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Alex Dmitruk

7/15/2021

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Alex Dmitruk - Ohio
Nomination by Jennifer Dmitruk
Photography by 12.9 Dance
Issue 48 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Alex Dmitruk is inspiring because she beats to the tune of her own drum and is not afraid to be her authentic self. Alex puts her heart and soul into everything she does. She is a loyal caring person and thrives learning new things and having new experiences. She has a passion for the arts and works to develop her talent in dance. She is a creator and I love watching her grow.

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​What would you most like to be interviewed about? 
I am a dedicated dancer and consider my studio my dance family. I’ve been dancing since I was two years old, and was initially placed in dance class because I was very shy. I’m so thankful for everything dance has done for me. I am very appreciative of the arts and dance is only one of my interests. I also love drawing, painting, design, and fashion. I love being creative!

What types of dances do you study and which do you love the most? Why?
I study ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, Hawaiian, kickline, and modern. I love to mix contemporary and modern together through improvisation as I feel I can fully express myself because I can experiment with combining new moves, my mood, and some cool music. 
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What is a favorite memory and/or accomplishment from dance?
My favorite memories from dance are ones that created the bonds I have with my dance family. My favorite accomplishment from dance is beginning pointe classes and achieving both regional and national champions with my team!
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What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
Even though I was shy when I was younger, I have grown into an independent person that is not afraid to be me. I do not partake in gossip and I’m on with not being mainstream. I am assertive and will stand up for what I believe in while still being compassionate towards others and their opinions. I have two younger brothers that look up to me. I love my family. I’ve also started to teach dance to young girls in my neighborhood. Their studio closed during covid and what started as a garage class of two has grown to 4 or 5 girls weekly. It is so fun, and I love teaching an art that I love myself.
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What types of dances are you teaching in your garage?
I am currently teaching the basics of tap and jazz, while encouraging a good balance of both having fun and improving my students’ technique. We love playing games that I secretly infuse with developmental coordination both mentally and physically!

What do you both love and find challenging with this type of leadership?
Although it can be challenging to accommodate to the different ages I teach with challenge level, I love spreading my love and joy of dance to another generation of kids. Sometimes it can be difficult to control the little munchkins, but I know they enjoy and that is what matters to me! Plus, I’ve learned teaching tips throughout my life from my mom, and my lovely dance teacher Joyce Dalton who sprouted and nurtured my love for dance.

 If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be and why? 
Honestly, it would probably be symbolism in art or literature, although I’m not sure how many of my peers would be interested. Art mimics life, and there's so much to discover. 

Look for Alex in issue 48 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 48
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Addison Kocher

6/29/2021

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Addison Kocher – Ohio
Nomination by Kristen Kocher
Photography by 12.9 Dance
Issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Addison is inspiring because of her dedication, love for others and her adventurous spirit. Addison is dedicated to her dance team as she works daily to grow as a dancer and won’t miss an opportunity to be in the studio. Addison is also a very dedicated student who excels in all areas. Addison loves her friends and family fiercely. She is a caring friend and the organizer of all get-togethers. Addison is an amazing older sister who her brothers adore. Addison views life as one big adventure whether dancing, school, friendships, hiking, traveling, or just hanging out at home.

What should we definitely know about you?
Dance has taught me how to persevere and given me the chance to grow as a person. I started dancing in fourth grade and it quickly became my passion. I had a lot of work to do to catch up, as many girls start dancing at a very young age but I was determined. Dance has taught me a lot about determination and perseverance.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
It was mentioned in my nomination that I have two younger brothers. My middle brother is 4 years younger than me and then my family adopted my youngest brother from DR Congo. Walking through the adoption experience with my family has allowed me to grow in areas of love, patience, and empathy. The adoption experience has opened my eyes to the needs and children overseas that need families or care.

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why? (What do you feel passionate about or could talk forever about?)
I love watching football. I can talk about the NFL teams and games all day long. Following NFL teams on social media has inspired me to want to work in the social media department of the NFL one day. I am already looking for opportunities to pursue marketing experience. It isn't always typical for girls to have such passion for football but it's who I am, and I am confident in it.


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Greta Graffius

6/16/2021

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Greta Graffius - Ohio
Nomination by Kimberly Graffius
Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Greta’s positive energy is contagious and inspiring. She’s graduating in June, 2021 from South Range High School in the top 10% with a GPA of 3.927. Greta plans to study Elementary Education at Baldwin Wallace University. During high school, Greta participated in music and athletic programs. Though, she spent most of her time volunteering through National Honor Society and Future Teachers of America where she tutored elementary students in their classrooms and art, cooking, and volleyball camps. Greta’s an excellent drummer and uses music to motivate younger children. The way she values education, diversity, and creativity are positively refreshing.

What would you most like to be interviewed about?
My experiences with Jennifer Grace Studios, the positive message that she likes to spread, and the ways I have contributed to spreading positivity on social media.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I have played volleyball year round for six years and have volunteered my time this past summer to help out our middle school coaches during practices. I was at every practice and also helped during middle school volleyball camps. I have been a drummer for eight years. I have not only put in the work to improve by taking private lessons every week for the past eight years but I have also put in the time to help others improve by teaching private lessons to those much younger than me.

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why? (What do you feel passionate about or could talk forever about?)
I would talk about the prevalence of inequality and racism in schools and why as a society we need to make a change. A child attends school at a crucial part of their life where they are growing and developing and things such as sexism and racism from teachers or fellow students alter that development way too often. I have seen it happen first hand and I feel this is an important issue that is not discussed enough. The classroom is no place for sexism and racism.

Look for Greta in issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 47
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Julianna Hartman

6/10/2021

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Julianna Hartman – Ohio
Nomination by Amie Hartman
Photography by 12.9 Dance
Issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Julianna Hartman has been dancing at Star Performance Centre for 11 years. She is on their Elite teams for Pom, Hip-hop, and Jazz. In addition to dance, Julianna was recently recognized for her academic accomplishments including being in the top 25 of her class and hopes to become an Aerospace Engineer. She is looking forward to another year of dance and fun with friends!
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Photography by 12.9 Dance

​Tell us about your dance experience from start to now.
I started dancing when I was 2 years old, and I’ve loved it ever since. When I first started, I did ballet and tap at Star Performance Centre, and I still dance there today. However, I now do hip-hop, pom, jazz, and dance for my school dance team. With all of that, I commit about 9 hours to dance per week. Dancing is a huge part of my life and I’m hoping to carry with me for a long time.

What is a favorite dance memory?
One of my favorite dance memories was going on stage for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic. It was something I had been dreaming about ever since the pandemic began and it was such a magical moment. Everyone was hyping each other up and we were so excited to get out on the stage and do what we love.

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Photography by 12.9 Dance

What is a proudest dance accomplishment?
One of my proudest dance accomplishments was when my jazz team was named Grand Champion at a competition. There were a lot of talented dancers competing and we had worked really hard to earn the title.
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Photography by 12.9 Dance
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What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I love to help others and participate in service projects. I’ve worked with Hope’s Closet several times which serves foster children. I also helped lead “Project Positivity” when I was in junior High. This included putting inspirational quotes in each of the restrooms and on students’ lockers.

What do you enjoy most about being in a leadership position for service projects, and what do you plan to lead next?
I truly enjoy being in a leadership position for service projects because I love seeing people come together to help others. We can accomplish so much if we join forces for the greater good. I hope to work on leading a more comprehensive recycling program at my school.

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What do you feel passionate about or could talk forever about?
I would make a presentation on why it is important to take care of the earth. I think being aware of your impact on the planet is really important and I love to talk about ways we can improve and help save Earth.

What tips or ideas can you share with us now?
My biggest tip would be to recycle. It is so simple yet so important. A lot of people think that recycling doesn’t make an impact, but in reality, it helps save our planet. Another tip is to try to use reusable bags, napkins, water bottles, utensils, and more. There are so many simple and easy things that we can all do to help make a difference.

Look for Julianna in issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 47
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Trinity Wertz

6/9/2021

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​Trinity Wertz - Ohio
Nomination by Bridget Timmons
Photography by Bridget Timmons & Lynn Henley Photography
Issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Trinity Wertz is an incredible young lady. She is extremely dedicated in pursuing her dreams and a career in modeling. She is not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside as well. Trinity volunteers in her spare time at the homeless shelter for women and children. She works at night as a hostess in a restaurant. Trinity has a black belt in Taekwondo MMA and kickboxing. Trinity is very Motivated, beautiful, and unique young lady with a huge loving heart.
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Photography by Lynn Henley Photography

​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
My modeling and fashion, I love fashion.

How did you get involved in modeling and what do you love most about it?
I entered in the Miss Fashion Global modeling contest, and was a winner crowned teen Miss Fashion Global 2020, I love being able to express myself and meeting new people.

What was the hardest thing about stepping into the modeling world?
Having to be extremely persistent.

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Photography by Lynn Henley Photography

Tell us what you love about fashion - shopping, styling, wearing, designing, etc. What draws your eye and also what would you say your fashion style is?
Of course I love to shop, I like looking at all the new designs of fashion, I really don't have a favourite style - I love all styles of fashion. I like to coordinate my outfit.
But I also love to wear off the wall unique strange styles during photo shoots.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I love animals and love to help animals. I rescue abandoned, mistreated, and abused animals. I help nurse them back to health and find good loving homes for them to be adopted.

What is a favorite or proud memory from helping animals this way?
My favourite would be When I rescued a 4-month-old pup from an abusive home. He became a permanent part of our family until he passed away. His name was Shinoda, and I loved him so much.

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Photography by Bridget Timmons

What are your future plans with animals?
I want to go to college to become a wildlife biologist.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
To be in college, getting my master's degree in wildlife biology.

