To my shock, the second person introduced themself and they were from Africa. How on earth was I in a College Credit Plus class at Cuyahoga Community College in Parma Ohio with such a diverse group of people? I was next, and I am from a city down the street from the college. What to do I thought? Then I stood up to make my introduction. I cleared my throat. "Hello I am Madison Thomas, I am from a far away place called Berea!" Everyone local laughed. The teacher replied "Nice one." I went on. "In Berea, every Memorial day they have the Miss Berea Pageant. My older sister and I have been doing it for years. I am in this class as part of my high-school and college requirements, and I am working on my art degree. Thank you." I sat back down. The rest of the introductions were more like mine. However, this experience got me thinking. I have always wanted to go to Ireland. When I do and I tell them where I am from it is going to sound like some far-off place when for me it will always just going to be home. Living in Berea has allowed me to attend a High School Music program ranked top 100 in the Nation. I was also given countless opportunities through the school district all-day gifted classes starting in second grade. This helped prepare me for College Credit Plus classes that led to my Associate’s Degree at age 15 before my Junior Year. I have given back to my Berea community by participating in the Miss Berea pageants through its community service aspect. I am a tutor at my school and was a camp counselor. I am a Link Leader and was on the Ohio Attorney General Advisory Counsel. I would also like to have a craft booth at the Berea Arts festival one day. As a career, I want to teach. When I am a music or art teacher I would like to have my students perform at various community events and locations. I was born and raised in Berea. It is a small college town close to Cleveland. We have easy access to the city and its attractions. This allowed me to volunteer as a Playhouse Square Red Coat. Our local community and lake is so wonderful that they just filmed a Hallmark Christmas Movie here. Part of living in a smaller community is also knowing almost everyone around you. For me, this means not always being accepted by all. I have several wonderful mentors and am my school’s GSA President. I am also an activist with the LGBTQ community here. Right now I have two main options. First, I could attend Ohio University and broaden my horizons. Second, I can attend Baldwin Wallace University in Berea. If anyone would have told me I would stay in Ohio when I was younger I would have laughed at them. I don't even think most of my family expected me to study in-country. However, I still plan to visit Ireland one day

Music is what drives me. I find it within everything that I do. I listen to it when I do art, when I do work, and when I walk down the street. When I have free time I am either listening to or making music. I joined Orchestra mid Freshman year because I had a free period at school and wanted to learn something new. Through practice I now play cello in the Symphony Orchestra. I love to play games, and all of my favorites have what I consider excellent soundtracks. Pokemon is my favorite game in the world, and the soundtrack has inspired me to play some of the instruments I play today. I started to play the flute because I love certain pieces so much, and I wanted to learn to play them myself. Before high school I was only focused on art. I enjoy painting, drawing and sculpting. In high school I took an airbrush class as well. I have created original characters. I have had some commissions drawing my friends Dungeons and Dragons characters, and requested projects. I have designed several shirts for school groups too. I earned my Associates of Art degree in 2020 from Cuyahoga Community College. I have been a part of the National PTA Reflections program since second grade. I am currently in band, orchestra, and choir for a total of eight ensembles. Singing, dancing and instrumental performance gives me great appreciation for performing arts. Ever since I began to play percussion in 5th grade, I've grown to love the art of performance more and more. Freshman year, I started to take music seriously when I joined marching band at my high school. All my Senior year classes are in the music department and I spend most of lunch time practicing.

I believe the ability to give support of those around us when we are able to helps demonstrate empathy. Making time for others and not expect to receive anything is so important throughout life. Too many people expect something in return for kind acts, rather than being kind for the simple joy of being kind. To me, helping those in need is a necessity to live a fulfilling life. Sometimes all someone needs is a listening ear. The ability to feel heard or seen by someone who truly cares or values them as an individual can change their life. Freshman year, I was asked to tutor a student in math by my guidance counselor. I would meet with her daily and work with her on her missing work to try to get her caught back up in the class. If she missed a day, I would message her to find out why and reschedule. After a few months of work, she made steady improvements. During commencement, I watched as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma. Later my parents told me the school counselor informed them she stated often to staff that she only came to school to see me and to not let me down. Teachers doubted she would have graduated if something had not changed. I had never known impact like that before, and I could not be prouder of the work that she put in. As someone with Touretts I often hear people make fun of the condition. I use these occasions as an opportunity to tell them that this is a real condition. It is not always accurately protract in movies. I also tell them about my experiences if they inquire. Education and lived experiences will form their understanding and empathy of others and mine.

When I face hard ships or injustice I think of leaders in my community like Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha was a black trans LGBT activist that changed the world for queer people in America. In 1969, the stonewall riots took place outside of the Stonewall Inn. The riots began in response to a police raid, where queer folks fought back against violent officers. Marsha P. Johnson was not present when the riots began, but is widely credited for throwing the first brick. Regardless, she still fought for her community. Johnson is so inspiring to me is that despite risk of being arrested or worse, she still stood up for herself and her community. In my community high school I am the president of the Gay Straight Alliance. Our school board has a very outspoken member about his beliefs against the queer community. He would use his public platform and district Facebook page to speak about how he believes there are only two genders, what God intended, and how queer folk goes against that. I chose to speak out against this during a board meeting. I spoke about how he should not be spreading personal religious beliefs on a platform meant for information about the school. Speaking against students not harming anyone by being themselves, especially as a board member, should not be tolerated. I know there is still work to be done and I am honored to be a part of this work. When I encounter hate filled people I think of people like Marsh p Johnson. I want to follow in her footsteps and set a good example for others in the queer community by being an activist myself. Marsha fought for herself and others no matter the consequences thanks to them queerness is no longer illegal in America.

I believe that a leader should be a good communicator and a good listener. A leader’s job is to strengthen a group of people to accomplish their goals. A leader should be able to take accountability for their mistakes and hold other people accountable for theirs. As a leader, I try my best to reflect these qualities. I am the president of our school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, a Link Leader, and a Camp Counselor. As the president of the GSA, my main goal is to create a safe space and to educate. The point of the GSA is to create a community at school for queer folks and allies. To create that I work hard to regulate conversation and make sure everyone is heard. I work with my vice president to regulate an online space so that people can experience the same community outside of school as well. During meetings, I lead discussions about certain topics. This includes queer terminology and history, consent, safety, and how to handle bullying. Knowledge of topics like these can help people make other areas of life safe for them. These are open discussions, so anyone can participate to share their knowledge of a subject. Our school board has a very outspoken member about his beliefs against the queer community. He would use his public platform and district Facebook page as a board member to speak about how he believes there are only two genders, what God intended, and how queer folk goes against that. I chose to speak out against this during a board meeting, as I feel that his actions are a blatant misuse of his positions of power. I spoke about how he should not be spreading personal religious beliefs on a platform meant for information about the school. Speaking against students who are not harming anyone by being themselves, especially as a board member, should not be tolerated. I chose to speak out not only to defend the queer community with my voice but to inspire other students to speak out for what they believe in. The community needs to see us taking a stand for ourselves as well. I think it is important for people to be encouraged to speak up for themselves and others, and as a leader, I want to inspire people to do so. The job of a Link Leader is not only to make underclassmen feel at home in our school but to be good examples for the entire student body. We started out by showing the freshmen around the building and doing team-building exercises with them. It is very beneficial for new students to go into the school year already knowing some people. Our small groups provide them with an already established support system before their first day. We continue to meet with our groups for other activities throughout the school year, such as study sessions and holiday activities to unwind. Outside of leading the freshmen, a Link Leader should be a good example for everyone in the building to follow. Leaders should encourage others to be respectful and kind. It is important for us to help out students of all grades as a Link Leader. Outside of school, I plan to continue my leadership by continuing my advocacy and by helping others. I want to set a good example for the community and stand up for what I believe in. I will continue leadership by helping others achieve their goals as best I can.

