While I believe a high GPA and strong extracurriculars are crucial factors in a student’s high school career, I prioritize strong extracurriculars. In today’s society, where academic excellence is the norm, extracurricular activities can help students stand out and showcase their unique capabilities and talents outside the classroom.

Extracurricular activities allow students to explore interests and develop leadership skills, thus building their character. They offer students the opportunity to work collaboratively with their peers, learn new skills, and gain valuable experience that can help them in their future careers. In my personal experience, I have been playing tennis since I was five years old. When I got to high school, I played on varsity all four years and became captain for two. Through my experiences as a captain, I learned valuable skills, including managing a team, becoming familiar with very different personalities, and maintaining positivity when times were rough.

Through another extracurricular activity, I learned the importance of community. I founded GameSetHope tennis alongside two like-minded teammates to engage young players in physical activity to grow their mental health. Our organization has fifty percent of proceeds going to Child Mind Institute, helping kids struggling with mental health and learning disorders. We raise upwards of seven hundred dollars each month to give to those in need.

As an only child, I’d never imagined how much patience it takes to deal with young children. They often cried, argued, and felt unmotivated, which was challenging. However, I’ve learned to manage their moods through calming discussions and practicing patience. I’ve realized that playing tennis is an entirely different story from having to teach it; I had to understand the intricacies of executing a proper forehand or breaking down the process of performing a volley to explain it to young minds. All in all, witnessing the positive impact of our cause on the community has given me a sense of connection to the world and has made me appreciate the power of collective efforts.

The final extracurricular I will mention is one that taught me beauty and patience: photography.

As a child once clutching their very first camera, it evolved into something even more significant. I experienced the intricacies of life through my camera, watching the delicate snails in the dewy morning, the serenade of songbirds fluttering from branch to branch, or even the flashes of a metallic magenta reflecting off a hummingbird’s chest. However, it was not just about the aesthetics of nature; photography helped me learn patience, resourcefulness, and focus. Standing still for minutes on end, waiting for the perfect opportunity that may not even come, and finding the best angles and creative ideas in the limited areas of Temecula proved difficult. Not only this but as I progressively observed nature, I noticed the beauty behind the coexistence of life- introducing me to my love for biology. With every photo, I aim to inspire others to cherish and preserve the magnificence of our natural world.

While I have always maintained a high GPA, I can firmly say that extracurriculars are my priority. They allow us to explore our passions, develop leadership skills, and give back to the community. Through my experiences with tennis, GameSetHope, and photography, I have learned the value of teamwork, community, patience, and resourcefulness. These skills apply not only in high school but also in our future careers and personal lives. Therefore, I will always prioritize strong extracurriculars as they have significantly shaped me into the person I am today.