“Focus on yourself. Sometimes, we put too much energy into other people, and we forget that we have to put just as much energy into ourselves instead of doing it for other people. Make sure you're checking...
“Most of my inspiration and ideas come from whatever media I’m consuming at the time. I don’t have a particular source [when I’m creating a piece of art]. I began digital art because I wanted to...
![“The [Mid-Autumn Festival] is a harvest time, like Thanksgiving for Americans. During this time, the moon just so happens to be the brightest. If you go and look at the Chinese calendar, you'll be able to find out what period of time it is. We all get together as a family reunion, we feast, watch the Moon and eat mooncakes. My favorite is probably the lotus seed [paste] with the salty egg in the middle or red bean [paste], but the others are okay. If the moon is there, we'll get together and go outside [to] watch the Moon. It's cool because [the moon is] glowy [and] it feels like the sun at dusk. That's how bright it is. [The Mid-Autumn Festival] has given me a reason to look forward to the fall. Whenever [I] look at something for a long time [I start] daydreaming, [and when I look at the moon I] have this very weird feeling. It feels very at peace just by yourself. I feel a similar feeling would be standing out in the rain. So it's a really beautiful moment to reflect. And you have fun with your family. I would say it's a great period of time to have fun and remember what we have,” sophomore Sofia Wu said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC_0001-copy-900x599.jpg)
![“The most influential people in my life would have to be my mom and dad. They have been through so much and helped me through so much. They inspire me every day, and I can not thank them enough. I don’t know what I would do without them. They taught me how to be a better person and how to survive in this world. When my grandma died, it left a big dent in my life, [making] me feel sad and upset. I felt like I couldn’t do anything. [So] I turned to my parents to help me get through it, and they talked to me and helped me. They are two of the most hard-working people I have ever met. They started a new business, and seeing them get through all of the bumps in the road and grow the business inspired me to persevere through everything.”
- Eva Frazer, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/image1-14-675x900.jpg)
![“Swimming has impacted my life because I am just in my happy place when I am at the pool. I could just be sitting on the wall, and I would be having fun hanging out with my teammates. I loved swimming [alongside] my school friends and meeting new people in different grades in high school swim. My favorite part of swimming is the feeling I get while diving in at a meet because my adrenaline is pumping, and all I focus on is how fast I can go to beat the person next to me. One thing that I have been working to achieve is my 100-meter individual medley. It is a few days after I get home from Florida, so I will not get to practice beforehand, which is scary. I have worked hard this season to train for this race.” — Ava Sticht, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image2-6-900x630.jpg)
![“My biggest inspiration would have to be my father. His work ethic is amazing, and he never gives himself a break. He pushes himself to go further than he normally could. He always gives his best and tries to make my siblings and I lives as easy as possible. I admire him a lot because he is a contractor, which means he has a good amount of work to do. Whenever he works a little less on some days, he tries to push even harder the next [day] to make up for it. I try to teach my younger siblings to work just as hard and set a good example myself. I try to keep his lessons with me every day and apply them to my daily life. He is someone that I have looked up to for a long time, and he taught me to appreciate the smallest things in life.” – Tyler Grissom, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image1-11-900x600.jpg)
![“The most stressful thing going on in my life is grades. Teachers put a lot of pressure on me, and they constantly challenge me with homework. I do track currently, and I did cross country during the fall and swimming during the winter. So just all of that can be stressful. There’s a lot of pressure on me from my parents because I feel like they compare everything I do to my [older sister]. Lexi was the first child, [she] was like their norm, and I have a completely different learning strategy than her. She gets things done five months ahead of time. Her room is always tidy and clean, and she's just on top of it all the time. I am the complete opposite. I do things at the last minute, right before it's due. I don't keep [my room] clean until I have to. Like my life is unorganized but organized in my way. I’m happy I have my friends and family to help me with all the stress.”
— Sydney Etchason, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image1-6-900x600.jpg)