It all started the summer after sixth grade, when my friend and I were amusing ourselves by writing a musical about chicken and the horrors of vegetarianism. When I told my dad what we were writing about, he got me thinking- what exactly did I have against vegetarians in the first place? So I decided to try it for myself. Five and a half years later, I am proud to say I am still a vegetarian. I decided to continue...

This summer, I came back from my trip to Europe excited to start training with my friends for our upcoming volleyball season. It was going to be a fresh start for our team; the entire coaching staff had been replaced and we had graduated a lot of seniors last year. This was our last season and I was sure it was going to be the best. I was certainly not prepared for the information I received when I returned home....

I drove through the trailer park on the outskirts of town, making my way to the bright blue mobile home covered in vegetation to be once again immersed in the art of ballet. For eight years I’ve been taking dance classes in ballet and tap in this miniature studio. My classmates have ranged in age from five year olds to sixty-five year olds, from army wives to math teachers to little girls getting ready for pageants. Then, of course,...

The summer before my sophomore year, my high school chose me to be a participant in the Missouri Scholars Academy. At this summer program, I took a class called Designing Permanent Culture. This class really opened my eyes to what I want to do for the rest of my life. It emphasized not only reducing the negative impact we have on the environment, but putting in practices that would actually improve upon it. One thing I took away from that...