ciera thompson Florence , AL
photography by Butler Studio
ciera thompson Florence , AL
stats
16 , Junior at Florence High School teen spotlight notable
University of Alabama Capstone Leadership Selection FBLA Vice President Culverhouse Majors Awareness Program Member
quotable
“ Prayer and preparation are my personal mission . I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me . That is where the prayer comes in . My part is the preparation- I need to be prepared for whatever opportunity comes my way .”
her story
Ciera ’ s love for fashion has been apparent since the beginning- she has been sewing since the age of seven , and began selling purses at nine . As her skills have improved , she has won several awards for her sewing , including first place in the North Alabama State Fair ’ s sewing competition and first place in an Alabama Quilter ’ s competition . At Florence High School , she is the FLBA Vice President , FCCLA Vice President of Finance , and member of the women ’ s varsity basketball team . She shares , “ The things that have provided me with the most inspiration in my life are the things I have been unsuccessful at . I know that sounds strange , but I learned at a young age that I am never in competition with anyone but myself . What I achieve or fail to achieve is not based on anyone ’ s performance but my own .”
what ’ s next
“ I want to be an accountant , and I eventually want to open my own fashion design company .” She explains , “ My love for fashion started with sewing with both my grandmothers . I learned as much as they were willing to teach me , and then I started taking classes at local places .”
PG ( parental guidance ) rating
“ If I had to pick a person that inspires me to learn from my mistakes , it would be my mother . She is there to pick me up , and we are even able to laugh about it after the tears .” Ciera appreciates that her family is perseverant and is able to stick to a task until it ’ s done . parents ’ perspective
Christopher and Sarita admire Ciera ’ s compassion and self-motivation . Sarita adds , “ Ciera is humble and gracious . She never wants the focus to be totally about her , and she is always mindful of others and how they feel .”
parent-to-parent
“ Parenting is hard work that does not come with a manual ,” Sarita shares . “ I would advise parents not to pattern their style after anyone else . No child is like any other child , so what works for one parent may not work for you .”
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26 | Spring 2018 www . potentialmagazine . com