Full Name: Lydia Burton

What school do you attend?

Cookeville High School

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Lydia, and I’m a senior in high school. I’m still contemplating what college I’m attending, I’ve narrowed it down to UTK and UTC. But I have decided that I want to major in political science and minor in psychology or theatre, and (hopefully) go on to law school. I want to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I’m considering working with a non-profit organization after I graduate. I think the questions below will help you get to know me on a deeper level, so I thought I would take this opportunity to share about my interests. Musical theatre holds a special place in my heart. I know everyone has probably said something similar, but it’s the truth, and my goal for this application is to be as honest and thoughtful about my responses as possible. I feel like music brings a story to life like nothing else can, and I hope to keep it in my life forever. It’s been my passion from the moment I saw my first show. I knew it was acting, but the way it made me feel…it was the most real thing I had ever experienced. I’ve been striving to participate and learn more ever since.

What is your greatest strength, and why?

I’m a lot of things, both good and bad, weak and strong. However, I will say, I think that my greatest strength is empathy for others. No matter who they are or what they’ve done, I always try my best to understand people and their choices, even if I can’t justify them. I think that in our current world, empathy is under appreciated. It’s the key to bettering our society, to bringing people together. During my time in high school, I’ve had some hard lessons and situations that have taught me what it’s like to truly step away from yourself and see the circumstances through eyes other than your own, and what I saw monumentally impacted my view on the world, politics, my friends, my culture, you name it. Empathy is the most important virtue for me, and I always try my hardest to exude it.

What is your greatest weakness, and why?

My greatest weakness is undoubtably my self-criticism. I have a tendency to weigh myself down with worry and anxiety over everything I do, and everything that could go wrong. I’ve been told (a lot, especially by my best friends) I hold an impossibly high standard for myself that causes me to fall short all too much.

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

My criticism, I feel like, could be a strength if I learned to trust myself and build my confidence enough to use it as a tool to further better myself without holding myself back, or being detrimental to my self esteem.

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

I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced throughout my life is myself. I struggled a lot with social anxiety, especially a few years back. I second guess everything I do or say or want to do or say. I replay conversations in my head. I let my fears get in the way of who I wanted to be. Over the past year especially, I started the gradual process of trusting myself enough to speak my mind, and really give everything I do my all. The biggest takeaway for me was knowing that no matter what your fears are, you have the power to be bigger than them.

Why do you deserve this award?

I know I’m probably not the most talented, or the most experienced out of all your applicants. I know there are people applying who may look more eligible than me on paper. But I promise you, whoever is reading this, that I would never take an opportunity like this for granted for even a moment. I recently took a musical theatre intensive class this summer, and knowing how much I grew and how much I appreciate the work we did there, I can’t fathom how incredible this experience would be. The thought of getting to meet and learn from people who fought tirelessly to inch their way up, to achieve their dreams… I would cherish the lessons and memories I leave with for the rest of my life.

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

My best friend, Elizabeth. She’s always been reliable, and truthful, and good, even when life doesn’t always show her the same courtesy. I think that being her friend has made me better, and I’ve always thought that’s how you know who your role models are.

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

Wow, that’s a good one. I want to try to answer this as best I can, so forgive me if I go in a few different directions, I’m a bit scatterbrained. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my day, I can tell you that. I think the biggest mistake I’ve ever made is one I made a few times before I learned my lesson. I’ve always been an anxious person, and I struggled to put myself out there, which made it harder to connect with friends. Over the past few years, I’ve sometimes poured myself into friendships that weren’t healthy for me, not knowing because I didn’t have much else to compare it to. It shaped a big part of who am, both positively and negatively. If I could go back and change it, I’m not sure I would, though. It brought me to who I am today, and it brought me to the people I have today. And I’m happier with both. I learned what I deserve, and I learned to never settle for less than that, even if it means walking away from something you’ve built with someone. I learned that sometimes, you have to be selfish enough to do what’s best for you.

What activities are you involved in?

I’m currently enrolled in the Cookeville High School’s Chamber, Select, and Advanced choirs. In the past, I have been in two Middle Tennessee Vocal Association’s Midstate Choirs, and have recently received audition results for 2019 and will be attending for a third year in the month of November. In addition, I am currently taking a vocal master class through Cookeville Children’s Theatre (CCT). I also am currently participating in CCT’s production of High School Musical, and I have previously been in CCT’s productions of Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. I participated in Cookeville High School’s productions of Singin’ In The Rain and Newsies, as well as AMS’s production of The Sound Of Music. Recently, I volunteered as an intern over the summer for CCT’s summer camp/acting workshop, and also interned for their summer production of The Lion King: Junior.

How are you giving back to others?

Currently, I can’t say I’m all that impressive, if I’m being honest. However, my life and career goal is to make the country a better place for everyone. I’m very passionate about social justice, that’s a big reason why I’m majoring in political science and going to law school. I want to shine a light on those who feel invisible, I want to stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves, and I want to speak up for those whose voices are not heard. I want to protest injustice. I also plan on taking American Sign Language as my foreign language credit and taking the national interpretation certification test, and I want to interpret local theatre performances in ASL so that audience members who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing have the option of enjoying the arts at the same level as any hearing person, not subjected to reading closed captions and missing the magic of live theatre. It is my belief that the beauty of the arts should be available to everyone, and it would make me happy beyond measure to know I helped make that possible for others.

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

Achievement, I think, is a relative term. I could list a few audition choirs I’ve placed in, or a role I earned in a production, or some other award. But the memory that came to mind when I read this question was none of those things, it was an intensive class I participated in this summer. I struggled very much over the past few years to find my courage onstage, and my truth when performing in front of others. When I was in front of a casting director or my peers, my voice was suddenly just...gone. I remember going to a class where my peers suddenly became my supporters, not my critics, and my directors became my mentors, not my judges. I remember being so consumed by the lessons it felt like I was absorbing new things like a sponge, how I went home feeling so proud of my progress. How I sang, and wrote, and learned to see through a character’s eyes, to the point that it didn’t feel like acting at all. At the end of the week, we all performed what we had learned. And in that moment, on that stage, next to friends that now felt like family, it was the most achieved I had ever felt. Growing as a person and performer was far more valuable to me than winning any award.

How do you define being a humble person?

I think being humble is recognizing that everyone is different, but in ways that matter, we are all the same. Your lot in life doesn’t place you at a higher level than the rest of the world, and knowing this is the key to always valuing your accomplishments without comparing yours to others’. Humbleness comes from being thankful for what you have, not envious of what you don’t.

How do you define servant leadership?

Servant leadership is being a role model for those around you. You do what is best for you teammates, cast mates, fellow chorus members, whoever it may be. You show them respect, and their respect will be granted in return. It’s placing yourself in a position to help others, and not for just personal gain.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I’m not sure what else to say about why I want to go, I think I’ve pretty much covered everything. Except, maybe, that New York is literally my dream trip. I love big cities, and I also really want to sight see and eat tons of pizza and ride the subway… so…;)