High School Spotlight: Heather and Hope Hemsley

I, Heather, am a writer. I find fulfillment in expressing myself through the written word, and this results in short stories, novellas, and drafts of books and TV scripts. I am passionate about writing content for future generations that is inspiring, encouraging, and challenges them to discover who they are and establish their beliefs. I have won a Sweepstakes Ribbon for my creative short story at the L.A. County Fair, have edited and published a children’s book, and have written and published two historical fiction novellas. Editing and composition are also passions of mine, which I practice while creating newsletters. In addition, I enjoy helping others with their struggles. In the future, I hope to become a motivational speaker and/or a mentor.

I, Hope, am an artist. My two biggest passions in life are helping others and expressing myself through artwork, both of which I hope to do in my future as an art therapist. I love art of any kind and have worked with almost every medium, including watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastel, charcoal, etc. One of my new favorite mediums, however, is digital media, in which I use a drawing tablet to paint on my computer. I draw inspiration from the world around me, whether it is nature, music, or movies, using it to paint scenery and characters. Like my sister, I have entered some of my drawings into the L.A. County Fair, and have received multiple 1st place awards and sweepstakes. I continue to sharpen my gifts by practicing new styles and entering into art challenges, as well as creating character concept art for an L.A. director (who happens to be my cousin!). I hope to not only spread light and joy through my art in my future career but in my everyday life.

We continue to develop our gifts and passions through the flexibility of being learners through iLEAD Exploration. Our schedule allows us hours of time for rehearsals, shows, recitals, tournaments, writing, and art. We are excited about our futures and hope to make a difference in our world through our gifts. We understand that getting the most out of life isn’t about how much we keep for ourselves, but how much we pour into others.

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Thank you, Heather and Hope, for sharing your stories with us! We are so proud of you and grateful to have you as part of our iLEAD family!