Who do you find inspiring?
My mom and brother.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I never let life’s obstacles stand in my way. The sky's my limit,

Look for Trinity in issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 47
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Emily Blosser

6/9/2021

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Emily Blosser - Ohio
Nomination and Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Emily is inspiring to everyone that gets to know her. Emily has such a warm and caring personality. While dealing with what has become today’s teenage adversity, Emily has recently had to overcome the grief associated with the loss of her beloved Grandmother. She keeps her head held high and has never criticized those who have hurt her. She inspires me to remember what is important in life and focus on the good.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
Academics, being a part of the JGS model team, and community service.

Tell us more about your academics.
Academics have been a big part of my life since I was little. I have always strived to be the best I can be and get the highest grades possible. My favorite subject is by far English. Writing lets me free my mind and write whatever I’m thinking or feeling. I will be a senior next year but will also be attending Youngstown State University to take college level classes. Without all the hard work and dedication over the years, I would never be where I am right now. Working hard in school will help me accomplish my goals in life.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What is the JGS Model Team?
The JGS Model Team is a business created by Jennifer Petrey. She wanted to collect a group of kids every year to display her ideas and thought about different locations and themes for her photo shoots. I followed her on Instagram for a while then got an interview to become one of her senior models. I was blessed to be accepted which means I get to go on different trips, photoshoots or even help her with another client’s photoshoot!

What do you love most about it?
I love being a part of the JGS Model Team because I got to meet a lot of wonderful people. Not only did I get to know Jenny and her family but all the other girls on the team who became sister figures to me. I love that there is never a dull moment with anyone on the team and all the constant laughs and memories that I’ve made with them.

What is a favorite memory from the JGS model team?
My favorite memory is when I had my first ever photoshoot with Jenny. I was so scared and nervous, but Jenny made me feel confident and pretty. She went above and beyond to make sure I was satisfied with her work and was comfortable with all the poses and props being used.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​Share with us your community service endeavors.
Over the years l have always made it a point to participate in community service opportunities. However, my favorite will always be working the Christmas light show in my town. Every year I help run the ticket booth, give out food and hot chocolate and help the little kids when they meet Santa. Seeing the smile on everyone’s face during those times makes volunteering my favorite thing to do.

What leadership roles have you had and what have you learned from them?
I was the leader of a recycling program at my school. Every school year I would get it up and running as soon as school resumed. During my lunch and study halls I would go around and collect the recycling bins from every classroom in the school and take them to the recycling spot. Doing this made me realize that hard work truly pays off along with helping the environment.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I am a strong supporter of Breast Cancer Awareness and trying to raise money for Breast Cancer research. I sadly lost my Grandma to Stage Four Metastatic Breast Cancer. I helped take care of her for eight months and got to see firsthand what it was like to watch someone you love suffer from such an awful disease. This is a topic I would strongly like to inform and educate people about.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
Never give up, no matter what the situation is push through it because you are stronger than you believe.

Who do you find inspiring?
My mother will forever be the most inspiring person in my life. She made me the person I am today.

Look for Emily in issue 47 of Inspiring Teens Magazine! 

Click here for more information on issue 47
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Brooklynn Taylor

5/26/2021

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Brooklynn Taylor - Ohio
Nomination and Photography by Dan O'Connell Photography
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Brooklynn Taylor is an incredible young woman. She is highly motivated and dedicated to pursuing her dreams. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and is deeply committed to her local community. Brooklynn works hard as a model and is starting to develop her own brand. She is a truly unique beautiful individual with a compassionate heart.
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Photography by Dan O'Connell Photography

Tell us about how you got involved in modeling from your first thoughts about it until now. 
When I was first interested in becoming a model, I researched what modeling agencies were in my area, and chose John Casablanca’s Talent Management which seemed like the best fit at the time, to help further my modeling dream. At 14, I started my journey in modeling & acting with the intention to inspire young girls like myself, to strive, aspire, and work hard for anything they want to do or be, in life. And turning 16 just a few days ago, I still very much have those intentions from this day forward.
 
What do you love most about it?
I love the fact that I can be myself in front of the camera and strutting down the runway. 

What has been your favorite experience modeling? 
I have had the opportunity and privilege to travel throughout the continental US. It’s a part of my dream, when I’m older, to travel and work in the remainder of the United States (and their territories)—but especially, internationally.

What accomplishment in modeling are you most proud of? 
I’ve been honored to have won best portfolio at Victoria Henley’s Tennessee Magnifique Showcase. 
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Photography by Dan O'Connell Photography
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​Tell us more about your cheer career.
I’ve been involved in cheer since 1st grade. I have cheered for football and basketball through 8th grade and have cheered for basketball in grades 9 and 10. Cheering has taught me to use appropriate behavior, to work as a team member, and to follow directions.
 
What do you love most about your local community and how do you give back?
My community cares and works hard at creating a Family and Pet Friendly Atmosphere. It’s a great place to have children and raise a family, even our four-legged family members. 
I’ve helped with the food pantry and encouraged students to bring in food to help the hungry. The food was given to students if the students needed it. I also helped the students bring in clothing that they would like to share to others. 
 
What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I have accomplished is learning to do a back handspring. I accomplished this by continual practice and attending private lessons.
 
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
Be persistent in all that you want to do. Nothing comes easy. Practice! 

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Photography by Chris Hall
​Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
In five years, I would like to be living in California pursuing my dreams and careers in acting and modeling. 
 
What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
My favorite activity is gymnastics. I get exercise and this keeps me in shape and healthy.
 
Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
I’m good at making arts and crafts.
 
3 Things on your bucket list
1.) Skydive 
2.) Go to Australia 
3.) Go to Hawaii 
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Photography by 4RHH Portraits
​Who do you find inspiring?
My mother is very inspiring to me.
She has supported me in every part of my life and has always had my back. She encourages me whenever I’ve felt stuck and I can’t do anything, and continually guides me in the right direction. She has the most giving, selfless heart I have ever seen, and puts others first, which seems to come so naturally for her.  
I am proud to be her daughter.
I can only aspire to be half the woman she, is one day. She’s a blessing far more than I deserve. 
 
What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I think I inspire others because they see that when I want to do something, I put total effort into it.
 
Is there anything else you would like to tell us? 
I love animals. I have a quarter horse and two German Shepherds. 

Look for Brooklynn in issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 46
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Kloe Sinsley

5/20/2021

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Kloe Sinsley – Ohio
Nomination by Michele Hofacker
Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Kloe Sinsley is such an inspiring person because she is so kind to everyone she meets. Kloe, when I first met her was such an energetic and fun person to be around. Kloe is so respectful and kind. Kloe is involved in many different clubs and activities at her high school and strives to overachieve in all of them. I know that Kloe Sinsley would make an amazing addition to inspiring teen magazine.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would like to be interviewed about academics and how much fun I have with Jennifer Grace Studios

What do you want us to know about academics and what they mean to you?
My academics have always been a huge factor in my life. I always strive to get good grades, maintaining a 4.0 gpa, and taking advanced courses to better myself intellectually.

How did you get involved with Jennifer Grace Studios and what do you love most about it?
I got involved through instagram and I loved her work. Now that I work closely with Jennifer Grace Studios, I absolutely love it. The atmosphere is unmatchable, and Jenny makes me feel great in front of the camera.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

You are involved in a lot of different clubs. Which ones are they? Which one do you spend the most amount of time in and why?
I am involved in Key Club, National Honors Society, German Club, Delta Epsilon Phi, Hero Club, and Art club. I spend the most amount of time in German Club because I have been in this club the longest and the environment is so positive and outgoing.

Which club have you had the biggest leadership role in, what was the role, and what did the job entail?
I have had the biggest leadership role in Art Club. I am currently the vice president which entails assisting the president for just about everything. We organize projects from decorating the school to simple acts of kindness.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I love art and volunteering at a local nursing home, along with working and maintaining a 4.0 gpa.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What type of art do you like to do?
I create visual art with any medium I am give. I am currently taking AP Studio Art concentrating on designing with charcoal. This mostly means that I render intricate details with the help of a charcoal pencil to deepen values and add more contrast than graphite can offer.

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
Probably the hardest thing I have ever accomplished would be one of my art awards. Most likely it would be my state’s governors award which I won with a charcoal drawing of a skeletal pharaoh in a pseudo-archeological Ancient Egypt.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
I would say do not give up and work smart. Sometimes life can be rough. Things will get better but working smart and not giving up easily speeds up that process. Also, always be kind. It is hard to tell who your boss in the future will be or who will be able to help you out. You wouldn’t want to lose that by not being kind.

Where do you see yourself in five years/what are your plans?
My plans are to either attend college and go on a pre-med track, or go to college and major in aviation. I am not sure yet.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
Yes, I am really good at word games, which isn’t typically a “hidden talent.” I love a good win in scrabble.

Three things on your bucket list
Visit Greece
Visit Pretty Place Chapel
Learn how to fly.

Who do you find inspiring?
I find my mother inspiring because she always had my back no matter what. She always strives to do and learn more every day while raising her children and providing and amazing life for us.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I am always willing to help and teach people. In my life, I have been diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease and I know what it feels like to get discouraged and need help. For someone else, I want to be that help.

Look for Kloe in issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

Click here for more information on issue 46
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Michele Hofacker

5/20/2021

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Michele Hofacker - Ohio
Nomination by Beth Hofacker
Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Michele Hofacker, a twelve-year member of the girl scouts, serves as an inspiration to her community. Michele values volunteering, participating in Community Clean Up Days, Trick or Treat in the Park, Safety Town, Church Alter Server, and canned food and clothing drives. Michele especially loves to collect cookie donations for our local Hospice Care Center and our overseas troops. Michele understands the important of supporting a team, serving as the varsity goalie and joining the track and basketball teams.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would like to be interviewed about my passion for others and how others can help the community. I also would love to talk about the importance of taking action to end climate change.

