Influential Person #7

   One of the most inspiring individuals in my life is my mother. My mother has had a huge impact on my life and it is because of her that I am the person I am today. She is one of my best friends and hero. Most people say we are mentally and physically the same. We both appear to be the same on the outside but on the inside we are two totally different people. She is more quiet and reserved whereas I am more outgoing and talkative.

   My mother always believes in me and supports almost anything that I do. She encourages me to follow my dreams no matter how out of reach they may be. When I was younger and wanted to be a ballerina more than anything else in the world, she signed me up for classes. My mom loves me unconditionally no matter what. I can lie, go to jail, murder someone and she would still love me. Another admirable quality of my mom is that works hard everyday so that I can have more opportunities to succeed in life. My mom taught me the value of a good education. She always encouraged me to do my best, to work hard. She taught me to strive and work hard for what I want and to not wait for others to help me. Thanks to her I have grown up to be independent but willing to ask for help when I need it. I can talk to her about anything and everything, without her ever judging me. She never complains about my friends coming over and appreciates them as much as I do. She is the one who taught me to respect others and their opinions, to be kind, and to be tolerant. My mom is always selfless, helpful, caring, and above all, loving.

Influential Person #6

   Demi Lovato is another celebrity who inspires me because she became public about her struggles throughout her life. Throughout her school years she struggled with her weight and being bullied. The torment she faced caused her to develop an eating disorder. She started cutting herself at the age of 11 as a coping mechanism. Last year, she checked herself into a rehabilitation center to help with her struggles with food and self-harm. After she checked out of rehab, she reached out to other girls suffering from similar diseases. She told them, “It’s very crucial that you get your feelings out, but don’t ever inflict harm on your own body because your body is so sacred.” Overall, she appears to be a genuinely kind person who doesn’t change herself to fit in at Hollywood. 

   I think it is really inspiring that Demi Lovato is able to speak about her own insecurities and try and help other girls. She made me realize that not even celebrities have perfect lives! She is a girl who has fame and fortune but still has things she is insecure about. She also taught me that bullying can affect other people more than you know. It can have serious and harmful lifelong effects. It is likely that because she was bullied because of her weight, she turned to self-harm and became bulimic. I learned that you should never have to take insults from anyone. You have to stick up for yourself or the bullying will continue. It is inspiring to see an actress in Hollywood who doesn’t look like they starve themselves to look skinny. It makes girls feel that they don’t have to be a size 0 to be pretty. It is inspiring to see an actress who doesn't sacrifice herself and her personality just for the sake of being accepted. 

"Demi Lovato Faces Her Critics." Ellen. NBC. Television.

Influential Person #5

   I’m not exactly sure who influenced me to be more accepting of others. I think many events and people changed my views on tolerance. Lonesomeness and solitude is an unavoidable trepidation of every adult and adolescent. We all yearn for acceptance and popularity. Yet we still judge and refuse to accept others for who they are. Accepting others and their differences is the fastest way to accept ourselves for who we are inside. Often times the way we act around other people is the complete opposite of how we are on the inside. We change ourselves to be accepted by our friends and classmates. The world would be a much more interesting place if we expressed our own individuality and didn’t conform just to be accepted. True friends accept you for who you are inside and outside. They don’t care about what clothes you wear, how good your grades are, or how much money you have in the bank.

   One event that changed my perspective on tolerance was meeting my friend Becca. Becca was by no means the most popular one in the school. She blended into the background, shy but outgoing around her friends. Not many people, including me, paid her much attention. She didn’t wear the typical Abercrombie & Fitch clothes or stand out in a crowd. When I was partnered up with her for a project, I was dreading it. Once I got to know her, she was suddenly a totally different person. Suddenly it didn’t matter what clothes she wore or how outgoing she was. I realized that she was probably one of the most compassionate individuals ever. She never said a mean word against anybody or judged a person based on looks. Ultimately, she made me a better person; I learned lessons on tolerance that I will value for my entire life. 


Bibliography:
Photograph. Nacel Open Door. 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.     <http://nacelayp.com/  2010/11/16/international-day-for-   tolerance/>.

Influential Person #4

      Selena Gomez is a celebrity who inspired me because she was able to build her career while staying true to herself. She doesn't let the concept of fame power her life. She's been gifted with a huge amount of success, and still, she remains the same down-to-earth girl she came into the business as. She's always out to help people, and she uses her voice in a positive way. She lends her voice to UNICEF, as their youngest ambassador. There are so many celebrities who set bad examples for their fans. Selena Gomez gives younger children someone to look up to who isn’t spoiled and bratty, someone who appreciates what she has.

   Another good thing about Selena Gomez is that she embraces the age of her fan base. She understands the concept of role model and goes about being the best role model she can be. She makes mistakes, obviously. We all do. You can tell by the way she carries herself in public that she very much cares about her family, her friends, and her fans. She's doing what she loves and she doesn't care what the people that won't support her have to say about it. She stays true to herself and hasn’t changed because of her fame and fortune. She also has a really good sense of style and makeup! 

