According to Abby, if she were to meet herself, she would say to that person, “You lose friends and valuables; nothing on this earth is permanent. Everything burns and vanishes; you need to be focused on what matters.” On the verge of 8th Grade, Abby has been a part of the TPS community for five years and has been chosen for Teacher Spotlight Columnist 2022-2023. As an aspiring clay columnist, she always wanted to be a part of clay and enjoyed learning about different people from different backgrounds in her free time. Outside of the TPS, Abby lives in Connecticut after having grown up in China for twelve years on the mission field.
With a large family and pet hamster at home, Abby finds her role as the middle child to be noisy, messy, chaotic, yet enjoyable. Her friends and family would describe Abby as intelligent, intuitive, and a helper with a heart of gold. Putting others before herself is Abby’s life motto. She describes it as her greatest strength, as well as her greatest downfall.
Abby loves to read. When she gets a new book, her eyes light up, and she can’t wait to start reading. She loves to be swept away by the author’s words and to feel the characters come alive on the page. She often finds herself completely immersed in the story, and she feels a sense of thrill and adventure when she’s reading. Abby volunteers at her local library and enjoys helping people. She is a selfless person who always strives to help others. She prefers to leave the spotlight for someone else and describes herself as a side character. Abby is always willing to lend a helping hand whenever she can. If Abby were any movie character, she would be Kronk from Emperor’s New Groove. “He lives in the moment, he’s funny but also helpful, and he’s really into whatever he does. He’s on the side but also a beloved character. I think if I were a character in a movie, I would be Kronk.” Also in her free time,
Abby loves experimenting with different foods and trying to create creative concoctions for her sister, who is non-dairy & non-gluten. In her natural habitat, Abby enjoys her local coffee shop. “I love going to the library and local coffee shop, the Bean, for a break and a cup of coffee. There’s a cool outdoor seating where I can enjoy the season’s different specials like the Campfire, a toasted marshmallow mocha. This place is small but cool, and I love that it keeps evolving to meet the needs of its customers. This is my favorite place to go when I need to get away and focus on my work.” Abby has a bright personality and is determined for her 8th-grade year and job as Teacher’s Spotlight Columnist in clay. As her favorite quote reads, “Made in your image, no one to impress. Without even trying. I’m perfectly dressed. Here for a moment, composing my song. And I have a heart that you’ve made your home. Worry has cost me so much, now I’m just learning to trust like a wildflower.” Wildflower by Clay Finnesand.