Hello, my name is Kiera Flannigan and I am a sophomore. I have been performing with Kidz Konnection since 5th grade but it feels like forever when I think about the bonds I have formed in my years here. I cannot express how thankful I am that I have a place that I can call my second home. Performing in front of people on stage and practicing being the best that I can be has boosted my self confidence over the years. Working with so many other people my age has made me realize that everyone has their own story and that my story is not over because it has plenty of more chapters left. It has also made me realize how teenagers are very different but also very alike and writing and performing a production about teen mental health has made a very big impact on this. Writing a very heavy production like Escaping the Noise has given me a wake up call. It has truly changed my perspective on the world and I could not be any more thankful because all I want to do is be there for other people and have a good understanding of what people go through. I have learned that this is truly what I want to pursue when I am older whether it's onstage or offstage, it is a dream of mine to work in the performing industry. Writing is something that I have loved all my life. The first memory I have of discovering my love of writing was when I was in 2nd grade and ever since then I cannot go a day without writing even if it's just jotting down random thoughts in a notebook and this is why I joined Zip to Script. The people of Kidz Konnection are truly what made this special for me. I have many unbreakable bonds there and I could not be more thankful for having so many people I could go to when I am struggling. Thinking about my own personal struggles and hearing about others and getting to add them to this production has been truly incredible