Inspiring Teens Magazine Features

Lauren West

5/19/2021

Lauren West - Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cindy B. Thymius Photography
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Nomination: Lauren West is an inspiring teen in Collierville, TN. She had thyroid cancer and surgery at St. Jude in 2018. Lauren didn't let cancer, medication, or life's ups and downs defeat her! She plays soccer, attends school, and loves hanging out with her friends.

Photography by Cindy B. Thymius Photography

What would you most like to be interviewed about?
I would love to be able to share my story about my thyroid cancer and all the details that go into it! Everything that I have been through has shaped me into the person that I am today.

What should we know about your thyroid cancer?
I think it is important to know that it was completely unexpected. As a teenager, it is considered rare, so I was on different medicines and different doses. It is considered the “easy cancer” but it definitely has not been easy.

Where are you at with it today?
I am doing amazing now considering how I was then. I have built up a lot of strength and am only visiting St. Jude yearly now.

Tell us about your soccer career.
I started playing soccer at about age 6 and instantly fell in love with it. I went through a major setback with my cancer but have not given up yet. I am a center midfielder and I love how competitive the game gets.

What would you say was the hardest thing about being a teen and living through a pandemic that lasted as long as Covid-19 has?
Personally, my biggest struggle with Covid-19 is keeping up with my academics. This has been a weird year for both teachers and students.

Look for Lauren 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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Maddie Parchman

3/3/2021

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Maddie Parchman - Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cricket’s Photography
Issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Maddie Parchman says that her true definition of beauty is someone that is beautiful inside and out! She thinks the way you treat others and your personality toward others can be beautiful and show true beauty.
Cheerleading is Maddie's passion. She participated in competitive cheerleading for many years, beginning at a very young age. She cheered for her Middle School for two years and her High School for one. She decided to quit cheering and follow her dream of coaching. She is now a coach for Jr. Pro Cheer and loves it. She is the youngest coach to ever be in her hometown’s Jr. Pro program and has been in it for 3 years. Maddie is also heavily involved in DECA at her school and will be competing at DECA State this March.
Maddie is truly beautiful, inside and out!

Photography by Cricket’s Photography

Which leadership role do you spend the most time in, and what do you love most about it?
I am the social media marketing director at my school. I am in social media advertising, and I help create graphics for sports.

What about leadership is most important to you?
Using leadership the correct way is important to me. I believe helping others rather than taking control is important.

Photography by Cricket’s Photography

Tell us about your cheer coaching. How did you get started and what do you hope to achieve this year with your team?
I began coaching when I was 14 years old. My brother plays football for the team that I coach, so I loved being able to cheer him on along with my cheerleaders from the sidelines. I am hoping to help my team grow and reach a larger crowd.

What is DECA and what will you be competing in this month? Tell us more about both.
DECA is a marketing club. I am competing in hospitality and lodging which is a role-play competition where you provide help and marketing strategies to businesses.

Photography by Cricket’s Photography

You told us you set goals for yourself every day. What is your system for this so that others might learn from it as well.
Every week I love to evaluate what I have going on. Doing this allows me to set time aside for myself to do things such as self-care, exercising, and hang out with friends. Making more time for myself was one of my goals this year.

What is the hardest goal you set for yourself and achieved?
Taking and completing Dual Enrollment classes was one of the hardest things I have accomplished. I will be graduating high school with 6 college classes completed.

Look for Maddie 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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Lily Catherine Bury

2/18/2021

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Lily Catherine Bury – Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Lily Catherine Bury lives in Nashville, TN. As the oldest of three, she often finds herself called on to help with her younger siblings. At school, Lily Catherine loves her science classes and spending time with her friends. She loves spending time with people who she says she can be 100% herself around. Lily Catherine is a passionate and gifted dancer who spends many hours in the evenings and weekends in the studio working on her technique and learning new choreography. She loves spending time at the dance studio both with dancers her own age as well as loving on and mentoring younger dancers in the same way that others once did for her.

Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography

How did you get started with dance and where are you with it now?
I started dancing at Ann Carroll School of Dance when I was just two years old. My mother grew up dancing there and wanted to put me into classes so that I could fall in love with dance as she did. My first classes were just ballet and tap until I joined the competition team. Since then, I have studied jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop, and pointe. In 2017, I auditioned for the pre-professional track at my studio and made it in. Since then, I have moved to the highest group in the company. I have traveled to Los Angeles to study at The Edge, with Debbie Allen, and at Disneyland. I have also performed at Walt Disney World, in four Christmas parades, and participate every spring in competitions and every summer in my studio recital.

What is a favorite memory and/or accomplishment from dance?
My favorite memory of my dance career, along with my best accomplishment, was when I danced in a Walt Disney World showcase and parade when I was 11 years old. I loved that I was able to experience what it is like to be a professional dancer. We had eight-hour rehearsals and learned choreography one day before performing it. I found it compelling to see what the life of a professional is like. This gave me the drive to pursue a professional dance career.

Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography

How has COVID-19 affected your dancing, how did you feel about it, and how have you stayed committed and optimistic to honing your craft?
At the beginning of the pandemic, we couldn’t have any dance classes at all, but that only lasted about a week. My dance teachers quickly figured out of they could teach us entirely on zoom, and my afternoons were quickly filled with classes again. We brought plywood in to tap on and rolled the rugs out the way for the rest of my classes.
The hardest part was when the pandemic forced my studio to cancel our big recital in June. It was supposed to be a big 50th-anniversary recital celebration at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. We still found a way to perform though, and we had an outdoor recital in September.

Tell us more about your volunteer work with the homeless. How did you get started and what specifically do you do? What are your goals for 2021 with it?
It has been hard to do much since the pandemic started, but I have worked with my church both through a program called Room in the Inn and by creating blessing bags for the homeless, which are filled with gift cards, snacks, hygiene products, and a bus pass. Volunteering with my church was my pathway to starting my work with the homeless.

Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography

What about social injustice do you want your peers to know and why are you so passionate about it?
I am very passionate about equal rights for all marginalized communities. I believe that we are called to love our neighbors meaning every neighbor no matter race, gender, nationality, socio-economic status, etc. I want my peers to know that, even if they do not believe this, that by loving our neighbors will bring a better sense of unity throughout our community and the world.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
I’ll be a senior in high school and preparing for college. I want to go to college to study both dance and follow a pre-med track.

What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
I love hanging out with my friends and getting to be completely myself.

Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
My hidden talent is being able to put my leg behind my head.

What are 3 Things on your bucket list?
Three things on my bucket list are Skydiving, find my distant relatives in Greece, and Dancing in New York.

Who do you find inspiring?
I find my mom and dad to be inspiring because my mom owns and runs her own photography business by herself and my dad has worked extremely hard to get where he is today.

Look for Lily Catherine 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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Addie Roberson

2/4/2021

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Addie Roberson – Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Amy Morgan Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Addie Roberson is an inspiring teen because she has a heart of gold. Everything she does is big. She loves big, competes big, and gives big. The past 5 years she has ran in the St Jude 5K race during the Memphis Marathon weekend. The past 4 years she has been a St Jude Hero. Race day was an unbelievable experience for Addie. She said “I will never not run in the race. I want to run for those that can’t run at this time.” To date she has fundraised over $8500. Every penny was donated to St Jude.

Photography by Amy Morgan Photography

Tell us about running for St. Judes. How did you get started, what do you do to prepare, and what is a favorite memory or accomplishments from your time spent with them?
While running XC in middle school, I had heard about the St. Jude race and decided that it would be a great experience for me to give back and help others while running. To prepare I just continue with the training I was doing during the season. My favorite memory is running through the hospital and seeing all of the children out there cheering. It shows all the hard work you put in through the years is worth it when you see children fighting for their life and I am just grateful to assist in any way I can.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I am a member of my competitive school cheer team, school cross country team, school softball team, travel softball team, and school track team. I maintain a 4.0 GPA. I am a member of Student Council, service club, math club, 9th grade class secretary and 10th grade Vice president.

