“After moving schools, I took advantage of the opportunities I did not have at my old school by joining Student Council during my sophomore year and was accepted into the Peer Assistance Leadership Program for my junior year. It was through these programs that I have grown a deeper appreciation for others. Others often forget that everyone is living in a different stage of their life, and you never know what circumstances someone else may have. I try my best to be considerate of others so that my words and actions would make someone’s day better, instead of worse. The PALs program gave me the opportunity to mentor and guide young students through a variety of hardships they face — whether it would be foreign exchange students, students with difficult familial situations, or students who have mental illnesses — and it changed my life for the better. During Student Council, I took on the leadership position of Student Council (or Student Body) President during my senior year, which challenged me to be responsible for presenting student ideas to administration, promoting school spirit, and representing the student body, which prompted me to lead by example. As a result, I have realized that my passion for helping others and that I find myself hoping to make a positive ripple effects in other people’s lives. I always strive to be the best version of myself that I can be by showing it through my words and actions. I hope that as I leave Allen and I graduate this year that I would’ve made a positive impact on the school somehow in some way. Leaving high school seems surreal, and I honestly don’t think it has hit me yet that I’m almost an adult, but I hope that I can savor these last memories in high school before they’re gone.”