Strengths Quest General Report Strengths Quest Descriptive Report

In order to be a successful leader, I think it is important that one recognizes their strengths and weaknesses. This being said, I was very interested to participate in the StrengthsQuest survey. I was not too sure what would become of the results and I was happily surprised to see the accuracy in the strengths that it assigned to me. The five strengths (in order) that Gallup identified in my report were Restorative, Achiever, Strategic, Learner, and Discipline. After reading the descriptions of each of these strengths, it was obvious to me why they fit my personality and my values.

The first strength that I will explaining is “Achiever.” According to Gallup, this means that I have a strong drive and motivation. I am determined to grow and excel and it is my goal to accomplish at least one thing each day. I definitely feel that I identify with this particular strength. I have always been a hard-working student, both in school and in dance. Additionally, I am an early riser and I believe that sleeping in only wastes the time that each day gives you. One specific event that could demonstrate this strength would be a compilation of my Junior year. For my high school, Junior year was the hardest: an increase in AP classes, the start of college application discussions, and an added requirement to go on retreats and apply for campus programs. I think that of the four years of high school, I slept the least throughout my Junior year. I would wake up early and go to school, usually studying prior to my first class, only to come back home after rehearsals and stay up until about 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning completing homework. I am a perfectionist, to say the least, and I am most definitely my hardest critic. However, I feel that my drive and motivation is what has allowed for me to be where I am today – at The Ohio State University. At the end of my high school career, I finished with a 4.175 GPA, an ACT score of 28, a variety of AP credit, several leadership positions, and graduated with Honors. Such achievements only prompted the few that I have also received as a Buckeye, such as making The Ohio State University Dance Team and being elected as Class Representative of my BFA class in the Department of Dance. Gallup definitely knew what it was doing when it assigned me this strength, and I look forward to seeing where it will take me in the future.

The next strength I will explain is “Learner,” which I can directly demonstrate through my past experience in the Dance Competition and Convention world. I have always enjoyed performing at these events; I love to receive feedback on my performances so that I can improve the next time. However, my favorite part of these weekends would be participating in the Conventions and taking class from professionals. When I take class, I am in the zone. I am engaged in what is being said and I am open to trying new styles and new skills. Because of this, I have been blessed with various opportunities, such as Convention scholarships, Nationals scholarships, assisting positions, and various opportunities to perform with the Faculty and Staff of these conventions. Classes never seem to long to me and I am never bored. I always find joy in making new insights and I love to walk out of a class with the feeling that I have expanded my dance knowledge. Yes, I admit that sometimes my “Achiever” side comes out and I begin to critique my movements, but regardless I am able to soak up the information that the professional gives out to our audience of students. As a dance major, I plan on not only attempting to work in the professional world, but I also hope that I will be able to open new doors for myself so that I can learn from the masters. In my opinion, the more classes I take, the more people I meet, and the more connections I make, the better off I will be. I am a life-long learner and I am proud of it.

Lastly, I will explain “Discipline” which is clearly shown in my attachment to my planner. My planner is my Bible and my best friend. Throughout elementary school, I always used my planner, but I never started to develop routines and structure until my freshman year. It was here that my planner became organized, color-coated, and my everyday checklist for a variety of tasks. When I do homework, I cannot move on until I highlight the completed assignment in my planner. When I know a test is coming up, I write down the date in my planner so that I can prepare myself in an ample amount of time. From due dates, to assignments, to campus events – I live by its blue and black ink. This being said, I am also one to create plans for my everyday life, such as the plan I have recently created in order to work towards improving my toe-touch jump. I have a specific set of exercises that I plan to do until my goal is achieved and these exercises are carefully laid out on my computer so that I am ready to go whenever I practice on my own. Having a strictly laid out plan makes me feel secure and also makes me feel like my goals are within reach. Knowing the steps that are necessary, I am better able to focus and my motivation is stronger. I believe that such disciplined actions are what will drive me to success in the long run.

Prior to taking this survey, I do not know if I would have considered many of these words to be strengths. As I mentioned, I tend to be my harshest critic and, because of this, I think it is easier for me to see my weaknesses. As a leader, I tend to praise others for their strengths and I am more aware of the talents they possess. However, I plan on using these identified strengths in my future leadership endeavors in order to improve my leadership ability and to benefit those I am leading. I will lead with confidence, motivation, strategy, good-listening, and an open-mind and an open-heart. I want to set an example for others and be the type of person that people are proud to know. I will lead with my strengths and work to improve upon my weaknesses so that I can become the best leader that I can possibly be.

Picture 1: On the COTA

Isaac, Julianna, Ronda, and I traveled to the Short North this past Sunday, September 27th. We all have very busy schedules, so Sunday seemed like the smartest idea for our trip. Little did we know, however, that many of the shops and galleries in this area are closed on Sundays. Needless to say, we had a very interesting experience.

We began our trip with the intention of visiting the Global Gallery first – 1. because we were excited to see what it was, and 2. because Google told us it closed at 7. We searched and searched as our GPS took us all the way to the Convention Center! At that point, we decided that we must have been doing something wrong – we weren’t even in the Arts District anymore! After a few more laps around North High, Julianna texted her roommate, who is from Columbus. In doing so, we discovered that Global Gallery’s name had been changed to Global Gifts…a shop that we had passed numerous times but continually convinced ourselves that it was not the desired landmark. Apparently, Google was unaware of this new name change as well, and when finally ran back to Global Gifts we discovered that the shop was closed.

