<p>Prompt: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?</p>
<p>Any constructive criticism is welcomed. Thank you!</p>
<p>August 2nd, 2012 is a date that will forever be branded in my memory. My inner fire began to burn that day and has yet been extinguished. Throughout my short life I have been fortunate to take part in some amazing leadership programs. One particular organization - Casc, California Associated Student Council, changed my life in the most unimaginable way. </p>
<pre><code>Once I stepped foot onto the Casc campus something had changed; I had never felt what can only be explained as pure happiness. As I looked around I saw hundreds and hundreds of high school students spontaneously breaking loose into song, dance, and self-introduction. My personal Ora had been washed over with complete and utter joy. I had no knowledge of what I would experience that week, but I had no doubt in my mind that it would be anything but life altering. As it turns out not only would Casc strengthen my goals, but it would also expose me to self-expression and personal growth.
Having been to various youth leadership conferences I expected the usual school mixers, ice breaker games, and motivational speeches. Yes, Casc did have all these things, but the conference was so much more. Casc believed that we all faced a challenge, a challenge to “Change the Future”, and that the future began with me. To help change the future, I first had to become confident and comfortable with the person I was; the change had to begin from within. I took my first step towards change when I encountered the feeling bag. The feeling bag was an exercise that helped me to create trust in others and myself. Each person in the group would select an emotion out of a brown paper bag and reveal a personal memory or experience. Usually I would never have revealed anything to personal about my life, but I saw the feeling bag as an opportunity. Until that point in my life I had never expressed my feelings to other people. I kept every emotion buried and locked away until the feelings began to erode me from the inside out. I wanted to talk about the feelings that continuously brewed deep down inside of me. I wanted someone to listen and not just disregard my thoughts. I wanted to be heard, and fortunately my group allowed me to do just that. I poured out everything that I had felt in that moment, and everything that had held me back was gone. The burden of repression was gone. I had never felt so free. I had overcome my insecurity of expression to not only others, but most importantly to myself. Stories continued to be shared among the group and there were no judgements or comments. All that was expressed between one another were signs of acceptance and understanding. The feeling bag had executed its purpose; growth as an individual, and growth as a group.
The conference continued to open my eyes up to my individuality. I began to realize who I was on an emotional and spiritual level. I had accepted myself. On the last day of my journey I wrote a letter addressed to myself one year into the future. I promised myself that I would never let anyone hold me back from my dreams. Despite any difficulties I might encounter I would continue to persevere. My future would not be compromised. I would not be compromised.
Casc created a fire within me that continues to burn today. I still continue to live by the challenge, " Change the Future" that I accepted years ago. As long as I continue to have the passion to change I will succeed. I have the passion, and I will succeed.
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