Music is what drives me. I find it within everything that I do. I listen to it when I do art, when I do work, and when I walk down the street. When I have free time I am either listening to or making music. I joined Orchestra mid Freshman year because I had a free period at school and wanted to learn something new. Through practice I now play cello in the Symphony Orchestra. I love to play games, and all of my favorites have what I consider excellent soundtracks. Pokemon is my favorite game in the world, and the soundtrack has inspired me to play some of the instruments I play today. I started to play the flute because I love certain pieces so much, and I wanted to learn to play them myself. Before high school I was only focused on art. I enjoy painting, drawing and sculpting. In high school I took an airbrush class as well. I have created original characters. I have had some commissions drawing my friends Dungeons and Dragons characters, and requested projects. I have designed several shirts for school groups too. I earned my Associates of Art degree in 2020 from Cuyahoga Community College. I have been a part of the National PTA Reflections program since second grade. I am currently in band, orchestra, and choir for a total of eight ensembles. Singing, dancing and instrumental performance gives me great appreciation for performing arts. Ever since I began to play percussion in 5th grade, I've grown to love the art of performance more and more. Freshman year, I started to take music seriously when I joined marching band at my high school. All my Senior year classes are in the music department and I spend most of lunch time practicing.

Learning to come to terms with who I am as a person while trying to get others to accept me has been quite the struggle in my life, but it has made me stronger and I am proud of that. Growing up as someone in the queer community provides a different experience for everyone. In my case, I had to do a lot of convincing. Educating and then re-educating my family was exhausting, but I am thankful to be where I am with them today. Struggling with confusion and shame is very common for queer kids, especially those raised in a religious household. My biggest struggle was not having a sense of identity, I didn’t even know my own name, and that took a huge toll on me. When I asked my parents about changing my name at first it was a hard no. After several requests and lots of discussions, it was decided that we would try out some names. I liked Atlas but my mom said she would call me Maps as her children all have M names. I went back to the drawing board. Knowing names have to carry a special meaning to them for my mom I looked for something we would both like. We decided on McAllister. Allister for short. Our family is part Irish so it is a nod to our heritage, and the name derives from the Gaelic "Mac Alasdair", which translates as "son of (Mac) Alexander". Alexander comes from the Greek personal name "Alexandros", defender of men. My mom liked this as she views my advocacy and support for all as a strength. Being trans is especially difficult because people who aren’t trans don’t understand why we are the way that we are, and acceptance is hard to come by without understanding. Since people who aren’t trans don’t feel the way that we feel, educating people on the “why” is quite the task. Teaching my family about why I am the way that I am without knowing the answer to that myself was incredibly difficult, especially when I barely knew who I was, to begin with. However, despite all the fights and the tears, I know who I am now and I am proud of it. I am also proud of the growth I have seen in my family over the years. For Christmas, my parents added McAllister as a legal middle name so my religious relatives would call me by it as it is a part of my legal name.

I have learned that not everything will come naturally to me. It sounds simple and obvious, but for many people like me, it can be difficult to come to terms with. Ever since I was little, academics has come easily to me. I was put in the gifted program in second grade. I could write essays quickly, read a chapter book in a few hours, and plug any number into an equation. Since I was so good at school, I couldn't accept failure. If I ever came across something I couldn't do immediately, I would simply quit. If it's not easy, it's not for me, right? In fifth grade, I started to play percussion in my school band. This too came easily to me at first. However, like any other subject, this too got harder as the years went by. Even so, I didn't practice much. I felt that if I payed attention while in class I wouldn't need to do work outside of class. Come eighth grade, we had to audition for our spots in the marching band for next year. I, of course, did not practice. And as a result, I fell on my face and failed the audition. I'd failed things before, sure, but this felt different. This isn't something I wanted to quit. Finally, I began to realize that if I ever wanted to be truly good at something, I had to work at it. As much as failing the audition sucked, I'm very thankful for the wake-up slap. Since then, I have been practicing loads, and I even managed to become one of our drumline captains this year. I have learned that it is okay to struggle, but if it's something you really want to do, it is not okay to quit.

I believe the ability to give and not expect to receive is key throughout life. Too many people expect something in return for acts of kindness, rather than being kind for the simple joy of being kind. People don't realize what they are blessed to have, and instead they only look at what they want. To me, helping those in need is a necessity to live a fulfilling life. Giving generously from what we have should make us as happy. Giving generously can make you happier than receiving. As someone who is currently financially dependent, I am not in a position to always help financially. Instead, I give back by educating, advocating and entertaining. Through tutoring and speaking out against injustice, knowledge is power and everyone deserves to learn and to be taught. Tutoring is important because everyone deserves Education. Education against injustice is so important because ignorance fuels violence. One's actions are what are most important to determining who they are as a person. Each of us have gifts. We must each choose whether we will share them to make a difference within the world. If we see each other as humans first then the circumstances of one's situation truly are irrelevant. Even though everyone will believe differently, and there will always be injustice in the world, I want to know that I have lived giving my talents generously as needed. I want to encourage people to help those in need. Many of our world leaders are only focused on wealth, and they exploit people to get it. A large amount of our population is living without necessities while working at companies run by people who could fix world hunger with their pocket change. I believe it is our duty to assist those who are struggling with necessities.

Our school board has a very outspoken member about his beliefs against the queer community. He would use his public platform and district Facebook page as a board member to speak about how he believes there are only two genders, what God intended, and how queer folk goes against that. I chose to speak out against this during a board meeting, as I feel that his actions are a blatant misuse of his positions of power. I spoke about how he should not be spreading personal religious beliefs on a platform meant for information about the school. Speaking against students who are not harming anyone by being themselves, especially as a board member, should not be tolerated. I chose to speak out not only to defend the queer community with my voice but to inspire other students to speak out for what they believe in. The community needs to see us taking a stand for ourselves as well. I think it is important for people to be encouraged to speak up for themselves and others, and as a leader, I want to inspire people to do so. While I cannot speak for communities that I am not a part of, I can work to amplify the voices of those who need it. Each marginalized group experiences different types of oppression. Everyone needs to seek to see similarities and to stick together. For example, people of color face different struggles than those of oppressed religions, but in the end, our goal should be to lift each other and dismantle the system that seeks to dismantle us.

For the first 15 years of my life, I was the only person in my household that had no medical diagnosis of a disability or mental health concerns. My family has a long history of disabilities, and/or mental health concerns. Within our household alone we deal with bipolar disorder and a traumatic brain injury in my older brother, ADHD and a learning disability in my youngest brother, a vision and learning disability in my mother, and PTSD and Anxiety in my sister and father. I had gotten used to the role of being unlabeled until my own label finally arose in Tourette’s syndrome. The doctors thought it was anxiety-related at first, but we knew that couldn't be the case, and it wasn't. My tics did not only happen under stress, and I didn't feel particularly stressed anyways. While Tourette’s isn't completely inhibiting, not having full control of your body can cause so much fear. I have been scared to learn how to drive. Work and other basic activities can be difficult. I have to be selective in where I sit. I have found that if the table is not stable or grounded correctly, my tics may cause me to knock it over. Some of my tics are verbal and I try to play them off as excitement. This causes me to seem easily excited. Thankfully, I have gotten a 504 plan for school, and I have been blessed with a good support system to help me. Mental health is important to me because so many Americans are afraid to talk about it. There is such fear or stigma around saying one has a mental health issue, or that someone they are related to suffers from one. My family is very accepting of each of its members. Knowing this helps each of us know that we will always have a place to call home. My family and I do not hide the fact that he suffers from the condition. He is a member of our family and we all must adapt so if you come to our home that means you might have to as well. While inconvenient if we are in the middle of a game my friends understand this. Finding out your life is going to be different than you imagined when you are in high school can be difficult for some. I am so blessed that my prior experiences with family and friends made this as smooth as possible for me. Everyone is accepting of me and I can help others understand and gain exposure to something they may not have otherwise encountered. My goals for my education are to learn as much as possible to be an effective teacher. I plan to double major in music education and art education. I want to use my time in university to better myself in knowledge and character. I know I will not be the first teacher with Tourette's but chances are I will be the first one most of the people I interact with come into contact with. For this reason, I must teach them not just what is in the lesson plan, but how to be accepting of everyone and that together we all learn more. My teachers have inspired me to make an impact on others the way that they have made an impact on me and countless other students. The arts are universal languages, and I think it is a very valuable thing for people to understand. To dedicate myself to teaching is an honor to me.

