Haley Wyer

Haley Wyer – Georgia
Nomination by Joy Bennett
Photography by Chad Trammell
Issue 76 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Haley Wyer captivates young, old, male, female, strangers and besties. Her smile invigorates rooms and her essence lingers long after her. How? Is it her dynamic color guard dancing or beautiful worship singing? Is it serving basic health needs to Nicaraguan children at K.B.Carter Memorial Institute or serving disadvantaged youth at Spirit Horse Camp and Young America? Academic greatness, perhaps? She is remarkable for all of this (and more), but her power to inspire comes from authentic inner qualities. Haley Wyer is charismatic and compassionate. She equally cares for others as she is fascinating to behold.
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Photography by Chad Trammell

​When did you get started in color guard and what do you love most about it?
I began color guard my freshman year of high school. What I love about it the most, are the friends I have made through guard and how they push me to be a better version of myself every single day.

What is one of your favorite color guard experiences?
My favorite guard experience was when we won Grand Champs for the 7th time in a row. I was so excited knowing that I played a role in each of those wins and that I was a working member of a team who was good at what we did.

What do you love most about working with your dance consultant, Joy Bennett?
Mrs. Joy is sweet, compassionate, hard-working, and committed to what she does. She gives good advice and is there for whatever you need. However, what I love most about her beautiful soul is that she never gives up on you. When I work with Mrs. Joy, I feel like no matter what I do, or how I mess up, she is always there to pick me back up when I fall.

What is your favorite memory of worship singing?
I love the moments when everyone in the room is singing. When the entire group is praising God together, everything else in the world melts away. One particular night at summer camp we sang Good Good Father. We had no microphones, no stage, and no fancy lights, but everyone was singing. Not a single person was embarrassed to lift their voice in praise, and it was truly amazing.

Do you have a favorite song- and if so, what is it and why?
I do not have a favorite song, but I really like the song Lord I Need You by Matt Maher. I like it because it is an easy song to sing, remember, and it is so true.

Photography by Chad Trammell

​How do you serve basic health needs to Nicaraguan children at K.B. Carter Memorial Institute?
This year I am taking a trip with a group from my school to go and serve. My classmates and I are simply helping out with a clinic to make sure that the school children are healthy.

How did you get involved with it and why is it important to you?
I got involved in taking this trip through HOSA. This trip is important because I have so much that I take for granted, and I live in a bubble but sometimes it's good for that bubble to pop. I am not taking this trip to feel like a superhero, because a superhero is not always what people need. When a superhero swoops in and fixes a problem, they often create bigger problems in the process of trying to help. I am taking this trip to build relationships, create community, and show love to everyone I can.

What have you learned serving disadvantaged youth at Spirit Horse Camp and Young America?
I have learned that life is absolutely beautiful in ways that I never would have thought it to be. When working with the youth at Spirit Horse I get to witness children from all walks of life come together despite differences to create something bigger than themselves. When working with the youth from Young America, my eyes are opened to the needs of our community and the appreciation each child shows for everything. These organizations have taught me to appreciate the smallest things in life because what may seem small to me could mean the world to someone else.

What leadership opportunities have you had in this capacity?
Through Spirit Horse and Young America, I have learned how to work through differences, understand difficult situations, and appreciate the small things in life.

What is your greatest leadership skill?
To lead, one has to know what it feels like to make a mistake and receive forgiveness for that mistake so that one understands how to forgive others when mistakes are made. I value forgiveness because I know that the only perfect one to ever walk this earth was Jesus Christ, and until he comes back one day no one will be perfect. It’s not right to hold the people in your life to a higher standard than you hold yourself to. I cannot expect to be forgiven if I am not willing to forgive others.

Photography by Chad Trammell

What inspiring things does your nomination not cover?
Perspective changes everything. My perspective on life is what fuels my passion and gives me the strength to face my fears. Some people may look at a rainy day and think of it as depressing, but like to think of it as a chance to dance in the rain.

What else would you like to talk about?
Our society today has lost many values that humanize us and enable us to function as a successful group of people. Love, respect, and compassion seem to have been lost in the consistent war between friend and foe. People would rather rip apart a stranger than have a challenging conversation with a brother. By fighting one another we have created a battle that will never be won. Everyone walks a different path in life, and until we can see the beauty that lives in our differences we will never be at peace.

What do you feel passionate about and could talk about forever?
I can and will forever talk about my faith. Christ has brought me so far in my life, and I cannot help but speak about the wonders he has done for me. He is with me in my lowest moments, but he is also waiting to celebrate my successes with me. When I fall, his hand is extended to help me back up. I do not deserve his love, yet it is a gift he freely gives to anyone who accepts him. God is good, and he will never fail.

How did you find your photographer, Chad Trammell? What was your experience like? What did you love most about it?
My photographer is a friend of my mom’s so we knew him before our photo shoot. During the course of our session, the photographer was willing to work with my ideas and make my visions become a reality. By working with me, the photographer created a fun, exciting, and professional atmosphere. What I loved most about the photo shoot was how he made me feel like a real model.

If you had nothing to do and all day to do it, where would we find you?
If I had all day to do nothing, you would find me in the woods, near a stream, lying in the grass underneath a tall oak tree listening to the delicate songs of birds, and whispers of the breeze.

What is up next for you that you are super excited about?
Up next for me is the next chapter of my life. I am about to graduate high school, and though I don’t quite know exactly what the next chapter of my life looks like just yet, God does and I trust that he will lead the way. However, I am super excited to see where life takes me, who I become, and what difference I can make.
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Photography by Chad Trammell

​What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I have ever accomplished was passing both the Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy courses at my school. I got through them by hard work, determination, grit, and prayer.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
I would tell them to never give up on themselves. Life is not always easy, and sometimes it just flat-out sucks, but by pushing through with hard work, grit, determination, and prayer, you can get through anything.

Where do you see yourself in five years, what are your plans?
In five years, I see myself graduating college with a BSN and working in the medical field somewhere.

What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
I love to hike and experience nature in any way that I can.

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
Nope, I am an open book.

3 things on your bucket list
I want to learn how to scuba dive, Swing dance, and trick ride on horseback.

Who do you find inspiring?
I find my Mama to be inspiring because she never quits. No matter the circumstance she always puts me and my sisters first, and she sacrifices everything to care for those around her.

What about you inspires others, why do you think you are inspiring?
I think what makes me inspiring to others is my empathy and grace. There is always a reason why someone is the way that they are, and though I may not immediately understand why, I know that their life might look drastically different than mine and they may need that smile in the hallway or that forgiveness for their mistakes that morning.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
I would like to say that forgiveness is one of the most important gifts you can give in life, to yourself and someone else.

Look for Haley in issue 76 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 76

click here to nominate an inspiring teen