Picture 2: The sadness of a closed Global Gifts

I think, however, that our group plans on traveling back to the Short North sometime soon to actually visit this tiny shop. I am a very large supporter of Fair Trade and it seems that this is what Global Gifts is all about. We did some window-shopping and I noticed some mittens and scarves that looked absolutely adorable and super cozy. I think that Global Gifts would be a great place to do my Christmas shopping. Despite my disappointment, I am truly excited to return back and go on a Fair Trade shopping spree.

To boost our spirits, we traveled to Jeni’s ice cream next. To add to the excitement, this was my first Jeni’s experience! It was fabulous! I now understand why everyone raves about it! I got a waffle cone with one scoop of the Brown Butter Almond Brittle, and I have no other words to describe it but a capitalized YUM. It was delicious!

Picture 3: Representing Buckeye Nation and Arts Scholars at Jeni’s – Bad quality picture but a super great time

Our next mission was to find an art gallery, which was quite a struggle because (as I mentioned before) the majority of them were closed.

Picture 4: So many closed galleries

We walked for a while, even stopping for coffee, until we came across a gallery that had its lights on. There was a man sitting inside playing video games and being the curious artists that we are, we proceeded to walk up to the door…which puzzlingly had no handle. We then proceeded to knock and, though I think the gallery may have actually been closed, the owner/employee kindly let us in with open arms! We explained our project and our adventure and I think it was clear to him that we were very excited to finally be in a gallery!

Picture 5: Made & Co. Gallery

Picture 6: Made & Co. Gallery

The Gallery was a bit small, but very interesting. All of the artwork seemed to be a bit outspoken and much of it was contemporary. There were screen printed T-shirts hanging on a rack, multiple paintings on the wall, and an interesting motorcycle/bike in the middle of the room. What I found most interesting was that much of the artwork was “Ohio-themed.” There were pieces having to do with the state flag as well as The Ohio State University. I do not think that this is work that I would be looking to purchase for my future home, but I can definitely say that this is somewhere I would like to explore again. I liked the quaint-ness of the gallery itself and was definitely welcomed by the employee who was kind enough to let us in.

Overall, our Short North experience was definitely adventure. Between searching for the nonexistent Global Gallery and hunting for an open art gallery, we explored practically the entirety of North High Street! However, it was super fun to get to know my group more and to spend some time exploring Columbus. I feel like I will be traveling to the Short North again sometime soon and I can confidently say that when I do, I will know my way around. It is such a fun little area with many shops that I am interesting in looking into – so I suppose I should start saving for my Short North shopping spree!

Additional Pictures:

Window-shopping in the closed Art Galleries

Taking a coffee break at Imperio

For Devon and I, this project came fairly easily. We were excited to take pictures and had fun getting to know each other better. We chose to take pictures outside near Mirror Lake and created a miniature “photo shoot” of sorts so that we could get the best shots. When our shoot began, we were somewhat unsure of what “poses” to hit or how we should look. However, we eventually found each other taking candid shots that were the favorites of the bunch rather than the pictures that were planned.

Devon is a speech and hearing sciences major with a fun personality. The two pictures near the top of the photo capture her twirling around. Without any direction, Devon began doing so and immediately broke out into giggles and a smile. I think that these two photos capture her positivity and her open-ness. In the short time that I have known her, Devon has always been welcoming and enjoyable to be around. She is a good friend to everyone and has solid values as well.

The bottom picture is a good representation of Devon’s calm attitude and relaxed approach to whatever life throws her way. She does not let anything stop her and is usually in what some would describe as a “chill” mood. This picture of her simply lying on the step and letting the sun hit her face represents these attitudes and behaviors. She looks content and happy with where she is, and I think that Devon feels this way as well – or at least that it is shown in her approach to life.

This year, I had to blessing of being crowned Dancer of the Year for the AmeriDance Dance Competition Company. The process involved being nominated at a regional event, submitting my transcripts, writing an essay, obtaining multiple recommendations, and competing my solo one last time at the AmeriDance Heartland National Championship. This will always be one of the most memorable days of my dance career and I am so incredibly humbled to be recognized in this way.

To read a portion of my essay and to learn more about what it means to be Dancer of the Year, feel free to visit http://www.ameridanceinc.com/contests-and-awards/doty/.

Immokalee is a small town that is home to many immigrant families, often from Latin America. The majority of these people are migrant workers – the people that pick the tomatoes that are often on our fast-food restaurant burgers and salads. These workers are paid very small and unjust wages and often are under harsh and unimaginable labor and living conditions. As a result, much of the town lives in poverty.

When traveling to Immokalee, I was able to not only learn about these injustices, but to act on them. My peers and I worked with a variety of organizations, such as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), Habitat for Humanity, and the Guadalupe Center – a summer school program for many of the children of these migrant worker families. Being able to see these things first-hand was heart-wrenching, but it opened my eyes to a world past my small suburban bubble.

Since my time spent in Immokalee, I have been educating others on these injustices and how we can combat them. Currently, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers is holding a “Boot the Braids” campaign – an effort to get Wendy’s (the fast-food restaurant) to sign onto the Fair Food agreement, which would in-turn result in workers getting the slightest bit more money for the incredible amount of work that they do in the fields. Restaurants such as Chipotle and McDonalds have signed this agreement already, but Wendy’s has been fighting it for the past few years. For more information about the “Boot the Braids” campaign and the CIW, visit http://ciw-online.org.