How do you help in your community?
I help in my community by volunteering and serving at my church. I try to routinely serve at my church along with donating foods to food shelters.

Tell us more about your thoughts on climate change? What can people do to prevent climate change when the climate has been in constant change for millions of years? What makes "this" climate change different?
Climate change is a very important concept that needs to be known. Climate change is killing species after species and if nothing is done the human race is next. Climate change has significantly gotten much worse in the past few years from pollution to trash in our oceans. Somethings you can do today is buying sustainable products and clothes. Also, to be sure to look for the eco-safe logo and check to be sure the product isn’t harming any animals. This issue is extremely important and must be considered.

Tell us more about your involvement with the girl scouts. What is your proudest moment as a member?
I have been a member in Girl Scouts for 10 years. I have received my bronze, silver, and now am working on my gold award. My proudest moment in Girl Scouts is leading all the younger girls at camp!

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​Tell us one of your favorite memories volunteering in your community.
One of my favorite memories of volunteering is helping at safety town. I love safety town because you have the honor of teaching children the importance of being safe in your community.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I absolutely love to be around people and help others in every way I can! I cannot wait for this journey to start!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
I would say to never give up no matter how hard it gets.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
In 5 years I plan to be at collage majoring in something to do with helping kids.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
My favorite activity is running hurdles. I love running hurdles because my coach is helpful and up lifting.

3 Things on your bucket list
One thing on my bucket list is to travel the world as much as possible. I want to travel the world as much as I can because the world is a beautiful place and I want to be able to see all of its beauties.
Another thing on my bucket list is to sky dive. I want to sky dive so that I can experience that feeling of “flying”.
Another thing on my bucket list is to be able to attend the Olympics. The Olympics is such an amazing thing so I want to experience that.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

Who do you find inspiring?
I find the NBA player Kevin Love inspiring because he is open and striving to improve his mental health. Kevin Love also does his very best to be the best version of himself he can be on and off the basketball court. Kevin Love is inspiring to me because he is true to himself.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
 I think my goofy and confident personality inspires others because when I’m around people I bring out the best in them.

Look for Michele in issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 46
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Brittany Adams

5/20/2021

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Brittany Adams - Ohio
Nomination by Sarah Boggs
Photography by Sharon Holy Photography
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Brittany Adams is an inspiration to me for several reasons - this girl is driven for success! Brittany has been taking classes through Chardon High School’s College Credit Program at Lakeland Community College and will start Lakeland’s nursing program in the fall! We worked together in a recent cap and gown photo shoot for the girls from our senior picture model team, and she had more medal and honor cords than I can count. Brittany has been recognized for academic achievements and involvement in our local 4H. Brittany is not afraid to be herself, which is an inspiration to me.

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Photography by Sharon Holy Photography

​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would like to be interviewed about how much I’ve changed or adapted to struggle in my life. While in high school I’ve struggled with diabetes, an eating disorder, depression, and anxiety. Despite these struggles I’ve been able to push myself forward. Everyone has hard times in their life, and the big thing in life is pushing past them. It can be hard to do that as a teen, and I feel like it’s important to bring light to situations such as mine, so other teens can see. I’d also like to be interviewed about my involvement in 4-H. It has been my home and my family for 12 years and it’s a really big part of me.

What else should we know about how you have overcome your struggles?
When I was younger, I would go back to the creek by my pond and sit across a fallen long over the ravine. It was so peaceful to listen to the water or birds chirping. Sometimes I would bring my guitar and play a couple songs and sing to myself. As I got older it was hard to find time, but I’ve really connected with animals. I have lot of rabbits, turkeys, and a couple dogs. Whether it’s feeding them, playing with them, or even going on a walk, it always helps me to destress. That’s the hard part about overcoming struggles. It’s different for everyone, and finding something to help you isn’t easy, but once you do it makes a world of difference.

​If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
I could talk about 4-H forever. I think that’s what I would present to them. The truth is when people think of county fairs, they think of animals and carnival rides, but 4-H is so much more. There are barns filled with art and beautiful photographs. There are kids running a milkshake booth and even running shows. It’s not just a place for people who want to raise animals. It’s a place for everyone. There are poultry clubs, leadership clubs, clubs that help plan the fair and run shows, and there are even clubs that teach you how to grow plants. There are so many possibilities and so many places to feel like you belong. We truly are one big family.

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Photography by Sharon Holy Photography

​What has been your favorite activity or memory in 4-H?
My favorite activity in 4-H is being chosen for The Great Geauga County Jr Fair Court. It’s a small group of people, but we are always having fun. I especially appreciated being on fair court this year. COVID made it different, but it still allowed me to meet new people and make some new friends. Going to fairs and having fun with them was just an added bonus.

What was your biggest accomplishment with 4-H?
Winning the Showmanship Sweepstakes competition has to be the biggest thing. This past year showing turkeys I placed in the senior class and had the opportunity to move into the sweepstakes. I then ran around the fair, like crazy, and learned how to show every animal. Then, the last day I had to show all of them in front of judges, and somehow managed to win. It was so hard but being in the competition with my friends and winning made it amazing.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
It doesn’t cover that I managed to get all of these awards despite all of the physical and mental problems I was going through. It also doesn’t cover how much service work I’ve been involved in. I always found joy in helping others and I got an award for getting 100 hours of service through my National Honor Society (NHS) group. It also doesn’t cover my involvement in 4-H. I’ve been in 4-H for 12 years, and it’s my family and my home. A lot of teens play sports and that becomes their family. I’m not the most athletic person in the world so instead farming, animals, and my 4-H club became my family.

Tell us more about your medal and honor cords.
I earned a set of honor chords from NHS and another set from Thespians society at my school. I then earned chords, an honor stole, and a medal from National Society of High School Scholars. Then, I received another set of honor chords, an honor stole, and a medal from an honors society at Lakeland called Phi Theta Kappa. Then to finish it all off, I got a set of chords, an honor stole, a Gold Award medal for achievement, and 2 Gold Award medals for leadership all from 4-H.

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Photography by Sharon Holy Photography

​What do you love most about being on Sharon Holy's model team?
I loved being on Sharon’s model team for a couple reasons. First, she always made me feel beautiful in every photo. That was really hard for me to see myself that way after struggling with an eating disorder and depression. I don’t know how she did it, but she always made me love every photo of myself without a doubt. The second thing would have to be the girls. We always brought each other up. When Sharon would post about us, there would be a long string of positive comments that we would give to each other. Then, whenever we would get together for a photoshoot, everyone was so nice to each other. It just made it an overall great experience.

What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I ever did was getting over my eating disorder. It wasn’t an easy battle, but the thing that helped me get through was all the support and love from my family. My friends at school would always watch to make sure I ate my lunch, and my parents would make sure to cook my favorite foods just so I would eat. I couldn’t have done it without my brothers though. They helped me more then they’ll ever know … always bringing me food or even making me breakfast in the morning before school. It was always small things, but they really did save me.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
Find something you absolutely love and never let anybody tell you that it’s dumb.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
I hope that in 5 years I’ll have my BSN and be working at one of the many amazing hospitals in Ohio. I really want to specialize in pediatric endocrinology, which would allow me to help kids getting diagnosed with diabetes.

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Photography by Sharon Holy Photography
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What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
I love 4-wheeling! We have so many huge fields and trails near my house, so it makes it easier to get out there.

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
I love to sing and write music. I don’t tell many people about it because I get terrible stage fright, but singing has always been a way for me to escape and relax.

3 Things on your bucket list
Own a Scottish Highlander
Go to Italy
Become the best nurse ever

Who do you find inspiring?
I find my mother inspiring. She didn’t have the greatest childhood, but somehow, she always managed to make mine great. She never let anything hold her back, even being a woman in the chemistry field. I hope one day I can be just as successful and amazing as she is.

Look for Brittany in issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 46
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Michala Brown

4/19/2021

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Michala Brown - Ohio
Nomination by Thea Brown
Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 45 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Michala Brown is a very inspiring teenager, she is compassionate and always sees the bright side to every situation. Michala often inspires others her age for instance, as a teenager you feel begin to feel pressured to do things and Michala inspires them to not make those foul choices. Michala never gives up and as a mother she inspires me to do the same. Michala is also a cheerleading assistant coach and many of the younger girls look up to Michala and say “they want to be just like her” and as a mother those are the most heart warming moments.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

How do you stay optimistic in trying times to see the bright side of every situation?
I stay optimistic and see the bright side in every situation by learning from my mistakes and figuring out how I can do better than before. I always look forward and focus on my future instead of pondering on the past. I always tell myself I can do better and move on from the past no matter how hard times get.

Give us an example of a time when you inspired someone to make the right choice.
A time that I inspired people to make the right choice would have to be when I got into high school. When i got into high school a lot of people around me started feeling pressured and obligated to do certain things that were leading them down the wrong path. I try my best to always help my friends make the right choices and steer them in the right direction.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

Tell us about your cheer career from when you got started up until now.
I started cheerleading in kindergarten and I knew from the start it was a passion of mine and something I would greatly admire. I looked forward to every Friday night game in elementary school through middle school so I could mimic the older girls and I dreamed to be like them, and now that I am that cheerleader I am inspired to be. I will always better my myself as a cheerleader and not let the younger version of myself down.

What do you love most about cheer?
I love the bond that cheerleading creates. I enjoy supporting my team as well as my school. Cheerleading led me to many new friends as well as amazing memories.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What is a favorite memory and/or accomplishment with cheer?
A huge accomplishment of mine dealing with cheer would have to be the time I made varsity as a Sophomore. I have always been the person to set low expectations for myself and by me making that squad at that young of a grade it gave me a burst of confidence. I look back and realize how grateful I am to have such great parents and coaches that supported me along the way. During cheerleading I have always been the girl in the back corner who was shy and when I made the varsity cheer team a spark occurred within me creating me to be more determined and outgoing.