Photography by Amy Morgan Photography

You're VERY active in sports! Which sport do you spend the most time training for/in and why? Tell us about it?
Being a part of 5 sports programs it comes with a lot of training; but I would say that I train for all of them equally. My schedule during the week is full of practices, games, and lessons. Weekdays I have school, cheer, softball, and running almost every day; and on weekends I have a 2 hour drive to travel ball practice. Even though practice time and training takes up ALL of my free time. It is all worth it when the time comes for me to show all the hard work I have put into all of my sports.

What type of leadership roles do you play within your various clubs and extracurriculars?
Being a part of multiple sports I want my teammates to look to me as a good leader that is willing to help out others when necessary. I want coaches to remember me as the student-athlete that was willing to give anything to help others. I want parents to be able to notice how much hard work and dedication I put into the sport not only for myself but to better my team. I feel like every day that I go into practice is an opportunity for me to become a better athlete at the sports that I love.

What does being in student council entail and what roles and responsibilities do you do?
As a student council member and class officer I feel that I can help out my school anyway I'm needed. I do understand that I'm only one student at a very large school, but I would like to show how one person that heart and dedication can contribute so greatly. As a leader our peers depend on us to help better our school. When I was voted sophomore vice president, I knew that it would be a lot of hard work, but I was willing to put heart and dedication into bettering our school for the student body and staff.

Photography by Amy Morgan Photography

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be on and why?
I could talk forever about leading by example. I am passionate about making the right choices even if it means you are standing out from the crowd.
I am very passionate about people doing the right thing and making the right decisions. It doesn’t matter if you have 3000 people watching or no one watching, doing what is right is much better than doing what is easy. Sometimes others make choices to fit in and it might have helped for a short-term solution but only created a long-term problem. I personally believe that everyone makes mistakes, and you have two choices: you can either fix the problem and do the right thing next time or you can continue going down the wrong path. I choose the first.

Give us an example of a difficult situation where you had to lead by example, and the outcome.
One day at lunch I noticed a student sitting alone. I had the decision to sit with my friends or I could do the right thing and sit with him. When I sat down, he was happy, and we talked about his Minecraft world game. I was so happy to make someone's day. Slowly some of my friends moved over there with us and kept coming over until my entire group was sitting at the new table. It was a great feeling for me, knowing that I started a small act of kindness by just simply doing the right thing.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
The advice I would give to someone who wants to be where I am is to set goals and never give up until you achieve those goals. I am a little bit of a hardheaded person so if i want something done I will get it done no matter what anyone says. My life motto is: “Anything is possible with Determination, Dedication, and Discipline”

Photography by Amy Morgan Photography

What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
One of my favorite things to do in my free time is TikTok. I absolutely love to be creative on this app. I think that I'm TikTok famous, but no one believes me but I can guarantee you that in a few months I will have millions of followers…. hopefully. I just enjoy making videos, some of them are funny, some of them just show how bad of a dancer I am but I really enjoy making TikToks all the time.

3 Things on your bucket list
Number one, I want to win a high school state cross country meet. I feel like if I keep training hard and keep improving, I will be able to reach that goal.
Number two, I would like to win a white jacket. now you may be asking yourself, “go to the store and get a white jacket”. But this is no ordinary jacket, this jacket is a reward for winning High School coed cheer Nationals. I have the opportunity along with my fellow teammates in April to receive one of these jackets and if we keep working hard those jackets are ours.
And finally, number three, I want to win a state championship with my school softball team.

Look for Addie 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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Amya McClora

11/20/2020

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Amya McClora – Tennessee
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography by
Kelly Rae Photography
Issue 40 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

The Nomination: Amya is so inspiring to me because as I have gotten to know her on my modeling team, she is the absolute sweetest and always encouraging others!!

Photography by Kelly Rae Photography

What are you doing with your life now?
Currently in the mist of Covid-19 like many others I’m just trying to keep a positive mind. I’ve been focusing on school which has been a very different obstacle this year because it is online. I’ve been working on my modeling career, by looking for new opportunities. Also I’ve been doing my most favorite thing and that is spending more time with my family, even with all of this going on we still find a way to have a great time.