Pokémon is my favorite series of all time. One of the most incredible parts of Pokémon games is their soundtrack. Each piece is masterfully composed to fit the mood of the character, landscape, or situation. I decided to learn the flute because I loved how beautiful it sounded in the piece Revelation Mountain from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. Pokémon has fostered my love of character creation and storytelling. Not only do the Pokémon have great designs, but the people do too. The creators do an amazing job of creating characters that look like their personalities, and they are all unique and quirky in their way. I have learned a lot about creating unique and effective designs from Pokémon. I love to expand my artistic abilities. My interest in Pokémon has fueled my creativity, and that is why I consider it such a huge part of my identity.

When I was in third grade, I read a book series called Guardians of Ga'Hoole. It was a simple fantasy series about owls. On the surface, this doesn't sound too inspiring. And the books themselves really weren't- the purpose was to entertain and to feed into fantasy. I can't remember anything about the story that stuck out to me as inspiring. However, these books have inspired me in a different way, outside of the story. One day in class, we were assigned to write a letter to any celebrity in the world. If possible, the letters would get sent out. No one expected much of it, a couple of third graders fangirling about their favorite actor or singer is just a fun little activity, right? I wrote a letter to Kathryn Lasky, author of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole Series. I told her how much I loved her series, the cool character designs, and the fun battle scenes. I stuck in a couple of drawings of my favorite characters from the book and sealed the envelope. Everyone submitted their letters and we went on with class. A few weeks later, my teacher set down a letter on my desk- "From Kathryn Lasky." She thanked me for my letter, and said that she hoped I continued in my love of reading. What was most important, she said she loved the drawings I sent. Hearing such kind words from someone who I admired like that made me never want to stop drawing. Ever since, I have been improving in my creative and artistic abilities. The reason this is the book that inspired me most is not because of the stories, it is because of the kind woman behind them who encouraged me to continue doing what I love.

Patience is important because all good things take time. In life, it is necessary to wait for some things. Whether it be learning a new skill or waiting for the pasta to boil, the need for patience arises every day. In my life, patience mostly comes in with practicing music. Practice makes perfect, but it takes time. "Slow, small, daily" is the phrase used by my band director. This means to practice consistently rather than once or twice for long periods of time. Practicing every day for thirty minutes is far more effective than practicing once a week for two hours. It can be frustrating to put so much work in and see little improvement. However, improvement comes with time and dedication. I may not feel like I have improved much, but if I look back on where I started there is change. Patience is important because without it, I would give up on things I really love simply because they take time to learn.

To teach accurate American history properly in school. In America, we have a problem teaching history. First, we teach it from a standpoint of memorizing dates and places. Second, we select a limited amount of dates and places to include in the history books. Thirdly we don't include everyone's history. If history was taught as a living moving thing then we would all be more mindful of our actions and how we would have an impact on history itself. In ancient times people were very focused on their legacy. Nowadays we are more focused on our fifteen minutes of fame. We do not think long-term just for the here and now. We are also more focused on ourselves than on society as a whole. Secondly, there are so many famous events and places that none of us have heard of in a classroom. Events like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921 are unheard of. The only Stonewall I was ever taught about was Stonewall Jackson not Stonewall inn in Greenwich Village or the riot that followed in 1969. Why are these events left out? Who does it benefit to leave them out? Why is no one asking or allowed to ask these questions? Thirdly we do not teach true American history. Not about Native Americans, nor the slave trade and the horror of slavery. We barely touch on Women’s rights in America much less voters’ rights being suppressed. We most certainly do not teach Gay history. How about people of different religions other than Christian? Where are they in our history books? Certainly, America has had contributions from our immigrant populations other than Lafayette from Hamilton in its history, right? We hide the important contributions these people have made in favor of others. Our history books like our news for the most part are controlled by the wealthy. People who are trying to promote their way of life and their ideas. Just like The United Daughters of the Confederacy did with the status from the civil war. They make the ideas they agree with seem like the only ones or the better ones. When we start to talk about real things in American history people get upset and say it is buzz words "critical race theory". They say we are trying to make white people feel bad for being white. I do not see it this way. History is history. Some are good, others bad. All is teachable and we can learn from it all as well. If we do not know our history, we will repeat its mistakes and not advance for its successes. Students today have access to the internet so it is harder to hide the facts for those who seek them out. It is key to not judge based on the actions of a member of a social group but their actions. We learn from our history to improve the future for us all.

I practice self care by making time each week for myself and my friends. I have an incredibly busy schedule with high school, college classes, ensemble practices, performances, play practice, work, and volunteering. However, once a week for at least an hour (preferably more,) I go to a Dungeons and Dragons session with my friends. Some of them graduated already, and promised that we would not loose touch with each other. As a senior I realize now more than ever the importance of connections. Friendships are key to keep us rooted and help us grow. I know that when I graduate I will still be able to stay in contact with my closest high school friends and friends from other universities through this practice. I have also met some new friends from this group. Another way I practice self care is to allow myself time to create. I like to create art in various forms. I like to draw, paint and make melodies. The joys the arts bring are great as they are open ended. It is always refreshing when I receive positive feedback, but that is not why I do what I do. I do the things I enjoy and hope they bring joy to others. I like to use my gifts to help others as well. Sometimes the best self care is to take care of others and realize you have made an impact.

I have always wanted to be a part of my High schools show choir. This group called Center State is for freshman through senior, and requires an audition process each year. No one is guaranteed a spot even if thy had one before. I wanted to be a member of this group ever since I was a child. This group would do yearly school tours and I loved watching them perform. I felt that as I am in several other ensembles this would help me develop my skills as none of them involved dance. In middle school our show choir was called In the Wings. The middle school's show choir is an introductory group to show choir. I was a member and was even able to design the logo of the groups shirts one year. So I was extremely sad that I did not make it into the group as a freshman or Sophomore. Junior year, a number of our male students transferred to online classes. I had recently come out as trans, and a friend of mine recommended me for the show choir to dance the male part. They said yes, and I joined in December. Ever since I have been an active member and the experience has been incredible. I have always liked to dance, but dancing as a group was much more fun than I expected. I am a part of show choir this year as well, and we have been working very hard to put on many performances. Over the summer, I took a dance class with my local community college. It was an introductory class to ballet, jazz, and modern dance. The class was challenging, but I learned a lot. I particularly enjoyed the jazz and ballet aspects of the class. I liked the graceful form of ballet and the rhythmic freedom of jazz. In the future, I would like to take more in depth classes in Jazz, Ballet, and Tap dance. In the future, I want to continue dance through show choirs and other performing groups. I especially want to participate in musicals. I love singing and acting, and being able to combine those interests with dancing has been a great experience. While due to Covid I have never been able to perform in a musical, I am a part of my high-school's production of Mary Poppins this year. So far, the choreography has been my favorite part. I am very excited to explore dance performance in college while incorporating my other interests of acting and singing.

Music is what drives me. I find it within everything that I do. I listen to it when I do art, when I do work, and when I walk down the street. When I have free time I am either listening to or making music. I joined Orchestra mid Freshman year because I had a free period at school and wanted to learn something new. Through practice I now play cello in the Symphony Orchestra. I love to play games, and all of my favorites have what I consider excellent soundtracks. Pokemon is my favorite game in the world, and the soundtrack has inspired me to play some of the instruments I play today. I started to play the flute because I love certain pieces so much, and I wanted to learn to play them myself. Before high school I was only focused on art. I enjoy painting, drawing and sculpting. In high school I took an airbrush class as well. I have created original characters. I have had some commissions drawing my friends Dungeons and Dragons characters, and requested projects. I have designed several shirts for school groups too. I earned my Associates of Art degree in 2020 from Cuyahoga Community College. I have been a part of the National PTA Reflections program since second grade. I am currently in band, orchestra, and choir for a total of eight ensembles. Singing, dancing and instrumental performance gives me great appreciation for performing arts. Ever since I began to play percussion in 5th grade, I've grown to love the art of performance more and more. Freshman year, I started to take music seriously when I joined marching band at my high school. All my Senior year classes are in the music department and I spend most of lunch time practicing.