What legacy do you want to leave behind your younger teammates?
A legacy that I would like to leave behind for my younger teammates would be to not listen to what others have to say. Throughout my cheer career people have said words that hurt me but I never would let that get in the way of what I wanted to achieve. Use their negative comments to better yourself and be the better person.


Look for Michala in issue 45 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
Click here for more information on issue 45
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Brianna Simms

4/15/2021

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​Brianna Simms - Ohio
Nomination and Photography by
​Capture Life Photography by Davinda
Issue 45 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Brianna Simms is a beautiful young girl, and like many others is not without scars and broken pieces. She has found strength and courage within herself to grow and learn even through adversity and loss. She pushes herself and encourages her friends and peers to try everything, even the scary things, so to never look back with regret. She believes in herself and demonstrates extreme integrity. Brianna is a girl who knows her self-worth and encourages others to find theirs as well.
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Photography by ​Capture Life Photography by Davinda

​What does self-love mean to you?
Self-love means appreciating our bodies for all the amazing things it does for us. To always love ourselves no matter how we look or what we are wearing. Never allowing the words of others degrading how we appear. After all the struggles we face through life, day after day, struggling with loving our bodies shouldn’t be one of them. It goes much deeper than appearance. We should all be grateful that we are fortunate enough have the abilities that we do.

Why do you feel it is so important?
I feel that self-love is so important because life is the greatest gift any of us could ever receive. We wouldn’t be able to see the world or hear the many sounds on earth without our bodies. We are ALL special. Every single one of us. We are all beautiful. We all spend our lives trying to look a certain way for society. We should live by that. Wear what makes you happy! Go out and do things that excite you! We only get one life on this beautiful earth, we shouldn’t spend it wishing we could be different, or look different. Everyone is perfect.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
Davinda has covered so many inspiring things about me already. I would like to add that even I go through periods of time where I fall, or I have a hard day and it’s not as easy to get back to as it usually is. But even with those days we have to be strong and remember our worth and why we’re here and what our purpose is. Even the people who know and value the importance of self-love struggle. We all struggle but the willpower to fight through the hard days is what makes us strong. I believe that it is important to cover that everyone falls down. But, with the willpower to fight and love ourselves and our bodies, we can all be happy.

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Photography by ​Capture Life Photography by Davinda

​Let's talk about Davinda. Why did you choose her as your senior photographer and what did you love about your experience with her?
I chose Davinda as my senior photographer because I knew she would do more than just capture my senior year. She captured me. Immediately after we met, I knew that no one could have done the job better. She took the time to get to know me. She would send me magazines and show me pictures of places and sets she would know I’d love and create a set to fit exactly how I wanted. Her husband even went as far to build me a prop completely from scratch just to create the set I that would make me happy. I love spending every minute with her.

Tell us about your nomination image and the story behind it.
My nomination image was taken in a staged room. The room was a bathroom filled with newspapers. Thousands of words on them. They covered every inch of the room. But, with all those words and everything going on, just looking into the bathroom mirror and know that you are beautiful. We all need that reminder here and there. Maybe we should say it every morning to ourselves when we look. Or maybe it’s just there to stare back at us while we’re looking at ourselves. But, in that small part of our days, in that moment when we’re alone looking at ourselves, we should always be reminded that we are beautiful.
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Photography by ​Capture Life Photography by Davinda

​You sent in a second image of you with a nose ... brace? on. Tell us about that.
I chose the image of my nose because I believed it was very fitting for the topic of self-love. I had a rhinoplasty done in February. Some people could argue that getting a nose job isn’t self love at all, but I disagree. My point is to do whatever makes YOU happy. I was unhappy with my nose for many years. Finally, after turning eighteen I thought to myself, that this was something I really wanted. I knew that doing it would make me very happy. I can say that two months post surgery I am extremely happy and confident. I don’t look much different, some people who knew me before couldn’t even tell a difference. But it changed my life and helped me feel more comfortable with myself.

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
I would present the benefits and outcomes of loving yourself. Ways to achieve our goals of what it takes for each of us to understand our worth. Also, making sure that we all know it is more important to be beautiful on the inside than the outside.

What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I have ever accomplished was trying to figure out who I was after my dad passed away. Being a teenager and still in your prime years of growing and figuring life out is difficult alone. To lose a parent while learning about yourself and the world was much more difficult. After his death, my grades and attendance at school started to slip. I am a student who loves attending and has a 3.8 GPA. I was struggling very hard to get back to my old life.
In this sense, COVID-19 helped me. When school got shut down, I needed that time at home to heal. After a year later I am not sure where I would be without the time I had to heal during the pandemic. I am so thankful for all my friends and family who supported me and helped me get through what was definitely the hardest part of my life. Although I can’t say I have completely accomplished this, but I have come very far from the beginning.
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Photography by ​Capture Life Photography by Davinda

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
 In five years, I will either be graduating or graduated from college with my bachelors in nursing. I will be waiting to see if I have gotten accepted into CRNA school, to get my doctorate in nursing and become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. While working as a registered nurse in the meantime.

3 Things on your bucket list.
Number one on my bucket list is to go through life being happy. Being happy is my greatest value, it trumps everything in the world. I wouldn’t know who I was if I wasn’t happy.
Number two would be to travel to all fifty states and as many countries as I could possibly travel to in a lifetime. I want to see the world and experience different cultures. Learning new ways to simply live life inspires me.
And number three would be to work with a charity. It has always been a dream of mine to travel with charity groups and help around the world. I want to make the change that we wish to see. Doing this would make me feel like I fulfilled my purpose.

Who do you find inspiring?
 I find it incredibly inspiring when anyone talks about their goals in life. When hearing all the different passions and values in life, to see their faces light up like there is nothing better in life, that inspires me. I hope to be having that conversation with someone and my eyes lighting up. I want to strive for my goals and work hard and feel that sense of accomplishment in the end.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
Something about me that I find inspiring is that I am me. I have accepted that I am who I am. I love myself and nothing could ever change that. My friends always talk about how they admire me for the fact that I know who I am and don’t wish to be anyone else. I feel that the sooner everyone comes to that realization and loves themselves for who they are, the world will be a happier place.

Look for Brianna in issue 45 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
click here for more information on issue 45
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Kiersten Hofmann

3/12/2021

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Kiersten Hofmann – Ohio
Nomination by Samantha Hofmann
Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

​The Nomination: Kiersten is an inspiring, multi-talented performer, athlete, scholar and leader. Her outgoing personality shines brightest on the stage where she’s performed in show choir, musicals, and as a vocalist/guitarist. Lettering in soccer and cross country, Kiersten’s competitive, positive energy encourages those on and off the field. Her creativity and dedication are evident in leadership as Yearbook Editor while maintaining status as an honors student with a 3.8 GPA. Kiersten’s genuine compassion for others is most inspiring. Driven to action, she has rallied friends and sponsors in multiple fundraisers to support World Vision’s mission to end world hunger.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would love the opportunity to talk about World Vision's mission.

What is World Vision's Mission and what does it mean to you?
World Vision is a Christian organization working to help communities lift themselves out of poverty, for good. They are committed to transformational development that is sustainable and community based, focused especially on the needs of children. World Vision’s mission has inspired, and moved me to action. I have participated in World Vision’s 30 hour famine for multiple years. The famine has given me perspective and opened my eyes to the struggles that people living in third world countries face. Despite their unjust circumstances, the people are beautiful, hopeful and inspiring.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I love to encourage others.

What do you find is the best way to encourage others?
I find that a smile and an uplifting attitude is contagious to everyone surrounding you. A bit of levity goes a long way too. Listen to others and set your mind to notice the best in people. Then, don’t just keep it to yourself, share it!
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What type of performances do you do as a multi-talented performer?
I sing, act and play both the acoustic and electric guitar. If I had to pick one, acting is my favorite. From Shakespeare to modern musicals, I enjoy developing and portraying any character.

What leadership roles have you had in high school and what has been a favorite memory from one of them?
I’ve served in leadership roles as Yearbook Editor, praise team leader, 30 Hour Famine group leader, and captain of my soccer team. My favorite memory from being captain was leading the pre-game huddle. I love to bring the energy and rally my teammates to play for the win. The excitement of coming together with my team before a game sets the tone for success.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What does being Yearbook Editor entail?
As the Yearbook Editor, I develop the theme and design the cover. I work with the team to take photos, edit and design pages.

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
In a world of negativity, we have the choice to contribute to it or fight against it. Mean girls, others’ opinions, standards and expectations can perpetuate the lie that we are not enough. But we have a choice to break through the cloud of lies. Recognize mean girl mentality, know your worth, realize that you have options and choose kindness. Speaking from experience, I’ve been on the inside of a mean girl group, and upon my departure, I became victim to it. Now, I’m consciously countering it with kindness and acceptance of others.

Look for Kiersten in issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
click here for more information on issue 44
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Madison Russo

3/12/2021

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Madison Russo - Ohio
Nomination and Photography by Sharon Holy Photography
Issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

​The Nomination: Madi is such a sweet, beautiful young lady, inside and out! Madi has a magnetic personality and infectious smile! Working with Madi this year has been such a pleasure. Madi always has a positive attitude and is excited to try new things. Madi is an elite softball player and very dedicated to her sport, playing both for her high school and a traveling team year round. It is inspiring to watch Madi's commitment to working out and aspiring to be the best athlete she can be, while maintaining her academics and spending time with her friends and family, especially her twin brother, Jarrod.
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Photography by Sharon Holy Photography
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Tell us about your involvement with Sharon Holy Photography? Why are senior portraits so important to you?
I am on the SHP model team with a wonderful group of girls. Due to Covid, we have only been able to do one group shoot but we are only doing (mostly) individual shoots now. I joined it knowing that I would be put out of my comfort zone, and I have been. This experience has allowed me to express myself in different ways that I would never think possible.

