Full Name: Kaylin Campbell

What school do you attend?

Cookeville High School

Tell us about yourself.

I have been involved with drama, music, and art for as long as I can remember. Fine arts have always been a passion of mine and I do not plan on giving it up anytime soon. I am a perfectionist with strong morals and an intense personality. I am also a natural-born leader who loves to help, encourage, and be around people.

What is your greatest strength, and why?

One of my greatest strengths is my ability to lead and inspire others. I remember, even as a toddler, leading group activities for my friends and organizing games for all of us to play. When I have something that I am passionate about, I find those around me jumping on board to help me with my vision. For as long as I can remember, people have always been drawn to me for direction and advice.

What is your greatest weakness, and why?

My greatest weakness is my fear of being vulnerable in new and uncharted waters. I am a perfectionist and want to be seen as a strong individual who does everything perfectly the first time. While my perfectionist mindset can drive me to excel and achieve, it also holds me back from trying to do new things and take chances due to my fear of failing.

What skills do you need to learn to turn your greatest weakness into your greatest strength?

I need to learn that it is okay to mess up, and I do not have to get it right every time. Perfection is not always possible, and learning from my mistakes is a part of the process. My imperfections do not mean that I am a failure; my imperfections make me unique, special and are a part of who I am.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome, and what did you learn from that?

When I was 13, I was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer. For six months, I had twenty ultrasounds, three fine needle biopsies, two surgeries, one treatment of radioactive iodine and a week of solitude due to my danger to humanity. I struggled with fear, doubting my faith, and feeling alone. The surgeries were especially scary because they were having to remove part of the tumor from my vocal cords. My voice has had to heal gradually and basically had to redevelop. After a year of treatments, I am now cancer-free and my voice is better than ever. Though it was not fun to have cancer, it taught me that no matter how big my giants might be, my God is always bigger. His way is the best, no matter how hard it may seem. My friends, family, and church, supported me the entire time. It strengthened my faith and made me who I am today. I have a scar from the surgeries and I could not be prouder of it.

Why do you deserve this award?

I deserve this award because I am a hard worker who does not give up on her dreams. I love New York City and everything about broadway. Getting the chance to be trained by the best of the best would be a dream come true. The free trip would also be a blessing to my parents because my parents want me to shoot for the stars but do not always have the money to back me. If I am chosen, I will work hard, stay focused and soak up everything I can. I have big dreams and big plans. I want to do something with my life. The Bright Horizons Award would help me do just that and prove that my voice was meant for big things. God still has a plan for me and it has to do with my voice.

Who has been a role model for you, and why?

One of my biggest role models is my Aunt Kristie. She fought the battle of breast cancer for four years: 2011-2015. She always had a smile on her face and joy in her heart. Her faith in God's love and plan never faltered. She loved her three girls and her husband to the end. She was fun, spontaneous and lit up every room she entered. She is my biggest role model. I want to follow her as she followed Christ. I strive to be like her every day.

What is the biggest mistake you made, and what have you learned from that mistake?

One mistake that I have made that had disastrous consequences was trusting a girl that I thought was my friend. I told her everything because she convinced me that she would be there for me and she had my back. As soon as things got hard, though, she turned on me. She lied about me, lied to me, told everyone all of the things that I told her in confidence. Then she acted as though she did nothing wrong and denied everything to make me look like a fool. I learned to keep my guard up a little more and to get to know someone better before trusting them.

What activities are you involved in?

I am involved in Cookeville High School's Chamber Choir. I am also involved in my local branch of DECA. DECA is a club at my school that focuses on training young entrepreneurs in the field of business, marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and hospitality services. Last year I placed in regional competitions and made it to the state level. I am additionally involved with Cookeville Children's Theatre. They produce shows each fall. The most recent was High School Musical. CCT prides itself on the fact that they can provide an outlet for kids in the community to express their creative side and give them experience in the world of show business.

How are you giving back to others?

I am a volunteer in the children's church at my church. I help the teacher with the lesson, games, snack time, clean up, and any other activities that they need my help with. I talk to the kids about their day, listen to them, tell them stories, and play with them. I am also involved with my local youth leadership team in my youth group. I help plan events, give feedback to our youth pastor, and lead worship on Wednesday nights.

Tell us about a personal achievement that makes you proud, and what you learned from that achievement?

I am a published author. I entered a poetry competition a couple of years ago and got my poem published in a book of poetry. I am extremely proud of that. It taught me that my poems are good and that if I take chances and put myself out there, it pays off sometimes. Another accomplishment that I am proud of is receiving the Timothy Award. I had to memorize and recite over 582 Bible verses. It proved that when I set my mind to something, I could do anything.

How do you define being a humble person?

Being a humble person means knowing your strengths and weaknesses and being a confident individual, but not allowing pride to cause a feeling of superiority and cockiness. You know you are great, but humble people understand that you do not have to announce it to the world because if you are as great as you think, others will do that for you.

How do you define servant leadership?

Servant leadership means leading people in whatever position you are in. Servant leaders lead by example. They are not dictators who have minions. They work to be a part of the solution among their peers; not over their peers.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I am currently hand making, promoting and selling bracelets to raise funds to afford a trip to Disney World. My school choir is participating in a Disney choral competition. My parents can't afford to send me and I have never been able to go to Disney World, so I am raising the money myself. Also, I have never flown on an airplane.