Marsha P. Johnson was a black trans LGBT activist that changed the world for queer people in America. In 1969, the stonewall riots took place outside of the Stonewall Inn. The riots began in response to a police raid, where queer folks fought back against violent officers. Marsha P. Johnson was not present when the riots began, but is widely credited for throwing the first brick. Regardless, she still fought for her community. She is also known for joining other activist groups, such as the Gay Liberation Front, ACT UP, and the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries organization, which she co-founded with Sylvia Rivera. The reason Marsha P. Johnson is so inspiring to me is that despite risk of being arrested or worse, she still stood up for herself and her community. As a member of the queer community, I benefit from her activism every day. I want to follow in her footsteps and set a good example for others in the queer community by being an activist myself. Marsha fought for herself and others no matter the consequences. While there has been much progress thanks to people like her and queerness is no longer illegal in America, there is still work to be done. I admire Marsha because she inspired me to work towards a better future for myself and others in the community.

For the first 15 years of my life, I was the only person in my household that had no disability. My family has a long history of disabilities, and within our household alone we deal with bipolar disorder and a traumatic brain injury in my older brother, ADHD and a learning disability in my youngest brother, a vision and learning disability in my mother, and PTSD and Anxiety in my sister and father. I had gotten used to the role of being abled until my own disability finally arose in Tourette’s syndrome. The doctors thought it was anxiety related at first, but we knew that couldn't be the case, and it wasn't. My tics did not only happen under stress, and I didn't feel particularly stressed anyways. While Tourette’s isn't completely inhibiting, not having full control of your body can cause so much fear. I have been scared to learn how to drive. Work, and other basic activities can be difficult. I have to be selective in where I sit. I have found that if the table is not stable or grounded correctly, my tics may cause me to knock it over. Some of my tics are verbal and I try to play them off as excitement. This causes me to seem easily excited. Thankfully, I have gotten a 504 plan for school, and I have been blessed with a good support system to help me. Finding out your life is going to be different than you imagined when you are in high school can be difficult for some. I am so blessed that my prior experiences with family and friends made this as smooth as possible. Everyone is accepting of me and I am able to help others understand and gain exposure to something they may not have otherwise encountered. My goals for my education are to learn as much as possible to be an effective teacher. I plan to double major in music education and art education. I want to use my time in university to better myself in knowledge and in character. I know I will not be the first teacher with Tourette's but chances are I will be the first one most of the people I interact with come into contact with. For this reason it is vital that I teach them not just what is in the lesson plan, but how to be accepting of everyone and that together we all learn more. My teachers have inspired me to make an impact on others the way that they have made an impact on me and countless other students. The arts are universal languages, and I think it is a very valuable thing for people to understand. To dedicate myself to teaching is an honor to me.

Confidence for me is believing that I can do something and do it well. To become more confident in my ability to do things, I need to practice to become good at them. Therefore, I gain confidence by working hard. Being innately talented at something is great, and it can be something to be proud of. However, I am more proud of my accomplishments when I know I have earned them. Sometimes it can be hard to be confident in myself even If I've worked hard. I often compare myself to others who are better than me, and it can be discouraging. The most important thing for me to remember to become more confident is that everyone learns at a different pace. I don't need to be better than other people, I need to be better than I previously was. Perfection will always be out of reach, but improvement is possible. I become confident by working hard to improve at what I do.

I look for creative opportunity in every situation. For example, my favorite pet photo is a photograph of my cat underneath a rainbow that shone through a window. I have always been a busy person, but I still stop to admire the small things. I always take time to notice the sunset, the leaves, and clouds. I love how nature has always been there to prove that there's some beauty in the world. When I took this picture, I was walking through my house and I noticed a rainbow shining through the window on the floor. I instantly started thinking of how to make a cool photograph out of this, and I decided to bring my cat over for a nice picture of him. Thinking of how to create art from something that can be seen every day is a characteristic I am proud of. I enjoy a wide variety of art and photography. I draw and have original character art of my own. My online name is Digilyss after one of my characters. I paint, animate, airbrush and sculpt. I have done some commissions for friends and family, as well as designed several shirts for various groups I am a part of. I have begun working on jewelry design as well. I earned my Associates Degree for Art in 2020 so I could dedicate my Junior and senior year too my music and theater interest. In theater, I have acted and directed. Musically, I sing alto and tenor in several ensembles and dance in show choir. I also enjoy playing the snare drum in marching band, percussion in band and orchestras, as well as playing the flute, cello and some keyboard. I like to make people relax enjoy themselves, laugh and find joy in simple things.

There are several ways I keep myself focused and true to my goals and dreams. One way is I write down my goals so that I have a visual reminder of what I want to achieve. I began work on my degree the summer after finishing sixth grade, as the district’s only seventh grader to take up the option of college classes. I did this because I wished to dedicate my Junior and Senior years to music. Our district is one of the nation’s top one-hundred for music, and I loved the idea of free classes. I have never taken advantage of the late arrival or early release option I am eligible for. As a result, I graduated at age fifteen with my Associate of Arts Degree and I can participate in four school choirs, orchestra, and two bands. I am also a member of OMEA district and state choirs as well. I make time for my friends and they are supportive of my goals. Most of my friends are from a music or drama class. We get together and play Dungeons and Dragons weekly. This is a great way for us to have a good time and develop interesting stories and inside jokes. I enjoy drawing some characters as well. If we don't have as long to hang out we will play Pokemon, tell Jokes and share original art and music. I am also big on volunteering and giving back to the community when able. I enjoy advocating for others and helping them find their voice because we all sound better when we are in harmony.

On May 20, 2020, my family and I gathered around our television set. We were not there to have a family movie night. No, we were gathered for my College Credit Plus College Graduation Ceremony from Cuyahoga Community College. I had achieved something no one else in my family has ever done I earned my associate degree at age 15. As the ceremony playout on the screen, we found out that I graduated Magna cum Laude. While there was excitement there were also tears. Covid 19 had canceled the planned commencement and while this moment was a moment it was not what was expected. I began work on my degree the summer after finishing sixth grade, as the district’s only seventh grade to take up the option of college classes. I did this because I wished to dedicate my Junior and Senior years to music. Our district is one of the nation’s top one-hundred for music, and I loved the idea of free classes. I have never taken advantage of the late arrival or early release option I am eligible for. In Cuyahoga County Covid 19 case rates are the United States’ second highest. High school graduation is starting to feel as though it may look like my last one. I feel I am worthy of this scholarship because I am hardworking and goal-oriented. I intend to walk across a stage one day to receive a diploma even if alas I must wait for it to be my bachelor’s degree

On May 20, 2020, my family and I gathered around our television set. We were not there to have a family movie night. No, we were gathered for my College Credit Plus College Graduation Ceremony from Cuyahoga Community College. I had achieved something no one else in my family has ever done I earned my associate degree at age 15. As the ceremony playout on the screen, we found out that I graduated Magna cum Laude. While there was excitement there were also tears. Covid 19 had canceled the planned commencement and while this moment was a moment, it was not what was expected. I began work on my degree the summer after finishing sixth grade, as the district’s only seventh grade to take up the option of college classes. I did this because I wished to dedicate my Junior and Senior years to music. Our district is one of the nation’s top one-hundred for music, and I loved the idea of free classes. I plan to be a music major and I knew this would allow me to maximize every opportunity I could. I have never taken advantage of the late arrival or early release option I am eligible for. My participation in all my Ensembles has allowed me to grow as a musician. I have also learned valuable leadership skills. I am Drumline co-captain and Marching Band third Vice President. I play flute in concert band and Percussion in Symphonic Winds and Several orchestras as needed. I play cello in Symphony Orchestra as well. I am the co tenor section leader and sing tenor in Symphonic singers, Bel Canto Singers, and Center Stage Show Choir. I sing Alto in Belle Voci. I am in the OMEA district and state choirs. Such rich and diverse experiences have helped me grow and will make me a better teacher one day. They will also help me at university when I join ensembles and student teach. This summer I had the chance to work alongside several music teachers at Cleveland Metropolitan School District Summer Experience Band Camp as the only youth volunteer. This program consists of two four-week sessions. Each session was open to all interested high school students. To my surprise, the majority of these students had not touched an instrument before. I helped teach the percussion section. They put on a four-song performance at the end of each session, and we Marched two miles in the West Park Independence Day parade. A post COVID bonus is we even made the news! Seeing the growth in so many students at once really put the value of community service and music education into perspective for me, and I am enormously proud of everyone involved.