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Photography by Sharon Holy Photography
​​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would like to be interviewed about my leadership and what has made me a leader.

What has made you a leader?
When I was younger, I always cared about what people thought. I would be overthinking things like what to wear to school, if my makeup looked okay, something I just said. I could never be myself. The thought of being judged radiated a horrible feeling throughout my body. The sport of softball has really helped me come out of my box and become more sociable. I have had incredible teammates and coaches that have shaped me into the leader I am today. Seeing people older than me be leaders influenced me and I knew that I would be one when I grow up. It was a goal of mine that I never thought I could accomplish because I was afraid of what others would think. But in reality, being a leader is someone who wants to move towards that better vision and now, I could care less what other people think.

What qualities do you think are essential in a leader, and what do you think is your personal best leadership quality?
Being a leader requires purpose, approachability, and passion. When you bring exhilaration and positivity to the table, it becomes contagious. Being around someone who gives constant criticism and negativity is not enjoyable. It is not someone who I would ever view as a leader. People are more likely to follow and look up to people than enjoy being around. I believe my best leadership quality is passion. Being passionate about somethings helps bring a larger vision and determination to the group you are leading.
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Photography by Shawn Marlatt
What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
In my free time, I enjoy helping little girls how to play softball. I love seeing their big smiles when they finally understand how to do something!
I am also a 2nd-degree black belt in Taekwondo. Getting this was a very big accomplishment for me when I was younger and the process has shaped me into the person I am today.

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Photography by Shawn Marlatt
If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
It would either be working out or softball. I have been playing softball since I was 8, and have been working out since I was 14. I recently got into consistently working out over a year ago and it is now a big passion of mine. Both softball and working out put me into a state of mind where I don't think about anything going on in my life. It puts me in a different place that I love.

Look for Madi in issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

Click here for more information on issue 44
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Emma Powell

2/18/2021

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Emma Powell – Ohio
Nomination and Photography by Broc and Alexa Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​The Nomination: Emma Powell is a senior and is looking forward to continuing her education in college where she plans to study physical therapy. She is very involved in school with class leadership positions, National Honor Society, and the school Ambassador program. Emma is also a 4-year cheerleader for football and basketball and is in the Drama program where she has been in many plays and musicals. Emma is not only a well-rounded, academically sound student, she is also a hard worker and has a wonderful work ethic. Emma is incredibly kind to everyone around her, she is truly a people person and her smile can brighten anyone’s day. Emma has lots of other interests outside of school as well such as a love for animals, fashion, and makeup.
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Photography by Broc and Alexa Photography

What are you most committed to?
My commitment towards the things in the nomination. Including, family, friends, and school related activities. I participate in multiple organizations for my school. I always make sure to finish all my work for these plus my schoolwork in a timely manner. When someone is counting on me to finish something I do it as quickly and correctly as possible.
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Tell us more about your leadership positions.
I am a member of my school’s student council. In this council I help to organize events and activities that bring together our students as a community. My responsibilities include listening and communicating the wants of students. As well as learning to communicate with multiple personalities. My goal for the end of the year is to learn more how to get along with and communicate with multiple personalities and people to obtain the best end for the school as a whole.
I am also a part of my schools’ chapter of NHS. In National Honors Society, we are expected to serve our community and create service opportunities for our school. Our responsibilities are mainly to create opportunities for the students of BHHS to serve their community by donating needed items. By the end of this year, we hope to donate time of the chapter to a nursing home and do some kind of volunteer project. We are, at the moment, unsure of what that project is,

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Photography by Broc and Alexa Photography

​You’re in a lot of sports! Give us a favorite memory or accomplishment from one.
My favorite memory and accomplishment from cheer wrap into one! It is being the only junior on our varsity basketball cheer squad last year. I loved this opportunity and it made me grow as a person. Being the only junior was kind of lonely because I was outside of my comfort zone and away from my friends. However, I was able to make new friends with the seniors on the team. I was also able to get the experience of Varsity Basketball Games last year, which I am very thankful for because this year is so different.

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Photography by Broc and Alexa Photography

​How did you get into acting and what have been some of your favorite roles/plays?
My family has always been into musicals and theatre. I saw Wicked in Columbus Ohio when I was about ten and fell in love with it. I auditioned and participated in all my middle school productions and continued this into high school. Some of my favorite roles have been Belle in Beauty in The Beast and Beth in Little Women. Both are strong female figures that show their strength. The cast of Little Women, also turned into a family during the fall of 2019. My character Beth, taught me that even the smallest of people, roles, and personalities can make a big and strong impact,


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Photography by Broc and Alexa Photography
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What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I have some anxiety but I always try to wake up in the morning with a smile on my face and make the day amazing and bright for others. I always want to be a light in people’s days.

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
Animal Cruelty. I think animals should not be tested on for medical or cosmetic products. I do not buy any products by brands that are tested on animals.

Look for Emma in issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
click here for more information on issue 43
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Becca Atkinson

2/18/2021

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Becca Atkinson - Ohio
Nomination and Photography by
​Snapped Candy Photography and CinCity Dance Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​The Nomination: Becca is a hard worker and pushes herself and team mates to always do better. She is kind and friends with everyone. She goes out of her way to make others feel welcome. She has a huge heart and sees world through rose colored glasses or the glass half full kind of mind set.
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Photography by ​Snapped Candy Photography and CinCity Dance Photography

​What do you love about dance?
Some things I love about dance is how it makes me a better person as I learn to become a better leader, a better teammate and more disciplined. I love how I have met so many great friends through dance and that it has brought me so much closer to everyone in the dance community as we are all truly family. I love all the intense moments when we are on the stage either dancing together or alone and even just waiting to see how we placed. Even though critiques are hard to take at times, they help me become a better dancer. Even when we get yelled at in practice, I love how myself and my teammates can still find something funny to laugh at. Having Improv time either at my studio in front of my peers or in my basement all alone is one of my favorite times to dance. I can just let the sounds of the music move my body through the song, which allows me to express how I am feeling at that moment. My favorite thing about dance is that it makes me feel calm and safe in my own space with just me and my thoughts.

What do you study and who would you recommend that kind of dance for?
I study various types of dance, including Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Fosse. I would recommend Fosse for someone who is interested in a lot of different specific movements, and someone who is ready to work very hard in this type of dance as it is one of the hardest I have learned so far. For Jazz I would recommend it to someone who is into doing energetic, upbeat and sassy pieces. For example the song ̈Play That Sax ̈ is a great song for Jazz choreography because it is upbeat and fun. For Tap I would suggest a person who likes to make sound with their feet, since the taps on your feet are choreographed to be complementary to the music. Contemporary is my personal favorite. For this style of dance it is important that the person is able to tell a story through the way they move. Also showing a lot of emotion on your face and with your movements is very important for Contemporary pieces. It shows your connection to the music. Ballet is perfect for someone to show their technique, flexibility and skills. I would suggest Hip Hop to someone who likes to move and groove, let go and have an overall very fun time. Last but certainly not least is Ballet. Ballet is my least favorite style of dance, but the most important for a person, like me, wanting to dance professionally to try and master. This is because Ballet is the basis of all styles of dance.


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Photography by ​Snapped Candy Photography and CinCity Dance Photography

​Tell us a favorite memory from dance
My favorite memory from dance was the first time I got to go to Pageant. Every January Showcase America puts on a Showcase of Stars Pageant in Columbus, Ohio. Any soloist that competed in any one of their earlier competitions for that season is eligible to compete at the pageant. It is 2 days packed full of dancing and making memories! The competition is held in a fancy hotel that all our studio dancers stay in. The hotel is nice enough to allow us to decorate our room doors. All the dancers door decorations are based off the theme of their song. My song that year was ̈Let’s Hear It For The Boy ̈ my costume had a big red heart on the top. So my mom decorated my door with pink wrapping paper, a giant red glitter heart and a ton of pictures of me throughout the season that far. Looking back on it now, it was sort of cheesy, but I loved it then. On day one all dancers learned a big production number in a matter of a couple hours that was then performed at the beginning of the show. I remember lots of dancers being crammed together on the stage trying to be seen. What I would imagine a big audition would be like. I also got to wear my first pair of heels! They were only 1⁄2 inch, chunky heel, but hey, I was 8! I had to learn how to walk across the stage to model my pageant dress AND I had to walk with a boy! At the time I thought YUCK! I danced on the biggest stage in the biggest auditorium I have every danced on/in before. And if that did not make me nervous enough I was the very first girl to dance that year! I guess going first paid off because I made it through to the finale. I did not get a crown or sash that year, but I made memories that I will NEVER forget. The best part of that weekend was after everything was finished, we had one big party. Girls from all studios running around and in and out of each others rooms and making new and lasting friendships.

What is a favorite accomplishment in dance?
One of my favorite dance accomplishments happened this year when I made it onto one of my studios Senior teams, as just a 7th grader. Luckily our older dancers at the studio are such great role models and do not mind having us younger girls on their team. They try and do all they can to support us and push us to be better dancers. Another favorite accomplishment was during my time on our Mini team, we competed at a State competition and won Grand Champs. We were a very young team and beat out lots of other wonderful teams and even older teams. It was such a great feeling of accomplishment that we were all crying.

