Isaac Sanders, Professional Ballet Dancer

Meet Isaac Sanders

My name is Isaac Sanders, I'm 17, and I'm a professional ballet dancer.

What inspired you to become a ballet artist?

Before I had even started ballet, I went to a ballet school's production of Swan Lake. I almost didn't get in because my mom had forgotten her purse. Luckily a woman payed for our tickets! I am forever in to debt to her because if I had not seen that performance, I would not be who I am today. The performance itself was incredible. But what really stood out to me was that there were actually boys and men on stage, and a lot of them. The older boys were especially inspiring to me, how high they jumped, how easily they lifted their partners, I was completely shocked. From there, I immediately enrolled in their summer program the following month.

What did you have to do to become a ballet artist?

Mainly, my time. I started living away from home when I was 12, training 6-7 hours a day. At first, it was so difficult, but I was OBSESSED with the art form. Because even when I wasn't at the studio, I was reading books about ballet, watching videos, researching other companies and schools, writing corrections from the day and going over all of my class work and choreography. But really, it wasn't a huge sacrifice! I loved it so much that it was never bothersome. I looked forward to each day, going to the studio and doing what I loved.

What do you have to know a lot about for your job?

Understanding how the body works. Knowing how the body works is quite challenging. But eventually, I started to understand how the body can naturally do the things it does, even if at first it seems unnatural. Turning out from the legs for example. There are muscles that we don't even think of that have to be used in different ways for turning out the legs. 

What is the hardest thing about becoming a ballet artist, and being a ballet artist?

In my opinion, it is that you must train for so long (about 8 years), and only dance until your thirties! It's a short career, because it is so hard on the body. Another thing that is difficult, is that no one really understands ballet. It is underappreciated. No one really can understand how difficult it is, until they've experienced for themselves.

What do you love most about your job?

Movement and expression. Everyday, I get to dance. I'm a very emotional person, so if I'm angry, happy, frustrated, sad, I can put all of that emotional energy into my dancing, letting it all out. And it's wonderful, because not only are you moving with more energy because of your emotions, but you are more expressive which makes the audience feel something. I also love music, and everyday I get to draw from the emotions of the music letting it flow through my body. When I'm in class, and there's a particular piece of music that we're using for that exercise that really makes me feel something inside, it makes the class so much more interesting and enjoyable from an artistic standpoint.

Did you know a male ballet dancer may lift a ton and half worth of ballerinas during a performance? 

More here.

Read about Misty Copeland, the first African American woman to be the lead dancer in the American Ballet Theater, who didn't begin ballet until she was 13 years old.

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When her kingdom falls short in fairy tale rankings, the Queen orders all her subjects to attend her new school for knights and princesses. But when the boys refuse to slay dragons and the girls protest their glass slippers, the Queen has to rethink her idea of happily ever after.

Monica Foster, Dental Hygienist and Jump Rope Coach

In my book A Royal Mess, the Queen has to learn to let everyone choose their own path. But what path do you choose? How do you decide who you want to be? To celebrate A Royal Mess going on sale, I want to introduce you to some cool people who do something that they love. Something that might sound pretty cool to you, too. 

Meet Monica Foster, Dental Hygienist 

and Jump Rope Coach

What does a dental hygienist do?

As a dental hygienist, I check adults and children's teeth for plaque (sugar bugs) and hard deposits. I clean each tooth, removing any harmful substances that can cause cavities and gingivitis. I educate my patients on using the best techniques and products for keeping a clean and healthy mouth. 

What inspired you to be a dental hygienist?

I have always been fascinated with the sciences and the medical field. I had considered the nursing field, but settled on a dental hygienist when I did more research on the work schedule and pay of a hygienist. And I love talking with so many different patients each day and seeing them come back to me every 3-6 months. I've watched so many of my patients grow from young children to adults over the years. 

What did you have to do to become a hygienist?

I attended 4 years of college classes, 2 of those years being specifically geared towards my profession. I had to take the state and national exams for gaining my license after graduation. 

What do you have to know a lot about for your job?

As a dental hygienist you have to know a lot about and be able to recognize patient comfort and discomfort. I can be really good at cleaning teeth and diagnosing problems, but if my patients are not comfortable while in my chair, they will not come back to see me every 6 months. So I spend a lot of time perfecting my skills and keeping up on new procedures, but I also try to really understand my patients needs and do my best to make them comfortable at every visit. 

What is the hardest thing about becoming a hygienist, and being a hygienist?

This job is  surprisingly hard on your body. When I was working 30+ hours a week, I did not have the energy to do much outside of work. For a time my shoulders and back hurt often. But once I was able to balance my work with proper stretching and exercise, things got better. I only work 1 day a week now, so physical fatigue is no longer an issue. 

What do you love most about your job?

I love seeing 8-10 different people every time I come to work. My day is full of colorful people, all with a different story and perspective on life to share. Sometimes patients just want to be quiet and relax through their appointment. And other times an individual wants to talk all the way through their hour appointment. I love them all. 

This is Monica cleaning her husband Matt's teeth. She loves 

all her patients, but I think she loves this one most.

