Mission Statement

So many factors have contributed to my personality and learning preferences.  Thinking about my age, I realize my generation has so much technology that the generations before me had no access to.  I can't even imagine going to class and not watching videos or taking notes from a PowerPoint presentation.  I mean, right now I'm blogging.  That word didn't even exist in previous generations.  I come from a pretty small town with VERY few minorities.  While this has shaped other people in my town to be close-minded and judgmental, it's done quite the opposite for me.  I've been raised in a home that has always been very accepting of others.  This value has been driven into the person I am.  When I look at others, I've never even noticed color or acted any differently because of it.  It's just how I was raised.  I also come from a very religious home.  I've been raised in the Christian church since I was born.  And three years ago my mom became the youth minister at my church.  Church and God has played a huge role in shaping me and my personality.  Being raised in the church has shaped my morals significantly.  I think it's a big part of the reason why I'm so accepting of others.  Church has made me more aware that we all mess up and have no room to judge others.  But religion has also made me butt heads with my mom A LOT.  She's always kind of shoved it down my throat and never allowed it to be an option.  While my mom is very accepting of others, I think she judges me.  I feel like if I ever messed up, she would be the last person I could ever go to.  I think this has made me into a very strong-willed person.  You can't force your views on me and I won't ever let up on mine.  Despite coming from a pretty strict family, I have it a lot easier than my four older sisters did.  I'm the baby of the family, and I know my parents have let up a lot over the years.  My sisters are all way older than me too, with the closest one to me being 6 years older.  Since I was two, I've only lived with that sister and my parents.  My parents never had the best relationship and divorced my sophomore year of high school.  These family dynamics have played a huge role in who I am today.  It's made me much more independent, but it's also made me question things and struggle with trusting people.  I lean towards the introvert side of the spectrum and I think these things have a lot to do with that.

Answering the question "What is your purpose in life?" is almost impossible.  I think you figure a lot of that out as you go.  I know I don't need to cure cancer or solve world hunger to feel like I've made a significant contribution to the world.  I believe in the little things.  I believe that every person needs an advocate, someone to stand by their side and defend them when they can't stand on their own.  I know a lot of people don't have these advocates.  I've done Big Brothers Big Sisters and gone on several mission trips.  My  Little Sister and all these kids I've seen on these trips are the people I'm talking about.  People with no one to lean on.  I'm really passionate about these kids, and I've realized recently that this is where I need to spend my time.  I long to be an advocate for these kids with no one.  Kids who have just been dealt a crappy hand in life.  There are a lot of qualities that go into being successful at this.  Trustworthiness and dependability are huge.  No kid will ever open up to me if they can't trust me and depend on me to always be there.  These are values I always look for in the people around me, so I think they're the most important ones for me to hold.  I think it's crucial to stand up for what you believe in, always.  I'm really hard-headed so it's always kind of come easy for me, but standing up for what you think is right and speaking out against what you think is wrong is so important.  I long to be viewed as someone who has respect for herself and respect for others.

Mission Statement: to be an advocate for young people who can't stand independently.  I will offer support to those who have none and be the voice for those who are never spoken up for.  I will do this by practicing consistent trustworthiness, dependability, and respect.