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Photography by ​Snapped Candy Photography and CinCity Dance Photography

​What do you love most about your dance photoshoots?
What I have loved most so far about my dance photoshoots is all the creative things I get to do. My photographer, Candy, really makes me feel comfortable and encourages us to do what makes us feel good. The photo may not always come out how we first planned, but we make adjustments and try again. I really enjoy all the different locations we have been able to go to. My favorite has been when we went to downtown Cincinnati. There are so many beautiful parts of the city and so many fun photos that can be captured. Another thing that makes my heart happy when doing photoshoots is the other dancers I have been able to meet and form friendships with. Mixing someone else’s creativity with mine has really captured some great images. Overall I just enjoy the fun and laughs that comes out of doing a photoshoot. So many bloopers!!

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why? (What do you feel passionate about or could talk forever about?)
The topic I would present about would be dance. I have been dancing for 11 years and have grown and learned so much. As I continue to grow in my craft I want to teach other girls and boys the things I have learned and help them strengthen their passion as well.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
One major inspiring thing about me that my nomination does not cover is my love for my family and my fur babies. I have a big family that includes 1 half sister, 2 half brothers and 1 step brother. I'm lucky enough to have 2 homes with 2 sets of loving parents, 2 dogs and 2 cats. I enjoy spending time at my Nana and Papa house the most! My Nana always has something good to eat and my Papa always has the cheesiest jokes. We enjoy playing various card games together and sometimes I even win! I have more support than most and for that I'm grateful.

Look for Becca in issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 43
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Skyla Floyd

2/5/2021

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Skyla Floyd – Ohio
Photography by Studio Z Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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The Nomination: I nominate Skyla because she is sweet, kindhearted, and passionate about the things she believes in. Skyla is a role model, an activist, a dancer, and a member of the National Honor Society of AHS.
Skyla has a passion for dance but also a heart for humanitarian needs. Skyla, along with five friends, co-founded a human rights organization called The Change We Seek.
What makes Skyla inspiring is her undeniable quest for betterment. She works hard to be a better person, a better dancer, a problem solver, and one who seeks to work and understand, not only herself, but others.
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Photography by Studio Z Photography
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​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would love to talk about why leadership is important to me!

Why is leadership important to you?
Leadership is important because, when done correctly and genuinely, it can be the ignition for great change and betterment. The world has so much potential, but many people are stuck in their ways and lack an active drive to do better, or they’re eager to excel as a person, but don’t know where to start. Leaders are essential in motivating this growth and without them great potential may be wasted.

What strong leadership skills do you use most?
Someone once said, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders”. I strive to inspire, not to instruct. I would say this is my strongest skill because many “leaders” try to command their agenda on others instead of creating an authentic interest in personal growth. Good leaders will create a cycle of other good leaders and I think that this outlook is my greatest skill.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
My nomination briefly covered the activism group called The Change We Seek, which my friends and I created this summer, to acknowledge important topics that we felt were being disregarded in our community. We hosted a rally against police brutality, fundraisers for many organizations, and met with our city's officers and state representatives to talk about bettering our community, school systems, and society.

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Photography by parent

Tell us more about meeting with your city officers and state reps. Who set that up, who all went, and what topics did you discuss? What was the outcome?
This past summer The Change We Seek decided that our predominantly white, suburban city was too sheltered from the adversity that people of color in our nation face on a daily basis. We set out many goals from acknowledging injustices in society to the school curriculum. The Avon police helped navigate us towards our state representatives and we discussed how the school curriculum is set, budgeting for ecological resources, and much more. Since then, I’ve had many people say they too feel ready to speak up against inequality, furthering the push in progression and new leadership.

Do you have plans to go into politics and if so what specifically?
I don’t have plans to go into politics (at the moment)! I find that almost everything is political in the slightest and that acknowledgments in my own biases and beliefs -- bettering the way I think -- is truly most fulfilling!

What change/s do you hope most to see in the world in 2021?
I really hope to see people recognize that their personal experiences aren’t the only experiences that matter and that they don’t speak for all communities. I think that most people have great ignorance of human nature, but I wish that people would go the extra mile to correct, educate, and do better for the benefit of all.

Look for Skyla in issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 43
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Holly Pearcy

1/21/2021

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Holly Pearcy – Ohio
Photography by Cole Shawala
Issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Holly Pearcy is inspiring because she is a full-time working call center representative who also is a marketing student at SNHU. On top of that she is America’s Most Beautiful Miss Ohio going to nationals in July. Through pageants Holly created her platform Holly’s Help Line that educates on mental health and mental illness through her own story. She battled through ulcerative colitis and SIBO learning how to balance school and her mental health. This drove her passion to help others with visible and invisible illnesses.
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Photography by Cole Shawala

​Tell us about Holly's Help Line. What inspired you and how did you get it started? Who does it serve and what do you hope for it's future?
Holly’s Help Line is a platform I started during my pageant journey. It is a platform that educates on mental health and mental illnesses as well as incorporates my story into it. What inspired me to get it started was realizing how much my mental health played into me healing through my illnesses as well as going through many hospital treatments. I also realized that a lot of other people that were dealing with illnesses or disabilities felt this way too. this platform serves everyone because mental health is something that everyone has and mental illness is something that the majority of people have. Everyone can learn better coping mechanisms to get through daily life or hard times. I hope that in the future I can travel to more schools and educate people on this topic.


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Photography by Cole Shawala

​Share with us your journey to America's Most Beautiful Miss Ohio. What has it been like on the road to that title, and what's next for you?
My journey to America’s most beautiful miss Ohio is unconventional. This is a new pageant and I actually was appointed the title. I will be going to nationals in July. Through this pageant I can speak my mind on my platform as well as get other women involved in it. I am grateful that we have social media that I can share my journey on. Through this pageant I am really trying to do as much community service as possible. It sometimes is harder with the circumstances we are living in right now, but I try to do a lot of virtual events as well.

What is your story?
My story is that my freshman year of high school I developed ulcers and it ended up taking eight months to diagnose. Then, again my junior year of high school I was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This also took around nine months to diagnose. I missed around 60 days of school in total yet maintained a 4.0 gpa. Both are invisible illnesses so no one could see how much pain I was in. This made me struggle with mental illnesses a ton. I was in so much physical pain, but nobody could see it, and everyone expected me to be the “happy Holly'' they were used to. This is what inspired me to start my platform. This helped me a great amount. I was able to seek counseling and improve my mental health. While also helping others.


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Photography by Cole Shawala
What advice would you give to someone who is seeking a counselor?
The advice I would give to anyone seeking a counselor would be to be open minded. I use the three-time rule, if you meet with a counselor three times and you don’t feel like you connect with them then try a new one. A lot of people end up giving up on counseling because they don’t connect with their first counselor. Sometimes it takes many tries but when you find a great connection it can help you so much. I feel like everyone can benefit from talking to someone that has no relation to them and can help work through difficult situations. It’s a great outlet for anybody.

Look for Holly in issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
Click here for more information on issue 42
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Faith Morlan

1/20/2021

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Faith Morlan – Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Faith Morlan is one of the most incredible people that I've had the pleasure of knowing. Whether she's painting, playing the clarinet, studying medical terminology, or performing in her high school flag line, show throws herself into everything she does with an infectious passion that you can't help but feel. I have been blessed to be able to see her blossom and grow as an artist, scholar, and human being. We could all use a little more Faith. The world is a better place just by having her in it.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What are you most passionate about and why?
I am most passionate about flagline/colorgaurd. I have done it since I was in 8th grade and I have had such a strong love for it ever since. Getting out on the field in front of a roaring crowd and my family and peers makes me feel alive and so happy. When I perform, I give it my all. Practicing was never a chore to me, it was a way to break free and do something I feel so confident and passionate about.

Tell us about your artistic side.
I mostly like to draw or paint. When it comes to my drawings, there is really no limit to what I can do. I like to challenge myself and test my limits. If I were to sit here and pick one favorite, I would be here all day. Some of my artwork has ended up at craft/art shows, and I feel very proud of myself for accomplishing that.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​How long have you been playing the clarinet and why do you love it?
I have been playing for about 8 years now. I love it because it was the first instrument I picked up and learned to play. I love the intricacy of it and the music I am able to produce.

You mentioned you have a will to do more in your acceptance answers. Tell us about that.
I am always pushing myself to do more and with that I am able to get more experience in everyday life things. I like to see how far I can go.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​Why did you choose the medical field and what is a hot topic for you right now?
The medical field is something that has always interested me, and after taking a few medical-like classes, I just fell so deeply in love with it. I like knowing and understanding more about the human body and most of all I want to be able to give back to the world and help as much as I am able to.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

Who do you find inspiring?
To me, I find Billie Eilish inspiring. Her music speaks to me and I feel great whenever I listen to it. However, it isn't just that. She doesn't care what the world thinks of her, she carries herself with such confidence, and when in an interview, she does speak to please the audience, she speaks from what she thinks and knows. I find her inspiring and she has become an idol to me.

Look for Faith in issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
Click here for more information on issue 42
Click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Kennedy Beckley

1/8/2021

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Kennedy Beckley – Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography by Brindley Photo
Issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

​The Nomination: Kennedy Beckley is an amazing role model. She will graduate with honors, is enrolled in college courses and very active in school. Her accolades include class Vice President, member of National Honor Society, Student Council, Leo Club, Leadership Council, Future Teachers of America, four-year varsity cheerleader and team captain. She is also a traveling competitive cheerleader as a member of the North East Ohio All Stars. She volunteers as a handler of the school facility dog and the school pep club. She plans to continue her education and hopes to be a member of a university cheer squad.
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Photography by Brindley Photo

​What would you like to be interviewed about?
A topic I could be interviewed about would include my help with the facility dog at my school. Our facility dog is not a service dog because she helps with stress, depression and anxiety with students and staff at our schools.