When I was nine years old, my brother opened a present on Christmas day. It was two video games: Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2. “You know, these games are pretty much the same thing, there are only a few differences. Here, you can have this one. That way we can play them together!” is what he said as he handed me Pokémon White 2 thus the story of my love of Pokémon begins, The Pokémon franchise has played a huge part in my life as a student. As childish as it may seem, my intense interest in the games has helped drive me towards my path as a music student. One of the most incredible parts of Pokémon games is their soundtrack. Each piece is masterfully composed to fit the mood of the character, landscape, or situation. The Pokémon soundtrack has inspired me to learn new instruments and compose pieces of my own. I decided to learn to play the flute because I loved how beautiful it sounded in the piece Revelation Mountain from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. Outside of music, Pokémon has fostered my love of character creation and storytelling. Not only do the Pokémon themselves have great designs, but the people do too. The creators do an amazing job of creating characters that look like their personalities, and they are all unique and quirky in their own way. I have learned a lot about creating unique and effective designs from Pokémon. While visual arts is not my major, it is still of great interest to me and I will always love to expand my artistic abilities. My interest in Pokémon has fueled my creativity, and that is why I consider it such a huge part of my identity.

I want to make someone happy every day. I know, it isn't as great a legacy as curing cancer or achieving world peace. But truly, when I pass away, I will know that I achieved my purpose if I made someone, at least one person, happy daily. Making a difference does not need to be huge. I do not expect myself to make a life changing discovery. What I expect of myself is kindness and good character. To go a bit more in depth, I want to do more good than harm in my lifetime. I will make mistakes, that is inevitable. I will hurt people. There will be times where I lose my temper, say something I don't mean, or make somebody cry. What makes a difference is how I repair those actions. If I make one person happy, but the trail of mistakes I've made follows behind me unfixed, I will not have succeeded. However, if despite all of my mistakes, I seek to fix them or come to an understanding then at least people can be happy with that. There is so much pressure on people to do something great in their lifetimes. But what many don't consider is the greatness of what making someone, just one person, happy is. Just one compliment can make someone's day. Just one small favor can make someone smile. One "hello, how are you?" can save a life. It is important to never underestimate the impact one simple act of kindness can have on a person. That is why all that I require of myself to rest easy at night is to make someone happy every day.

To me, joy is contentment. It is impossible to be blissful all the time. Instead, I want to strive to be content. I don't need too much, I just need enough. Joy is accepting that there will be sad times and embracing it, because without sadness happiness can not shine. Without darkness, light is blinding. Without clouds, rainbows are no longer special. I do not want a one-sided "happy" life, I want balance. In order to achieve balance, I need to allow for challenges to enter my life. This does not mean actively seek hurtful experiences, it means living life unsheltered and seeking challenge. Without challenges, there can not be growth. Without growth, there can not be joy. I seek joy by challenging myself. I take harder classes and I work hard to succeed in my passions. I also seek joy by allowing myself rest. Somedays I need to go to bed early, treat myself to my favorite sweets, and take a day to spend time with my loved ones. Joy is not simply happiness, it is fulfillment.

My favorite way to help people is to stand up for those in oppressed groups. Whether this be through speaking out or amplifying others' voices, I refuse to stand by while injustice is persistent. For example, our school board has a very outspoken member about his beliefs against the queer community. He would use his public platform and district Facebook page as a board member to speak about how he believes there are only two genders, what God intended, and how queer folk go against that. I chose to speak out during a board meeting, as I feel that his actions are a blatant misuse of his positions of power. I spoke about how he should not be spreading personal religious beliefs on a platform meant for information about the school. Speaking against students who are not harming anyone by being themselves, especially as a board member, should not be tolerated. I chose to speak out not only to defend the queer community with my voice but to inspire other students to speak out for what they believe in. The community needs to see us taking a stand for ourselves as well. I think it is important for people to be encouraged to speak up for themselves and others, and as a leader, I want to inspire people to do so. While I cannot speak for communities that I am not a part of, I can work to amplify the voices of those who need it. Each marginalized group experiences different types of oppression. Everyone needs to seek to see similarities and to stick together. For example, people of color face different struggles than those of oppressed religions, but in the end, our goal should be to lift each other and dismantle the system that seeks to dismantle us.

I have learned that not everything will come naturally to me. It sounds simple and obvious, but for many people like me, it can be difficult to come to terms with. Ever since I was little, academics has come easily to me. I was put in the gifted program in third grade. I could write essays quickly, read a chapter book in a few hours, and plug any number into an equation. Since I was so good at school, I couldn't accept failure. If I ever came across something I couldn't do immediately, I would simply quit. If it's not easy, it's not for me, right? In fifth grade, I started to play percussion in my school band. This too came easily to me at first. However, like any other subject, this too got harder as the years went by. Even so, I didn't practice much. I felt that if I payed attention while in class I wouldn't need to do work outside of class. Come eighth grade, we had to audition for our spots in the marching band for next year. I, of course, did not practice. And as a result, I fell on my face and failed the audition. I'd failed things before, sure, but this felt different. This isn't something I wanted to quit. Finally, I began to realize that if I ever wanted to be truly good at something, I had to work at it. As much as failing the audition sucked, I'm very thankful for the wake-up slap. Since then, I have been practicing loads, and I even managed to become one of our drumline captains this year. I have learned that it is okay to struggle, but if it's something you really want to do, it is not okay to quit.

I want to make someone happy. I know, it isn't as great a legacy as curing cancer or achieving world peace. But truly, when I pass away, I will know that I achieved my purpose if I made someone, at least one person, happy. Making a difference does not need to be huge. I do not expect myself to make a life changing discovery. What I expect of myself is kindness and good character. To go a bit more in depth, I want to do more good than harm in my lifetime. I will make mistakes, that is inevitable. I will hurt people. There will be times where I lose my temper, say something I don't mean, or make somebody cry. What makes a difference is how I repair those actions. If I make one person happy, but the trail of mistakes I've made follows behind me unfixed, I will not have succeeded. However, if despite all of my mistakes, I still made enough people happy to be considered a good person after what I've done wrong, I can rest in peace. There is so much pressure on people to do something great in their lifetimes. But what many don't consider is the greatness of what making someone, just one person, happy is. Just one compliment can make someone's day. Just one small favor can make someone smile. One "hello, how are you?" can save a life. It is important to never underestimate the impact one simple act of kindness can have on a person. That is why all that I require of myself to rest easy is to make someone happy.

"Do what thou wilt, but harm none." It's an old saying that is prominent in pagan religion. It also happens to be the philosophy that I live by. Throughout much of my childhood, I was made fun of for my silly interests. I liked books others thought were weird, I wore clothes that weren't trendy, and I liked Pokémon way more than any one person should. For a while, I excused how I, and many others like me, were treated. "It was pretty cringe of me to dress like that, and acting like a book character on the playground? That was so strange. I would have made fun of me too." As I've grown older, I realized that that was not ok. Besides being "cringe," what did I do wrong? I wasn't hurting anyone. I was doing what made me happy. That's the core of my philosophy- as long as someone isn't hurting someone else, why is what they're doing anyone's business but theirs? Short answer, it isn't. I want to share this phrase because I want others to understand this sentiment. It is important to call out harmful behavior when you see it. But it is even more important to not engage in harmful behaviors yourself. More importantly, I want people to understand that it is okay to engage in their harmless interests. I want people to hear this phrase because I believe that it is, at its core, the solution to needless hatred. No one is hurting someone else with their skin color, gender, sexuality, or religious beliefs. One's culture, body, or fashion taste is not harmful to another. So what should you do if you don't like these aspects about someone? To put it as kindly as I can, keep your mouth closed and worry about yourself.

