VYPE: What are your personal goals for the year?

My personal fitness goals for this year are to run my hardest, and to improve with every step I take. So
far, I have been able to set new personal records at every competition and I am planning to continue to
beat my previous records as hard as I possibly can. My personal academic goals are to graduate from
high school with a 4.0 GPA and to leave high school collegebound to pursue my goal of becoming a
structural engineer.

VYPE: What is the most fun you have had in the last year?

The most fun I have had this year was running together with my Cross-Country team. While running with
my team has been some of the most fun I have had this year, one of the key highlights was having our
team dinners. The team dinners are always fun and entertaining, opportunities to get to know everyone
on the team and have a good time. Both running and hanging out with my teammates are just a few of
the things I look forward to the most every single week of the season.

VYPE: Who is your favorite teacher from any grade, and why?

My favorite teacher in school is my High School Physics teacher Mr. Joe Hutchinson. He is extremely
helpful and he’s funny. He always makes himself available to help anyone who needs it, no matter what
academic topic his student is struggling with. He has inspired me to make myself available to help cheer
my teammates on no matter what.

VYPE: What is your favorite athletic memory?

My favorite athletic memory this year was running the Emporia MileSplit race. This experience was
amazing, the hills felt good, and I achieved (as of the time this was written) my fastest time this season
so far. This experience helped me to recognize my strengths and weaknesses, what parts of races I enjoy
the most and which parts I find to be more of a struggle.

VYPE: What teammate has left the biggest impression on you and why?

My teammate, Ryan Son, has left the biggest impression on me. He has pushed me to do better since
the very beginning of my competitive running career. I started last year, my junior year during track
season, unable to run a mile without stopping multiple times. Then, when I saw Ryan run, he awakened
an urge in me to get better, to run and train harder. Ryan inspired me to do my absolute best to get
faster and stronger. He has given me the will to never give up on my goals. Now, less than a year after
starting my competitive running career, I can now run a full 5k faster than I could’ve run a mile before I
started my career, and Ryan Son has helped me get where I am today.

VYPE: What is your favorite part of being on this team?

My favorite part of being on this team is the way that every single person seems to balance out the
team. One teammate may bring an energetic bubbly side to the team, another may bring a more chill
and conserved side, one may bring a loud and boisterous side, while another may bring the means to
settle those energetic and boisterous people down. Everyone works together, everyone balances each
other out in some way. If even one person were missing from the team, or if they had never joined, the
vibe of the team would be so much different. Every individual is needed on the team from the fastest
individual to the slowest, because diversity in skill and our good coaches are what holds our team
together and allows everyone to receive the support they need.

VYPE: You can pick any place for a summer vacation. Where do you go, and who do you take with you?

If I could choose anywhere to go on vacation, I would go nearly anywhere with a beach outside of the
United States. I have never been outside the country and have only traveled to a couple of states inside
of the US. I love going to and running on beaches because the sound of the waves is therapeutic and
relaxing to me, and the temperature is usually perfect for running depending on where you go. I would bring some of my Cross-Country friends with me to hang out and have a good time. I would also bring
my 10 family members, of whom only 3 have ever been outside of the United States.

VYPE: If we gave you $500 and you had to spend it in the next 24 hours, what would you spend it on?

If I were given $500 and I absolutely had to spend the money within 24 hours, I would first upgrade my
sports equipment, get a comfortable pair of running shoes and a pair of spikes to aid in my athletic
career. Then, I would upgrade some of my art supplies, then use some more (if there was any left) to
start getting some materials to start plans to build an art/music studio. I would buy these items because
eventually I could use my artistic talents to make a profit off the original $500.

VYPE: Do you participate in any community service projects?

I do participate in community service activities, I am currently participating in Tri-M, which is a group
that have establishments in schools all around the country, and whose purpose is to raise musical
awareness and raise money to aid in the delivery of musical instruments to young musicians while
offering leadership and service opportunities to young musicians. I am a member of Tri-M because I
appreciate and enjoy nearly all forms of music, I play the cello and dabble in practicing other
instruments as well, but I was in a situation where my parents and I were struggling to pay for cello
lessons for me, and one of the groups Tri-M supports, the MusicLink program, helped me pay for them,
and I wanted to help other young musicians with the same or similar issues, even if it was an indirect
aid. In the past I have participated in park cleanup and have performed music for the inhabitants of one
of the Starkey Group Homes in Wichita KS, which was truly a great experience to meet all those who live
there, and it was even better knowing that I and the group who played for them, were able to give
something to them they enjoyed.

VYPE: What Clubs or Campus groups are you involved with and why?

Some clubs and campus groups I am involved in, I am a member of the Drama club at Wichita East, I
enjoy acting, voice acting, and writing scripts and choreography. I am also on the Track and Cross-
Country team because I really enjoy fitness, and I enjoy hanging out and working out with my team. The
community aspect is very supportive, and I enjoy working to achieve the goals I have set for myself while
being able to cheer my fellow athletes on. I am part of the International Baccalaureate program at East
High School. The IB program is a rigorous college prep course that strives to get students fully equipped
with the knowledge they need to succeed in college. I enjoy the IB program despite it being difficult. I
enjoy the challenges it poses, and I appreciate all the teachers who try and prepare us for our futures as
college students.

VYPE: Are you involved in academic excellence activities such as the National Honor Society, Student Council, or other academic clubs?

Some clubs and campus groups I am involved in, I am a member of the Drama club at Wichita East, I
enjoy acting, voice acting, and writing scripts and choreography. I am also on the Track and Cross-
Country team because I really enjoy fitness, and I enjoy hanging out and working out with my team. The
community aspect is very supportive, and I enjoy working to achieve the goals I have set for myself while
being able to cheer my fellow athletes on. I am part of the International Baccalaureate program at East
High School. The IB program is a rigorous college prep course that strives to get students fully equipped
with the knowledge they need to succeed in college. I enjoy the IB program despite it being difficult. I
enjoy the challenges it poses, and I appreciate all the teachers who try and prepare us for our futures as
college students.