1. Faith Dunaway Dunaway 1
Mrs. Shoupe
Senior Project
15 January 2016
Philosophy Statement
I believe everyone has the potential to bring something unique and special to the world,
no matter how young. I believe everyone should live life to their full potential, and I believe
everyone is a capable individual. I have a vision of a world where people learn to respect, accept,
and embrace the differences between us. This is the core of what makes life and each person so
fascinating. I also believe that no matter how bad your circumstances might be, there’s always
something to be thankful for.
Throughout my life I have been exposed to values that have lined up with what I believe,
but I also have been exposed to values that have gone completely against my beliefs. Many
people use the excuse that because they’ve been exposed to bad values, they have a reason to
practice these poor values. And while your experiences do shape you, you can chose, and have
the power to chose, right from wrong. My beliefs have been shaped mostly, by my exposure to
bad values. I saw what I wished other people would value, and I saw how negatively these poor
beliefs reflected on their lives, and I chose not to conform to what people thought I would. I
decided to try to hold important what I wished others would.
I’ve gotten told multiple times that people never expected me to get this far or to turn out
like I did. While I’m frustrated that they set such low expectations of me, I’m also happy that I’m
proving the people wrong that said I couldn’t do it. Being at Crossnore has its ups and downs,
but one good thing is that I’m surrounded by a support network that is encouraging and one that
is pushing me forward. They’ve helped me keep and develop my good values. I will help my

2. Dunaway 2
values continue into the future by trying to maintain a conscious effort to remember the person
that I want to be. I will also try to think in ways that will enable me to act constructively. I will
also remain aware of what I’m doing and why I did it and not acting impulsively. I will also
think how my actions will affect the others around me before I do them. If I keep these things in
mind, I should be able to carry these forward.
These beliefs will help me be a good citizen outside of Crossnore because respect and
honesty are core values that will help me no matter what aspect of life I’m in. If I practice these
values while I’m in Crossnore, once I’m outside of Crossnore, I’ll know what I believe in and I
won’t have to try to figure out where I stand with my morals. If I’m sure of what I believe in, I’ll
be less likely to cave into peer pressure, and I’ll be more likely to make wise choices. If I adhere
to my values I’ll also be setting a good example and I’ll be a positive leader. Also, I’ll be
contributing to my society by doing my job to the best of my ability. These values are all good,
but in order to be successful I need to implement them. I hope ten years from now these values
and beliefs will still be a very active part of my life.