When I was nine years old, my brother opened a present on Christmas day. It was two video games: Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2. “You know, these games are pretty much the same thing, there are only a few differences. Here, you can have this one. That way we can play them together!” The Pokémon franchise makes me happy. So much so, it has effected a lot of my life choices. As childish as it may seem, my intense interest in the games has helped drive me towards my path as a music student. One of the most incredible parts of Pokémon games is their soundtrack. Each piece is masterfully composed to fit the mood of the character, landscape, or situation. The Pokémon soundtrack has inspired me to learn new instruments and compose pieces of my own. I decided to learn to play the flute because I loved how beautiful it sounded in the piece Revelation Mountain from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. Outside of music, Pokémon has fostered my love of character creation and storytelling. Not only do the Pokémon themselves have great designs, but the people do too. The creators do an amazing job of creating characters that look like their personalities, and they are all unique and quirky in their own way. I have learned a lot about creating unique and effective designs from Pokémon. While visual arts is not my major, it is still of great interest to me and I will always love to expand my artistic abilities. My interest in Pokémon has fueled my creativity, and that is why I consider it such a huge part of my identity. It may be a simple game to others, but it brings me indescribable joy.

The final piece we did for our spring band concert was a piece written by Michael Markowski, called City Trees. City Trees is by far my favorite piece that I've played in any ensemble that I've been in. The other pieces I've played were fun, but none made me feel things the way this did. When we received the piece, our director had us read the program notes. What the piece is about, how it was constructed, each part coming together to tell a story. The piece is about the composers feelings and experieneces in an environment not meant for someone like him. He feels out of place. This piece means a lot to me. I spent a lot of my junior year, especially over quarantine, trying to figure out who I was. Everything I thought I knew about myself, even my own name, felt wrong and uncertain. We performed the piece right around the time I had started to come to terms with the fact that I am trans. Despite all of the support, there will always be people who don't like who you are- even your closest friends. The amount of shame and self doubt that I was feeling was perfectly captured by parts of this piece, and the happiness I felt that I was beginning to understand my feelings was too. My favorite part of the piece is measure 118- the chords created by our ensemble shook me. It filled my head completely. Our director described this part of the piece as Markowski discovering and coming to terms with who he was, and that's exactly what it meant to me. It doesn't matter that there's people who won't support you, and loving yourself comes with time. This song inspired me to learn to love who I am.

When I was in third grade, I read a book series called Guardians of Ga'Hoole. It was a simple fantasy series about owls. On the surface, this doesn't sound too inspiring. And the books themselves really weren't- the purpose was to entertain and to feed into fantasy. I can't remember anything about the story that stuck out to me as inspiring. However, these books have inspired me in a different way, outside of the story. One day in class, we were assigned to write a letter to any celebrity in the world. If possible, the letters would get sent out. No one expected much of it, a couple of third graders fangirling about their favorite actor or singer is just a fun little activity, right? I wrote a letter to Kathryn Lasky, author of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole Series. I told her how much I loved her series, the cool character designs, and the fun battle scenes. I stuck in a couple of drawings of my favorite characters from the book and sealed the envelope. Everyone submitted their letters and we went on with class. A few weeks later, my teacher set down a letter on my desk- "From Kathryn Lasky." She thanked me for my letter, and said that she hoped I continued in my love of reading. What was most important, she said she loved the drawings I sent. Hearing such kind words from someone who I admired like that made me never want to stop drawing. Ever since, I have been improving in my creative and artistic abilities. The reason this is the book that inspired me most is not because of the stories, it is because of the kind woman behind them who encouraged me to continue doing what I love.

On May 20, 2020, my family and I gathered around our television set. We were not there to have a family movie night, or to play any games. We were gathered for my College Credit Plus College Graduation Ceremony from Cuyahoga Community College. I had achieved something no one else in my family has ever done- I earned my associate degree in art at age 15. As the ceremony playout on the screen, we found out that I graduated Magna cum Laude. While there was excitement there was also sadness. Covid-19 had canceled the planned commencement, and while this moment was big, it was not what was expected. I began work on my degree the summer after finishing sixth grade, as the district’s only seventh grade student to take up the option of college classes. I did this because I wished to dedicate my Junior and Senior years to music. Our district is one of the nation’s top one-hundred for music, and I loved the idea of free classes. I have never taken advantage of the late arrival or early release option I am eligible for. In Cuyahoga County Covid-19 case rates are the United States’ second highest. High school graduation is starting to feel as though it may look like my last one. Despite the discouragement of not getting a normal high-school experience, I have still dedicated myself to reaching my goals. I feel I am worthy of this scholarship because I am hardworking and goal-oriented. I intend to walk across a stage one day to receive a diploma, even if I have to wait for it to be my bachelor’s degree. My two brothers have developmental disabilities and I am very familiar with the unique needs that students with disabilities may require. I also have a 504 for my Tourette's as well. While I am not majoring in special education I am keenly aware that all teachers work with a variety of students. I plan to be licensed in music and art education, which both can easily be accessible by all students with simple modifications. When working with some students it is key to use generalization. To do this I will take what the students have learned in the main classroom and apply it to a music class settings. For example, if a child knows how to identify numbers I can take their knowledge of numbers and try to apply it into my musical lessons. I can use numbers of scale degrees rather than note names. Repetition is key, and the more I work with a student on their recognition of sounds and numbers, the better at it they will become. This can be done for a variety of abilities a student may have, such as using colored bells for students who are adept with colors. However, if a student is not quite ready to ring bells, or if the sound of the bells bothers them, then they could be given a colored scarf to use instead. The use of scarfs can allow for errorless teaching in movement lessons. Also, by using errorless teaching, I can prompt targeted behaviors. By giving students a scarf instead of a bell peers in the class will not hear if a note was missed and students will still be able to participate and learn. I could give a verbal, visual, or physical gestural cue to the right response. For instance, children could be asked to raise and lower there scarfs. I would model this for the students. The students are then encouraged to engage in the same way to prevent any mistakes. Getting students to respond correctly and on their own without prompting is my end goal.

I have been blessed to volunteer with several great agencies that match all my various interests. Each have impacted me in different ways. I was a camp counselor at Camp Mi-bro-bee. Our school’s science and Nature camp for seventh graders for seventy-one hours this fall. I was a male counselor and It was my first away immersive trans experience. This summer alongside several music teachers at Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Summer Experience Band Camp for fifty-two hours I was the only youth volunteer. This program consists of two four-week sessions. Each was open to all interested high school students. To my surprise, most of these students had not touched an instrument before. I helped teach the percussion section. At the end of each session, they put on a four-song performance. We even made the news as we marched in the West Park Independence Day parade! Seeing the excitement through growth in so many students at once really put the value of inner-city community service and music education into perspective for me. Junior year I volunteered in the counselor’s office at school. Daily I observed a senior who would come in. One day I asked her about it. She felt her teachers hated her and looked at her differently because of her unit. I asked what unit, and she said the ED unit. I see I responded, knowing more about it than she could know. I knew as my brother was in this unit too. I asked what are you learning? She showed me and after that, I became her math tutor. If she missed, I would call her. On graduation day she was surprised I was not a senior. After my counselor told me she only came to school to not let me down and to see me. Through my church With Nehemiah Mission in Cleveland, we worked to renovate homes in need. For sixty-eight hours we cut down trees, repainted porches, cleaned up trash, and pulled weeds. Our week-long church lead missions trip to New York City had a Vacation Bible School. Here in 2020, I nine spent hours teaching six songs with dances at Vacation Bible School A friend of our family from church told me about the STARS program for students. STARS is like the Adult Redcoat program for Cleveland's Playhouse Square. Cleveland is home to the second-largest theater district. This program allowed me the opportunity to usher several musicals and plays for a total of sixty-eight hours. As a Girl Scout, I transported milk at the Cleveland food bank for five hours. I cleaned kennels at the animal shelter for four hours. Yet my favorite was the nursing home monthly crafts. We did a themed seasonal craft each month with the residents. I really enjoyed this experience because the residents were so excited every month, and I liked teaching the crafts. It was fun coming up with new ideas each month for our twenty-four visits. With Miss Berea my favorite memory is from the Relay for Life events where we would decorate luminaries to light at night in honor of those who survived or were lost due to cancer. Our group would also walk the race track each year in different themes to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society. As well as hold a pageant each year called Little Miss Relay. Our Miss Berea Group also participated in several local events. Another favorite was the Linus project blanket-making nights for children at the Ronald McDonald House. I can't begin to count the amount of time I have spent serving with this wonderful community-based agency.