Please tell us more about your facility dog.
Audrey is a golden retriever born in Australia. This is my second year helping with her and our very first dog Mustang. Audrey’s handlers are all students picked and nominated by our teachers to ensure Audrey gets the best care that she deserves. Audrey as I have already mentioned is not a service dog, she is a part of our staff and helps students and faculty with stress, anxiety, depression and when you need a little love. Our facility dogs were both trained out of state and now students like me learn the commands that were taught to help the students at my school with our facility dog, Audrey.

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Photography by Brindley Photo

​What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I am also involved in C.A.S.T. (Caring And Serving Together) with my high school. This is a community service-based club. We have made blankets and collected necessities for the homeless along with many other community service activities within our school district.

How did you get involved with C.A.S.T? Why is this organization important to your heart?
C.A.S.T. was a new program that started my sophomore year. This club was brought by our new principal from her previous school. I heard about it after I was nominated by the teachers to be one of the first students in the group. Which was so cool to be a part of one of our first true volunteer programs. Now the teachers hand pick a group of kids every year which is truly an honor at my school. C.A.S.T. has a few other locations other than my school which has helped us meet new people and see what great accomplishments they are making in their schools and community.

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Photography by Brindley Photo

​If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
I would love to talk about my passion for cheerleading. During this topic I would talk about the leadership, mental toughness, and physical strength it takes to be a cheerleader.

Share with us your cheerleading journey, including how all you mentioned above comes into play as you have gotten older.
I haven’t cheered my entire life. I started out dancing for a small dance studio from ages 3-13. While there I started cheering at my first cheer gym from ages 10-15. I have also cheered for my school since 7th grade, made Varsity my freshmen year and have been a co-captain of my team for the past 2 years. While also being a high school cheerleader I attend NEO Allstars for my 2nd season as a competitive cheerleader here. Growing up I always had the love for cheer and dance. It’s all I ever still want to do even when my days get hard, I know I have a team that counts on me and needs me to be my best. When other people don’t feel as if they are the best they can be as a leader and captain on the team I will step up and be your friend. I will be your biggest supporter, craziest fan, the person that pushes you to the limits and makes sure you give it all you got. I do this because everything about cheerleading is worth it, if you put the work in and nothing makes me more proud then knowing my teams and the teams I help are proud of themselves and that I have encouraged them in any way to make them proud.

What is a favorite memory from cheer?
Getting 4th at STATE in 2019.

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Photography by Brindley Photo
You have a lot of leadership opportunities under your belt. Which one is most important to you and why?
I have already mentioned about cheer but my most important and favorite leadership position is being a captain on my team. It’s not an easy job unless you make it easy. Leadership is exactly what a team needs. It never needs to be the whole team but a person who can make the whole team feel as if they were one. I have been a part of my high school varsity cheer team for 4 years now, with ups and downs but I couldn’t see it any other way. Having this leadership position has now led me to wanting to further my time in sports and after high school with a major or minor in sports management then later on continue my time with cheerleading by opening or coaching at a cheer gym.

I was nominated as Prom princess my Junior year in 2020. While also being crowned Homecoming queen my senior year in 2020.

Look for Kennedy in issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
click here for more information on issue 42
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Allison Stroll

1/6/2021

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Allison Stroll – Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination by Amber Sedlacko
Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Allison Stroll has been so inspiring over the past years by showing her pure heart in many ways. Allison has been a cheerleader since the 1st grade & has used this to encourage young people to participate in activities and become leaders in all areas of life by coaching youth cheerleaders at the elementary level. She has lived with a heart condition since birth, however, has never let it define her or limit her opportunities! Allison has used her condition to seek out alternative ways to be involved in activities and show others that she will not be held back. Her dream is to help others by becoming a labor and delivery nurse.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I am a varsity cheerleading captain, this position was awarded to me by my coach based on leadership and work ethic. I am also a youth cheerleading coach. This involves teaching younger girls the basics of cheerleading and how to become more confident as they progress.

I have been on student council all four years of high school. Being a member has helped me get involved with activities in and around school. Student counsel has allowed me to help plan dances, work blood drives and assemblies.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What is one of your favorite memories from cheer?
My sophomore year I had the opportunity to cheer on varsity alongside my older sister, Jada. Jada was an inspiring role model to me and the entire team. She was a wonderful cheerleader and leader. Getting to cheer with my sister for a year was something I will cherish and preserve. For as long as I can remember Jada has been my best friend. I am forever grateful we were given the opportunity to share something we both enjoy.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​How has covid affected your cheer season?
Covid has affected my cheer season because only a limited number of girls on the team were allowed to practice at one time. This was heartbreaking, being my senior year, it was times such as practice and games that would be the most bonding for our team. Our fundraisers and team bonding activities were cancelled, making it a struggle to connect with the incoming girls and underclassmen. During football season we were not allowed to attend away games meaning cheer season was cut in half. As basketball season started- our team could not properly social distance on the court, causing us to split the team in half and have four on each end of the gym, making us feel more divided. Every week we are unsure of what may happen, making this a challenging season.

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios
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If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
I would discuss the effects of online bullying. I experienced the effects over summer into the start of the school year. Some effects include being unmotivated, loss of appetite, lack of communication, sleeping more or less. People tend to be more apt to bully online because they aren't saying it directly to you. Bullies aren't scared to say or do certain things online. Once they are in front of you everything changes, they become nervous and terrified. Don't engage in what is happening, their entire goal is to make you upset and hurt your feelings. It is better not to retaliate. Once they know you will not engage, the situation will settle down. I do my best to raise awareness, it really takes a toll on a person mentally and their self-confidence. It is important, at all ages, that bullying is prevented.

Look for Allison in issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
click here for more information on issue 42
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Liam Brown

1/5/2021

1 Comment

 
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​Liam Brown – Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination by Zac Brown
Photography by Hummingbird Photography
Issue 42 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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The Nomination: Liam Brown inspires me all the time, from his insane weight loss of 90 pounds to his humor that is unmatched. Liam never fails to put a smile on my face, it’s a ray of sunshine everywhere he goes.

Over the past 11 months I’ve been able to drop 90 pounds with help from my parents who never broke hope in me and stood by me the whole journey, and from my baseball coach Dennis Woods who motivated me and drove me to be the best man I can be. I learned from my idol David Goggins “we all have the ability to come from nothing to something.” 

What I learned from bullies and people who want to bring you down is that they are jealous, and they can see that you have potential to be something great one day. I can say that I would like to thank the people who made fun of me and doubted me, because that is what prompted me to do what I did. It wasn’t easy and man it wasn’t fun. 

I became a competitive bass fisherman because I love the outdoors, and the last memories I have with my grandpa. I can always remember us fishing and just his laugh and smile when he would catch fish after fish, and we would catch absolutely nothing. 

I see myself in 5 years in a career path of forestry or criminal justice. 

The advice I can give someone who wants to be where I'm at is “ Never give up, you might not get the results you want in a month or two, but don't stop grinding. Gods got a plan for everyone. Lastly is that we are all different and unique in our own ways so embrace your uniqueness, nobody’s the same.”
click here for more information on issue 42
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Morgan Bowen

12/19/2020

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Morgan Bowen – Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination & Photography by
Jennifer Grace Studios
Issue 41 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

​The Nomination: Morgan Bowen is a hardworking involved leader within her community. Participating four years within student council and art club. This enthusiastic, talented varsity cheerleader is known for her school spirit. As a dedicated working team member within her seven years playing lacrosse, Morgan understands teamwork. With excellent communication and behavior skills she hostesses at Kennsington Bar and Grille year around. With her busy schedule she maintained a 3.467 gpa and uses her select female ensemble as an outlet for her expressive personality. Modeling allowed Morgan's confidence to shine through, and many others see that within this bright young woman.
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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​You have a lot on your plate - what keeps you so driven to try so many different activities while holding a super high GPA & holding down a job?
What keeps me so driven and motivated is my parents. I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in a household that’s extremely hardworking and supportive. Knowing how badly they want me to succeed makes me work twice as hard. I’m confident that continuing to multitask and deal with stressful situations, I will be better prepared for the real world. Hopefully, I can meet their standards and continue to make them proud of me! My entire family has accomplished so much in life, I hope to join them very soon.

What roles and responsibilities did you have with the student council and what was a favorite activity within your leadership role & why?
In student council I was an active member. As a class I got to vote for school executive decisions, have a say, and overall help my school! My favorite activity was participating in the yearly blood drive. I had the opportunity to stand alongside students donating and making sure they were okay. I love taking care of people, being able to do that hands on was an amazing experience. I look forward to it every year! This yeah with the COVID-19 virus ongoing I’m not sure if I will be able to have the opportunity to participate. It breaks my heart but hopefully I’ll be able to help out!

With your activities, you have a lot of teams to contribute to. What would you say are your characteristics of a team player? What do you bring to the table?
As a member of both the cheerleading and lacrosse team I do have a lot of responsibility on my hands. For example, this year for cheerleading I was in charge of leading stretches and organizing cheerleaders and basketball players for Canfield vs Poland night. Poland is our rival team and this year we will be hosting our senior night during the halftime of that game. Pairing up jv and varsity cheerleaders alongside all the basketball players was a harder task! However, they knew I could do it! For lacrosse I’ve been told I’m one of the loudest and proudest on the team. I’m in charge of leading stretches before games and at practice! I get along with all my teammates and always have words of encouragement! I like to support my team to the best of my ability! I love all my teammates and fellow cheerleaders I am very proud of all of our accomplishments we’ve made together!

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

​What is select female ensemble and how do you use it as an outlet for your personality?
Personally I use music as an outlet for my feelings. As a child suffering with anxiety, I struggled to talk about how I truly felt. Alongside writing I would sing songs that would relate to me. It made me feel together again. Singing in a female ensemble has only strengthened me and encouraged me to be myself. There’s a meaning behind every lyric, some people don’t always catch it. Every song has a meaning and it’s beautiful. I’m very blessed to have found singing and have had an amazing grandmother to be my number one fan. Sometimes people can’t understand what you feel, so why not sing it instead.

