VoiceAmerica

Ericka

My name is Ericka and I’m 19 years old. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I recently graduated from Barry Goldwater High School in 2011, and started my first semester at Arizona State University’s prestigious W.P. Carey School of Business this fall. I earned a Provost scholarship and grants that pay for most of my expenses.

I hope one day to run my own big business, but I also have other dreams and aspirations. I want to leave a positive impact, on both a community and worldwide level. I have always been the type of person to have many projects going on at once, and I have many such projects I hope to successfully initiate and run both in the near and distant future.

My passions are also something I want to continue to enjoy and grow in throughout my life. I love to travel and learn, and I love all means of self-expression. Dancing is one of these, and is one of my biggest passions. I have danced throughout my childhood and performed all through high school, and now participate in a dance club at ASU.

In my spare time, I also love to ride my dirt bike (which I started doing at age 13), draw, read, and cook. I’m addicted to the Food Network and Science channel - I always get stuck on their programs! I also like to watch So You Think You Can Dance, if I find the time. My other hobbies include ‘outdoorsy’ activities, like hiking and rock climbing, as well as modeling, and everything and anything crafty! I love to create.

Rio

My name is Rio and I’m seventeen years old. I’m a high school senior at Barry Goldwater High School. I am the president of my school’s dance club and have been a part of Interact Club, National Honors Society, and am lettered in academics as well as varsity sports for cheerleading. Dance is what I do all day, every day. It’s my greatest passion alongside singing, music, and being an overall goofball. I surround myself with good friends with goals and ambitions and love meeting new people.

I am a part of a group of wonderful girls that act as the Street Team for my mom’s blog Paper Hope. At Paper Hope, our goal is to inspire better relationships between parents and daughters by discussing important issues and sharing our techniques for open and successful communication. I pride myself on being very open and honest which helps a lot when discussing such important and sometimes awkward topics.

Along with being a part of the Paper Hope Street Team, I have been a part of many other really cool projects in the past few years. As a part of my passion for dance, I was involved in music videos and back up dancing with a fantastic local hip hop group in Phoenix, Arizona named NTUIT. I take dance classes all over town wherever I can and am always open to trying something new. I also assist my mom with her photography business, which has been a great experience.

Yvonne, with the Paper Hope Street Team

I'm Yvonne and I'm seventeen years old. I am a senior at Barry Goldwater High School where I serve as the student body spirit director.

In school I've involved myself in many activities. In the past years I have been on my high school swim team, participated in musical theatres, and been in many clubs. Currently I am in the National Honor Society for scholar students and we do a lot of community service.

My passions are acting, singing, dances, and ministering. My favorite thing is performing. I love seeing a crowds reaction to a performance rather it be a human video or dance with the church or a musical theatre performance at school. It is the best feeling in the world hearing the crowd’s applause after giving it my all on stage.

I took choir from fourth grade all the way through the end of my eighth grade year. I love to sing. I would love to be in my church's youth band but the practices interfere with drama practices. When I graduate from high school I will be going to Lee University in Tennessee. There I will obtain my degree in Special Education where I can help teach special needs students. This is another passion of mine. It's my calling life.

Gladly, I can say if my past did not happen the way it did, I would not be the person I am today. God is my provider and blesses me with so many opportunities.