   Selena Gomez taught me that you can stay true to beliefs and ideas while also being popular and well liked. True friends will accept you no matter what you wear, how you talk, or how smart you are. She also inspired me in that I learned to never to brag about grades, clothes, or other things. She inspired me to give back and be thankful for the life I have, because it could be a lot worse. She inspires me to be a good role model to my buddies and other little kids. She is proud of herself and wouldn’t change for anyone, which sets a good example for me and other kids my age. She taught me to be proud of my own accomplishments. 


Here is a video of Selena Gomez talking about being a role model: 
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/the-scene/events/Selena-Gomez-Speaks-on-Being-a-Role-Model--124291669.html

Influential Person #3

   My best friend has influenced my life more than I can ever imagine. I cannot imagine the last three years of my life without her. Without her, my hair would be a poufy mess everyday. She is one of the only people who can straighten my extremely thick hair without getting frustrated. She is the only person besides my mother whose opinion I trust when buying clothes. She is the one who taught me everything I know about makeup. I would never know the purpose of eyeliner (it makes your eyes bigger) or the benefits of foundation if it weren’t for her. She has taken or appeared in every one of my profile pictures on Facebook. She is the only person in the world who I can tutor in math multiple times without getting frustrated. My best friend is the one who I can laugh with about the weirdest things. 

   She is the first one I want to talk to when something happens. She is the only one who when we hang out critiques random people’s outfits and makeup with me. We gossip like crazy and always know what the other one is thinking. She helps me through my toughest times, and is there for my best times. She knows all my expressions and how I sound when I’m hyper, frustrated, depressed, annoyed, or happy. No matter what the activity is, she makes it bearable. I could never imagine a life without my best friend, Marie-Louise. 

Inspiring Person #2

      Ms. Parsons was never actually a teacher of mine but she still was a individual who had a profound effect on my life. Mrs. Parsons was the special needs teacher at my old school. She taught my friend’s sister and other disabled children that were in my buddy class. She was a compassionate human being that taught her students out of love and not just for the paycheck. She was endlessly patient and understood the torment that the parents faced everyday. She is a lady that cared for every student that came her way. Ms. Parsons went out of her way to make the children in her room feel as normal as possible. She never made the children in her class feel different, she treated them the way she would any other child.

   The school district did not give the special needs classrooms that much funding. There was no requirement in Ms. Parson’s contract that said that she had to have toys. She still bought toys and books out of her own money for the children to use. Ms. Parson’s once confessed to my friend’s mother that she did not have to sit at the table and eat lunch with the children. She did anyway, she sacrificed her own break time to feed the children and sit with them.  She spoke to all classrooms about special needs and what we could do to help. She was the one who organized classroom visits, so that her children could come into our classrooms and play with us.

   Ms. Parson’s acceptance of people who were different from her inspired me to accept people who don't talk the same way as me or wear the same clothes as me. I realized that I would feel terrible inside if somebody were to treat me as if I was strange or different. Ms. Parson's students may have had mental disabilities but they were still people and they deserved to be treated like humans. It was really uplifting how when her kids came to our classrooms most of my classmates would jump up and greet them. It was also uplifting how my friends and I were not the only ones kids in my class who would sacrifice their free time with friends and sit with Ms. Parson’s kids at lunch.

  

   

Inspring Person #1

India's Slums in Mumbai

   Walking in India is often a safety hazard on its own, but with only your cousin and at night is a death wish. It was by pure chance that we ended up near a makeshift school set up on the sidewalk. My cousin told me that it was a school for slum children ran by a kindhearted man who lives below the poverty line. He gave the kids a meal that they might not get at home as well as an education. The man never asked for any cash donations for his school, all he asked for was plates and utensils for the children.            

   Inspired by the poor yet kind man I went out and bought twenty five plates for the school. I never realized that I take the simplest things for granted. In my house, if I break a plate it is easy to go to the cupboard and get a new one. For the children in India a reusable plate is a luxury. It means that they do not have to eat out of their hands. When we delivered them, the teacher thanked us enthusiastically and told us how helpful it would be for the school. I noticed that he put the children above himself.

   Growing up in a prosperous country, I take my education for granted. I am similar to almost every other child; I complain about homework, teachers, etc. Until I saw this school, I never realized that I am one of the fortunate ones. I will probably get some of the opportunities that perhaps I do not deserve, just because I was born into this life. After I saw the children and their willingness and eagerness to come to school at night to learn, I thought about how spoiled I really am. Being spoiled isn’t necessarily having the best clothes, nicest cars, or biggest homes. Being spoiled is a way of thinking. It’s never appreciating what you have. Compared to some of the children in India who wonder when their next meal will be, I am spoiled. It saddens me that people who are well above the poverty line don’t give back. Some people with money don't appreciate what they have while people with barely any money know what struggle means and accept people for who they are and not what they have.

Photograph. Indian Adventures: One Year Abroad. 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 9 Jan. 2012. <http://audreyandthane.wordpress.com/tag/tourism/>.