We love how you see the good in a situation. What good have you seen in 2020 and what ways can others see the hood in their own personal 2020s?
It may be a little hard for some to look and find the good in 2020 but if you just stop for a second I’m sure you can find some. A few positive things that have happened to me in 2020 are I spent more time with my family, I’ve been working on my modeling career and I’ve met new people as well as learn new things. If you want to look at the good that has happened to you look at the positive things you did, the hobbies that you have picked up, just anything good that might have not happen if it weren’t for 2020.

Photography by Kelly Rae Photography

What suggestions would you give to your peers to feel more confident in times when they aren’t feeling that all the way?
Self-confidence is a big thing all over the world, and to me I think it’s something everyone should have. A few ways on how to do this is being happy with yourself and who you are. If you were happy with yourself that is the ultimate factor, and no one can take that away from you. Don’t listen to others opinions because in this case yours is the only one that matters. One more suggestion for people to feel more confident is to go look in the mirror every day and just speak positivity into it.

What do you think is the biggest struggle for teens your age, and what suggestions would you give to help them overcome the obstacle?
I think the biggest problem for teens my age is self-acceptance. I feel as if you shouldn’t have to change yourself for anyone. To overcome this obstacle, I would say don’t be a follower and think for yourself. Surround yourself with authentic people who love you for you and most importantly love who you are.

Photography by Kelly Rae Photography

What do you love about Kelly Rae’s modeling team and why would you encourage others to apply?
There are so many things I love about Kelly Rae‘s modeling team. One of those things are how loving the whole team is. Everyone is so sweet and uplifting. All the photoshoots are so fun we always leave laughing and planning our next event. I would encourage any teen to apply for Kelly Rae‘s modeling team because you will meet new friends, visit many places, get so many new opportunities and have many amazing pictures and memories to last you a lifetime.

What are your goals and what do you plan on doing in the future?
I have many goals in life some of my big ones are to travel the world with my family. I want to go everywhere, see new things, new culture and learn. I would also love to have multiple careers one would be my own business. I’m not sure exactly what kind of business, but it is a goal in progress. Also I would like to go to school to be a dentist or a pediatric ER nurse while still doing some type of modeling on the side.

Look for Amya in issue 40 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 40

Click here to nominate an inspiring teen

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Lauren West

Lauren West - Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cindy B. Thymius Photography
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Maddie Parchman

Maddie Parchman - Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cricket’s Photography
Issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Lily Catherine Bury

Lily Catherine Bury – Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Addie Roberson

Addie Roberson – Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Amy Morgan Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Amya McClora

Amya McClora – Tennessee
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography by
Kelly Rae Photography
Issue 40 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Featured

Archives

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Lauren West

Lauren West - TennesseeNomination and Photography by Cindy B. Thymius PhotographyIssue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine​

Maddie Parchman

Maddie Parchman - TennesseeNomination and Photography by Cricket’s PhotographyIssue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Lily Catherine Bury

Lily Catherine Bury – TennesseeNomination and Photography by Cate Connery Bury PhotographyIssue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine​

Addie Roberson

Addie Roberson – TennesseeNomination and Photography by Amy Morgan PhotographyIssue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Amya McClora

Amya McClora – TennesseeInterview by Inspiring TeensNomination and Photography by​Kelly Rae PhotographyIssue 40 of Inspiring Teens Magazine​

Featured

Archives

Categories

Lauren West - Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cindy B. Thymius Photography
Issue 46 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Maddie Parchman - Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cricket’s Photography
Issue 44 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Lily Catherine Bury – Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Cate Connery Bury Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Addie Roberson – Tennessee
Nomination and Photography by Amy Morgan Photography
Issue 43 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

Amya McClora – Tennessee
Interview by Inspiring Teens
Nomination and Photography by
Kelly Rae Photography
Issue 40 of Inspiring Teens Magazine