Our school board had a very outspoken member running for one of three board seats. Part of his platform was statements about his beliefs against the queer community. He would use his public platform, and district Facebook page to state he believes there are only two genders. He discussed what God intended, and how queer folk goes against that. His comments came up at a couple of GSA meetings and as president, I helped facilitate these discussions. As the campaign continued, he kept going, so I spoke out against this during a school board meeting. I feel that his actions are a blatant misuse of his positions of power. I spoke about how he should not be spreading personal religious beliefs on a platform meant for information about the school. Speaking against students who are not harming anyone by being themselves, especially as a board member, should not be tolerated. I chose to speak out not only to defend the queer community with my voice but to inspire other students to speak out for what they believe in. The community needs to see us taking a stand for ourselves as well. I think it is important for people to be encouraged to speak up for themselves and others. As a GSA leader, I want to inspire young people to do so too. While I was the voice of my group though too young to vote, I was never alone. My parents and my mentor were there to support me. After the meeting, several comments were made on Facebook about my speech, and they were all positive and sportive. While sadly for the queer community he won reelection by just two votes. For us students too young to vote, remember to share and use your voice, and that every vote counts!

Our school board had a very outspoken member running for one of three board seats. Part of his platform was statements about his beliefs against the queer community. He would use his public platform, and district Facebook page to state he believes there are only two genders. He discussed what God intended, and how queer folk goes against that. His comments came up at a couple of GSA meetings and as president, I helped facilitate these discussions. As the campaign continued, he kept going, so I spoke out against this during a school board meeting. I feel that his actions are a blatant misuse of his positions of power. I spoke about how he should not be spreading personal religious beliefs on a platform meant for information about the school. Speaking against students who are not harming anyone by being themselves, especially as a board member, should not be tolerated. I chose to speak out not only to defend the queer community with my voice but to inspire other students to speak out for what they believe in. The community needs to see us taking a stand for ourselves as well. I think it is important for people to be encouraged to speak up for themselves and others. As a GSA leader, I want to inspire young people to do so too. While I was the voice of my group though too young to vote, I was never alone. My parents and my mentor were there to support me. After the meeting, several comments were made on Facebook about my speech, and they were all positive and sportive. While sadly for the queer community he won reelection by just two votes. For us students too young to vote, remember to share and use your voice, and that every vote counts!

My absolute favorite thing to do is to play Pokémon. Everything about the game brings me so much joy. The soundtrack is incredible, fitting in with every situation the game throws at you. The character design is perfect, an incredible amount of personality in each one, even at just a first glance. The gameplay is not too difficult but is perfectly interesting and quirky with an incredible storyline in the games to boot. The Pokémon franchise absolutely knocks it out of the park with the games that they make, and I could not be more grateful to have them. My favorite part about the games has to be the soundtracks and the character designs. The composers do an incredible job with the atmosphere of each piece, it feels as though you're really there. Beautiful melodies paired with memorable gameplay helps make this game as wonderful as it is. As for the character designs, the designs of the people convey so much about them. For example, it is fairly easy to tell by looking at him that Ghetsis from Pokémon Black and White is a villain. Even so, he is still so different from other villains in the franchise, such as Giovanni. Ghetsis's appearance is more unhinged and outlandish, which fits his character perfectly. Giovanni is a mob boss through and through, and he certainly looks the part. And of course, what would the Pokémon franchise be without the fantastic little creatures themselves. A perfect mix of cute, cool, scary, or whatever your heart desires, these little guys have something for everyone. My personal favorite is called Haxorus, and I will always love it and other Pokémon. For these reasons, Pokémon has become and will always be the game I hold most dear, and it never fails to make me happy.

I believe the ability to give and not expect to receive is so important throughout life. Too many people expect something in return for kind acts, rather than being kind for the simple joy of being kind. People don't realize what they are blessed to have, and instead they only look at what they want. To me, helping those in need is a necessity to live a fulfilling life. Giving should make us as happy, if not happier, than receiving. As someone who is currently financially dependent, I am not in a position to lend the impoverished. Instead, I give back by educating. Whether it be tutoring or speaking out against injustice, knowledge is power and everyone deserves to learn and to be taught. Tutoring is important because everyone deserves a chance to pass in school. Education against injustice is so important because ignorance fuels violence. Even though everyone will believe different things, and there will always be injustice in the world, I want to know that I have done what I can. I also want to encourage people to help those in need. Many of our world leaders are only focused on wealth, and they exploit people to get it. A large amount of our population is living without necessities while working at companies run by people who could fix world hunger with their pocket change. I believe it is our duty to assist those who are struggling with necessities. If not us, then who?

The community takes place in several places within one larger community. There's family, school, neighborhood, work, clubs, sports, and more. As a young person who just began publicly identifying as trans in each of these communities, it is hard when you live in a smaller community. It can be difficult to know how to navigate situations in a manner the demonstrates honor and respect for all, especially in a community with divided views. During my senior year, our school district had a highly contested school board election for three board seats. This election had become quite a big deal in our community. The vote was an automatic recount and the final decision came down to just two votes! This served as a good reminder that every vote truly counts. What was driving the division amongst this community you might ask? In the last election, one seat was filled by a write-in candidate. During his first term, he had made some extreme comments at board meetings and on Facebook. These are quite polarizing views. His main quote was "God made two genders... male and female...how's that for a direct answer? What do you believe? God's word says it... case closed... nice debating with you though!" He also said of his board position "This is a mission field these kids need people on the board to advocate for them because they are under attack." When people said they hoped he would be voted off the board he said "Go for it." Frankly, I found this incredibly unacceptable. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but they should not use their religious beliefs to attack young students, especially while abusing their power as a board member. As a minor, I am unable to vote, but as a member of the LGBT community and President of the High school GSA, there was no way I could not take action. I planned what I would say and the time came for the meeting. As I approached the microphone my name was called, three minutes appeared on the clock. "Hello, My name is McAllister Thomas, I am from Berea and I am here to address some issues regarding one of our current school board members. I believe this particular person is using his platform in a way that is very harmful to our students, particularly the beliefs that aren't necessarily something that needs to be said to students. I think that the idea that there are only two genders is something that one can believe, but saying that on a public Facebook can be harmful to students who are figuring themselves out. If you know who you are that's wonderful, having your beliefs is wonderful, but I think that it is unfair to spread your beliefs on a public platform that's used specifically for information, especially in a way that can harm your students...." When I finished speaking I realized thanks to the meetings being recorded and shared on YouTube I had come out publicly to all of my communities. My parents and my mentor Dr. Ruebensaal were all there applauding me. My goal as a leader is to speak up for myself and my peers while amplifying the voices of the unheard. I want to inspire and encourage people to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. Everyone deserves to be heard. Equality and safety are invaluable to me, and I want to work to guarantee that for everyone. I am honored to dedicate myself to working towards making the words "liberty and justice for all" a reality.