What else do you want to be when you grow up? (This can be something crazy that may never come true, but that's fun to dream about...)

I have always wanted to own and manage my own gym. To this day I dream of building a large gym that can be rented out to other groups (particularly non traditional sports teams/clubs) that may have difficulty finding other places to practice. This would also allow my jump rope team to always have a place to practice and call home. Someday it will happen and it will be a glorious day. 

Tell us about what you do with the ProForm Airborne Jump Rope Team...

I have been associated with this jump rope team for almost 25 years. 10 of those years I was a competitor/performer with the team and 15 years as either an assistant or head coach. Our team is dedicated to getting kids active and living healthy lifestyles. We spend countless hours at assemblies, community shows, and afterschool clinics teaching people of all ages how to jump rope and do simple to advanced skills. 

Where have you traveled with your team?

As a teenager  I traveled the world performing and competing. Some of my favorite places were Australia, Malaysia, Japan, and Holland. One of my mist memorable performances was performing for President Clinton and President Bush in the 1997 and 2001 Presidential Inaugurations. I now travel to help train teams and judges and have spend time in France, Czech Republic, and numerous USA states in this endeavor. Most recently I took my team to Portugal to compete at the 2016 World Jump Rope Championships. They did very well and had a wonderful experience there. 

Monica and Matt with an exchange student jumper.

What do you love most about jump rope?

I love the community of jumpers, coaches, judges, and officials that I get to associate with. My team is hardworking, but more importantly, they are outstanding kids and young adults. I love that it is a unique sport that is still relatively new to many people. In that aspect, the audience is always astounded at the tricks being performed and they enjoy a good show. What we do makes people happy, and that in turn makes us happy. 

This mom can jump!

To learn more about being a dental hygienist, check out this website,

and to see some amazing jump roping, follow ProForm Airborne on Facebook.

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COEUR D'ALENE, ID

CORNER DRUG,
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When her kingdom falls short in fairy tale rankings, the Queen orders all her subjects to attend her new school for knights and princesses. But when the boys refuse to slay dragons and the girls protest their glass slippers, the Queen has to rethink her idea of happily ever after.

Matt Foster, Speech Pathologist and Humanitarian

If you love helping people, you might love being a speech pathologist.

Meet Matt Foster, Speech Pathologist and Humanitarian

What does a speech pathologist do?

I work with many people, teaching them how to organize their thoughts and put them into words to speak, sign, or use a device like an iPad that says the words that they select.  I also work with people who have difficulty with feeding or swallowing.

What inspired you to be a speech pathologist?

I always wanted to work with kids.  My sister-in-law was going to school to be a speech pathologist.  I was in college studying to have different job than a speech pathologist.  My sister in law told me about speech pathology and I changed my studies to become one.

What did you have to do to become a speech pathologist?

I went to college and got a Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology. That is a degree that takes six years to complete.

What do you have to know a lot about for your job?

It’s very important to study a lot, not just in school but out of school too.  If I don’t, than I won't be the best that I can be at my job.  I need to know a lot about how kids learn language, and also I need to know how to teach kids to communicate who may not be able to learn language in the manner of most kids.  I need to know sign language (I’m still learning it), Spanish, and how to teach kids to talk using devices like iPads that say words when the screen is pressed. 

What is the hardest thing about becoming a speech pathologist, and being a speech pathologist?

The hardest thing about becoming a speech therapist is getting accepted into a college graduate program, lasting two years, then keeping up your grades in college so they are good enough to be selected for only a limited number of students.

What do you love most about your job?

I love playing with children.  I love the relations that I form with people.  I love seeing kids use new words while in therapy.  I also love hearing from parents that their kids are saying new words at home.

What else do you want to be when you grow up? (This can be something crazy that may never come true, but that's fun to dream about...)

I want to help kids who have been abused by bad people by visiting them in their countries.  I want to see those kids smile.  I also want to help kids in my city who have been abused by bad people,  I want to be a friend to those kids and teach them that they can still work hard, accomplish goals, be happy and serve others. 

Matt is already making this dream come true by getting involved. Here are some ways he's a super hero!

I’ve been involved with an organization called Operation Shield.  I get to go to Haiti with them to visit kids in orphanages who have been rescued from dark days of doing horrible things for horrible people.  I get to help these kids see that there are people who love them.  The kids in these orphanages need help from as many people who are willing to help.  I also help them by organizing fundraisers to help pay for a counselor to visit them and help them resolve their problems. 

Matt and Monica are also super heroes to their son, who they adopted. 

We adopted a special boy over six years ago.  It was such a blessing because at the time, we could not have a child on our own; we had been trying for a very, very long time.  Now we have two children, our second child was a miracle too.  Now, we are thinking that maybe we will adopt again soon.  The cool thing that adoption has taught me is that “love is stronger than blood,” meaning that if someone is part of your family, it doesn’t matter if you are related to them biologically or through adoption, the bonds of love keep you together as a family.  Sometimes I forget that my son is adopted because, at this point in time, he’s just my son.