What do you love most about modeling at Jennifer Grace Studios?
I love having someone as caring, fun and talented as Jenny to keep me on an amazing team. Modeling with Jenny has boosted my confidence tremendously! Without her I’m not sure where I would be today! Jenny has opened so many doors of opportunity to me and for that I am grateful. The overall experience of meeting new people and creating friends along the way is amazing! I’ve built so many strong friendships and have even got to travel a little bit along the way! Jenny is not just any photographer. She is like a second mom to me. I’ve struggled a lot with image and personal issues that she has been able to help me with. She’s always just a text or phone call away. Modeling with Jenny’s team is not just fun, it’s family!

What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I’ve ever accomplished occurred in 2019. There was a time where my sisters lungs collapsed, and she was almost taken away from me. During that time, I grew the strength and responsibilities of an adult. My parents were stuck with her for weeks in the hospital. I was left with school and my younger brother. Getting through all of that during the thanksgiving holiday was extremely rough. But at the end of the day, I kept my head high and overcame the worst. Luckily, everyone is in good health as of now!

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Photography by Jennifer Grace Studios

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
I waited a long time to be myself. I regret that decision deeply now! It took me ten years of trying to fit in to school to realize it was not working. If you just stay true to who you are you would not believe the doors that will open for you! Stay confident, keep a smile on your face, and don’t change for anyone but yourself!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
In five years I hope to be working on my masters in college after already receiving my bachelors from YSU! I would love to have a job where I can travel the world! There are so many places to see and things to do! Hopefully, I will find an amazing job within the travel industry. Who knows I might just be the next big travel writer or travel photographer! I do plan on moving around a lot! Wherever the road takes me is where I belong.

3 Things on your bucket list
Get married in my 20’s & have a baby boy!
Spend one New Year’s Eve in Paris
Go on vacation to Africa with my sister!

Who do you find inspiring?
I find my mother incredibly inspiring! Throughout the years I’ve noticed that I’m becoming her! That sounds a little crazy I know, but we all have a little bit of someone in us! Her personality and confidence had help shaped and molded me into who I am today! I love her with all my heart and am so happy to have her in my life!

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I’ve been told by a few that my confidence and compassionate personality is amazing. Many have said that just having me talk to them and listen has helped them tremendously. I will always take care of people whether they take care of me! I know what it’s like to go through rough patches in life, so being able to help others in points of hopelessness means the world to me.

Look for Morgan in issue 41 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
click here for more information on issue 41
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Ayden King

12/17/2020

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Ayden King – Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography
​by MacSnaps Photography
Issue 41 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

​The Nomination: Ayden King will be graduating this coming May and has over 32 hours in College Credit Plus from both Ohio University and the University of Akron. He spends much of his free time tutoring students of all ages. He is on the TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Math & Science) Competition Team, and in the Interact (Rotary sponsored) Club. He loves to Snowboard, work with coding and computer programing, and is currently a 4th degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. He has received various awards and honors during his high school career. He has a very bright future ahead of him.
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​Tell us about Taekwondo:
I began Taekwondo around a month before I turned four years old was a way to help with my ADHD. I ended up enjoying it a lot and have stuck with it for almost 14 years now. I used to compete and even took third at nationals in Los Angeles before moving out of the competitive circuit. I've always just enjoyed what Taekwondo has brought to my life and constantly try to live by its tenets. This past summer, I tested for and received my fourth-degree black belt. In continuing my own Taekwondo journey, I have also volunteered and assist with teaching classes to help younger students as a mentor.
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​How did you become a programmer?
I began coding during my eighth-grade year after reading an article about a program called AlphaGo from Google. If anyone recognizes the name, AlphaGo was a program that taught itself to play the Chinese game of Go. This was impressive because of the countless numbers of potential game states in Go and because most strategies relied more on intuition than logic. Thus, in learning to play the game Go, AlphaGo had, in some form, captured the magic of human intuition. And, honestly, I couldn't grapple with not being able to understand how Google's team had done it. Thus, I began learning several different coding languages before eventually settling on Python.
I then spent my ninth grade year learning about and coding in Python. I think that the first program I wrote from scratch was a text-based Roshambo partner who would begin beating players who played the same hand each time. In other words, if a player continued playing rock, it would eventually start playing paper.
At the end of my freshman year, I switched to learning about calculus. It might seem a little cocky, but derivatives and integrals seemed easy in comparison to the math I was preparing for, the math of neural networks. Neural networks require a form of calculus called Matrix Calculus. Matrix Calculus is a specialized notation of multivariate calculus for matrices. To vastly oversimplify, it is made to collect all of the partial derivatives of a function with many different variables simultaneously. Standard multivariate calculus typically only deals with two to three different variables at a time and calculates the partial derivatives in succession. Standard calculus just takes the derivative of a single variable. Hopefully, that explains why regular calculus didn't seem particularly difficult in my mind.
It took me around three weeks to get through Calculus and Multivariate Calculus, but it took me around seven months to figure out Matrix Calculus. Even then, I was never as strong at it. The problem is that I couldn't find any material online explaining it, and even my Calc 1 professor felt that he didn't have enough experience with this specialized notation of calculus when I came to him for help. Thus, I was forced to just look up the code of other people's neural networks and reverse engineer how they'd taken the gradients. It wasn't a particularly pleasant process, but, eventually, I figured it out.
A few weeks after I figured out how to do matrix calculus, I discovered software like TensorFlow and Keras. In other words, I hadn't really needed to do all that work because there was software that would have done it for me. Still, it definitely boosted my mathematical ability by a lot. Even so, I began using Keras daily because it allowed me to experiment with architectures and different layer types on a whim.
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What pivotal figures shaped you into who you are today?
Two pivotal figures shaped me into who I am today. Since their stories overlap, I’ll narrate each separately, to avoid entanglement.
The first one is my mother. Mom is permanently disabled from several autoimmune/genetic disorders. Before becoming disabled, she worked in a cath-lab, leading to my knowledge of medical terminology. Humorously, in preschool, my self-portrait drew chuckles from privy teachers. I spared no details: Lungs, Kidneys, Ribs, and more. Evidently, my drawing was unique amongst the sea of my friends' stickmen. Mom underwent surgery after surgery, year after year, for "King"-sized hospital stays, saddling her with a plethora of medical bills. Having worked for the state, she was ineligible for Medicaid. I worried about her immensely, I’d regularly forget to eat lunch at school. Asleep one night, both hips dislocated simultaneously. I'd known she’d been in pain but not how quickly her body was deteriorating. After swiveling her legs to the ground, I helped her to her car, Mom refusing to admit that she needed help. The degeneration was extensive: she needed bilateral hip replacements. That’s one story among many. Despite obstacles, she ran the PTA! As you’ve probably guessed, I’ll always admire Mom's perseverance and indomitable spirit.
Speaking of, the second one is my grandpa. PapPap was my father figure, role-model, and best friend from a young age. A former coal miner, he later shifted to a construction manager/engineer position for another company, despite no formal degree. He always made spending time with me a priority. This required unrivaled patience, given my ADHD tangents; luckily, he had the longest fuse of anyone. He fueled my interest in engineering and aptitude for tinkering. He taught me about circuitry, using mechanical tools, and running construction equipment. Tragically, five days before my twelfth birthday, PapPap was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic cancer. Losing him was always inevitable, but I couldn't fathom fate being so cruel amid Mom's health. I’ll never forget hearing his incoherent whimpers on the ER phone. He fought courageously for two years, but that day was the day he lost the war and I lost my hero. He’ll always have a place in my heart, but I've learned to treasure those memories, not mourn the ones I never made. I'll always remember his aphorisms and one-liners, and I'll always admire his patience and insatiable appetite for knowledge.
Both pillars of my history influenced me in different ways: Mom showed me to get up, no matter how hard the fall. She also sparked my interest in the medical field and a desire to help others. PapPap showed me the value of patience and curiosity. He also stirred my interests in engineering and data science. With the addition of my self-taught coding prowess, Mom and PapPap's influences later merged into my love for biomedical data science.
 
Look for Ayden in issue 41 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
Click here for more information on issue 41
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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Josie Burke

12/8/2020

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​Josie Burke - Ohio
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography by MoniKeri Imaging
Issue 41 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
​

​The Nomination: In addition to taking animals to our local fairs, Josie Burke is very active in her 4H group and her FFA program at school. She has been elected to the 2020-2021 Ohio Teen Leadership Council, the 2021 National 4H Leadership Conference, 2020-2021 Ohio Teen Leadership Regional Representative, 2019 State Certified Shotgun Junior Leader (working toward her 2021 State Certified Pistol Junior Leader), 2020 FFA Advanced Parliamentary Procedure Team. She will also begin college courses when winter quarter begins 2021. Josie is also competing on her high school golf and softball teams and cheers. She has a face full of sunshine each and every time I see her. She's a lovely girl.
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Photography by MoniKeri Imaging

​What would you most like to be interviewed about?
The things that I would most like to be interviewed about is the changes I am able to make in younger kids lives.

Please tell us more about all your Leadership Opportunities.
The leadership opportunities I have include being part of local 4-H clubs as well as being on the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council.

What do you think is important in a leader?
The most important quality a leader should have is being confident in his/her work. The leader needs to be confident in everything aspect they do.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
The inspiring things that aren't covered are that during my study halls as a freshman and throughout my middle school career I am a volunteer teachers aide for special needs children and in a regular classroom.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
In 5 years I am hoping to be working on my career at The Ohio State University or Texas Tech to become a veterinarian neurologist.

Look for Josie in Issue 41 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
Click here for more information on issue 41
click here to nominate an inspiring teen
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