I remember being wheelchaired into the elevator to enter the unit for mental health crises. I felt hopeless, which was confusing and unusual for someone like me, who'd strived to be independent in any way that I could be. I'd hidden anything that I felt for the past 3 years, and it had all come to a head that day. I never had to struggle to eat, I'd never been homeless, and my parents were together. I didn't understand why I felt the way that I did if I had the life I'd had, and why it all came crashing down on me. On top of that, I held the belief that because other people had it worse, and my mental health struggles "weren't that bad," my problems didn't matter. As it turns out, mental illness doesn't care what someone's life has been like. It impacts as many lives as it can get a hold on, and the belief that only those with "bad lives" can struggle with it is what drove the struggles of myself and many others to worsen. The stigma behind mental illness takes lives, whether it be the belief that only some can struggle or the belief that mental illness isn't an important issue at all. The stigmatization doesn't just affect illnesses like depression or anxiety either- illnesses like dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia are also heavily negatively impacted by the media. I want to be able to encourage people to seek help for their struggles, regardless of the life they've lived and how "bad" they think their struggles are. I want to speak out and advocate for more accessible mental health resources, because medication and therapy isn't something everyone can afford to have. I also want to advocate for increased educational resources for people to learn about mental illnesses and disorders- it shouldn't take an optional psychology class to teach people that schizophrenia and DID doesn't mean someone is "crazy" or violent. As someone who has struggled with mental health, it is important to me that resources are available to others who are struggling.

"I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are Irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." -Mewtwo. Pokemon is a franchise meant for children, but it can teach great lessons for people of all ages. This quote from the first Pokemon movie means a lot to me. To me, it means that the importance of someone's life is not determined by something someone can't control, such as their birthplace. Instead, one's actions are what is most important to determining who they are as a person. One can not choose their birthplace, race, sex, sexuality, or ethnicity. However, it is an active choice to be kind and to make a difference within the world. Anyone can be a good person if they try to be, and the circumstances of one's birth truly are irrelevant.

I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community because I know what people like me have sacrificed in order to allow people like me to be proud of themselves. Through years of self hatred and doubt, I have worked hard to love myself, not only for myself, but for my friends, family, and those who fought so that I can. Instagram: @digilyss

Ever since I was young I've loved visual art. Animations, drawing, digital art, painting, all of it. Throughout the years I've modeled my own work after my inspirations, whether it be online artists, my friends, or Pokemon. Now, I've developed my own style of digital art. My friends and family have been a great support system within my artistic journey, and have supported me within taking commissions and selling my work. The very first commission I took was from a close friend of mine- He'd asked me to draw his dnd characters for him. This was one of the biggest and most detailed pieces I've made, with five total characters in the drawing. The piece took a total of 13 hours, but it was worth it to see my friends gratitude. As well as that, it was very helpful to have the experience to deal with going back and forth to create a drawing that the client would enjoy. Many text messages were sent to determine how to draw each of these characters. I needed to know what they looked like, what they wore, objects they may hold, and their personality. I'm very grateful that he'd commission me, and for his help to give me the experience that I need. I've also recieved commissions outside of just character drawings. The first commission I got from someone I was not close friends with was for a book cover. Doing this type of work gave me quite the challenge as I needed to pair the composition with text. Despite not being friends with the person who commissioned me, I still owe the business to my friends. They had referred this particular customer to me after the commissions that I've made for each of them. I owe not only this business to my friends, but also the expierence of working with more difficult compositions and with someone who I am not friends with. My family has supported me by providing me with the tools that I need to make my art. They've bought me a drawing tablet and the computer that I use, and they've been very supportive of what I do. They also pay for me to have internet, which is where I get clients from. I could not be more thankful for my friends and family for supporting me in my journey with art and commissions. Whether it be buying my art, referring me clients, or providing me with supplies, they have been so helpful and supportive of what I do.

We walked out onto the field, ready to perform our last game of the year. For most of us, this was the most anticipated performance that we've had so far. Just as we practiced, we went through the first two songs of our performance. We waited for the applause to subside after Fat Bottom Girls, a song our ensemble performs yearly. The same crowd hears this same song and never gets tired of it, and neither do we. But now it's time to perform something new- the most difficult drill we've learned all year. Our announcer, with the same enthusiasm as always, introduced our final song. "The Berea-Midpark Titan Marching Band with Bohemian Rhapsody!" Music is what drives me. I find it within everything that I do. I listen to it when I do art, when I do work, and when I walk down the street. I love to play games, and all of my favorites have what I consider excellent soundtracks. Pokemon is my favorite game in the world, and the soundtrack has inspired me to play some of the instruments I play today. I started to play the flute because I love certain pieces so much, and I wanted to learn to play it myself. As a junior, I have dedicated my studies to music. This past year, I've performed as part of 7 ensembles, of both singing and instrumental performance. Ever since I began to play percussion in 5th grade, I've grown to love the art of performance more and more. In 9th grade I joined marching band at my highschool, and it has become what I look forward to most. When I started to take music seriously in ninth grade, I began to appreciate all types of music. Even if I didn't particularly like the song, I could appreciate it as an art form. Music has taught me to appreciate the effort put into things, even if I don't particularly like them. Music is my inspiration, and every day I am thrilled to learn more and more about it.

Duck Life 3's glacier theme helped make me who I am today. Along with other things, of course, but I like to credit it for being the start. When I was in fifth grade, the music teachers came in and helped us pick out our instruments. I picked out percussion, because I liked the way the glockenspiel sounded in the glacier theme in duck life, and I wanted to play it. I auditioned for percussion and suceeded, and on the first day I tried to play it by ear. I by no means did it justice, but it meant the world to me at the time to be able to replicate something I loved so much. After 7 years as a musician my taste in music has expanded. Of course, I'll always love the soundtracks from the games I grew up with. From fifth to tenth grade I grew a lot musically, learning to appreciate different types of music, having fun performing, and becoming a better performer. Much has changed through 6 years, but I believe this past year I have grown the most. This year I developed a bit more of an appreciation for what music really is to me. It isn't just something fun to do at a football game with the marching band, and it's not just a soundtrack to make a game more enjoyable. Music is created to portray emotions, and not just those felt personally by the composer. Emotions you can imagine but never feel, emotions you only have a distant memory of. Make no mistake, soundtrack music will always be special to me and I can appreciate it for what it is. It's used to tell a story and convey emotion just like all other kinds of music. However, different music is good for different things, and being able to expierence other things was beneficial for me. The final piece we did for our spring band concert was a piece written by Michael Markowski, called City Trees. City Trees is by far my favorite piece that I've played in any ensemble that I've been in. The other pieces I've played were fun, but none made me feel things the way this did. When we received the piece, our director had us read the program notes. What the piece is about, how it was constructed, each part coming together to tell a story. The piece is about the composers feelings and experieneces in an environment not meant for someone like him. He feels out of place. This piece means a lot to me. I spent a lot of my junior year, especially over quarantine, trying to figure out who I was. Everything I thought I knew about myself, even my own name, felt wrong and uncertain. We performed the piece right around the time I had started to come to terms with the fact that I am trans. Despite all of the support, there will always be people who don't like who you are- even your closest friends. The amount of shame and self doubt that I was feeling was perfectly captured by parts of this piece, and the happiness I felt that I was beginning to understand my feelings was too. My favorite part of the piece comes at measure 118- the chords created by our ensemble shook me. It filled my head completely. Our director described this part of the piece as Markowski discovering and coming to terms with who he was, and that's exactly what it meant to me. It doesn't matter that there's people who won't support you, and loving yourself comes with time. Playing this piece helped me in many ways, because feelings can't always be put into words, and they don't always have to be. The way that I feel can be described in music, and even if other people don't understand the emotions by hearing it, I do. That brings me great comfort. Emotions are a complex thing, and the understanding of them can't be accomplished just through language. The use of art can remedy this, and music is the form of art I've come to love and understand the most. Music, to me, is an art form that conveys what life is. Emotions, stories, expierences, atmospheres. Whether it be a piece like city trees, or the glacier theme from duck life, each piece is full of life in its own way. To me, music is how I express who I am.