If you're feeling heroic like the Fosters, 
check out this website full of ideas for serving your community.

To learn more about how to be a speech therapist, check out this.

And try these to learn more about how your voice works, and what causes stuttering.

At your library:

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CORNER DRUG,
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When her kingdom falls short in fairy tale rankings, the Queen orders all her subjects to attend her new school for knights and princesses. But when the boys refuse to slay dragons and the girls protest their glass slippers, the Queen has to rethink her idea of happily ever after.

Rachel Olpin, Hair Stylist

In my book A Royal Mess, the Queen has to learn to let everyone choose their own path. But what path do you choose? How do you decide who you want to be? To celebrate A Royal Mess going on sale, I want to introduce you to some cool people who do something that they love. Something that might sound pretty cool to you, too. 

Meet Rachel Olpin, Hair Stylist

"I make people feel beautiful and good about themselves."

What inspired you to be a hair stylist? 

Growing up I always enjoyed changing my hair color and was always growing my hair out long and then chopping it all off.  I enjoyed all the different things you could do with your hair.   My mom was the one that convinced me to go to beauty school. I think she just wanted me to go so I could do her hair all the time!

What did you have to do to become a hair stylist?

I had to go to school for 2400 hours in order to graduate. In that 2400 hours that I was at school I had to learn how to do everything I would need to work in a salon.   At the end of the 2400 hours I had to take 3 different tests to get my license and to be able to work in a salon.

What do you have to know a lot about for your job?

In my job you need to know your COLORS and ANGLES. I have the color wheel memorized inside and out!  You need to know what color you will get when you mix different colors together. With angles you need to know how the hair will lay with the different angles that you are cutting the hair. 

What is the hardest thing about becoming a hair stylist, and being a hair stylist?

The hardest thing about becoming a stylist is building a clientele. It takes a lot of time and effort to get people to come in and trust you with their hair.  Another hard and frustrating thing can be scheduling people and staying on schedule during your day. 

What do you love most about your job?

I love the creativity that I get to use in my job!!  I was never the best at coloring growing up and it was never my most favorite thing to do. But I found out that I love to color people's hair!  So maybe my problem growing up was that I didn't like to color on paper. 

What else do you want to be when you grow up? (This can be something crazy that may never come true, but that's fun to dream about...)

When I really grow up I want to be a Shamu trainer!  I want to swim with the whales and dolphins. No sharks please! 

Tell me about the time you spent serving in another country...

I spent 4 months in Quito, Ecuador. While I was there I worked in 5 different orphanages. After being there 3 weeks I was assigned to be over an orphanage that had over 40 babies ranging from new born to 3 years old.    That is where I spent most of my time. My time in that orphanage was spent basically taking care of their every day needs. Anything from feeding and changing them to therapy and just playing and making them smile and laugh everyday. While in Ecuador I got to do some traveling too. I got to visit villages up the Amazon river and got to climb the Andes mountains.  I also was able to visit the equator and a huge butterfly farm where at one point I had 15 butterflies on me all at once.  I got to jump off waterfalls and go down a slide through the mountains that dropped me 15 feet into a river!  

What inspired you to go on that adventure?

My grandparents had served over there and had an amazing experience. I was in a place in my life where I wanted and needed to get away and wrap myself up in service. 

What was the hardest part?

Knowing that all those kids didn't have moms and dads and that I couldn't take them home with me.

What did you love the most?

I loved being able to show all those kids what it felt like to be loved and to be able to hug and kiss them everyday that I was there. 

What did you learn?

I learned to be grateful for what I had back home. A family!

If you think Rachel is awesome like I do, you can tell her so in the comments, or ask her some questions about Ecuador or her job helping people feel beautiful.

Here's a great article about what it takes to become a hairstylist.

Here's a great place to find out about how to serve in your community.

And at your library:

AVAILABLE FROM:

THE WELL-READ MOOSE, 
COEUR D'ALENE

CORNER DRUG,
DRIGGS, ID

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

BOOKS A MILLION

When a kingdom falls short in fairy tale rankings, the Queen orders all her subjects to attend her new school for knights and princesses. But when the boys refuse to slay dragons and the girls protest their glass slippers, the Queen has to rethink her idea of happily ever after.

Tyre Holfeltz, Wildland Firefighter

I love my forest. Last summer it was dry and windy, and a fire came so close, we were warned we may have to evacuate our house. I worried that I would not only lose my home, but the beautiful area around it. Thank goodness for firefighters! 

Meet Tyre Holfeltz,

Wildland Firefighter

He's one of those heroic people who dedicate their lives to putting out fires and keeping us safe. 

He has a unique job as a firefighter.

Tell us what you do...

I manage part of the wildland fire program for the state of Idaho.  I work with partners to get grant money from the US Forest Service to help Idaho residents prepare themselves for wildfire by removing trees and shrubs from around their homes and properties.  I also help counties create plans that deal with reducing wildfire risk and help to get everyone working together.  To complete these tasks I spend a lot of time driving around the state, which means I'm gone from my family a lot.  I know how important it is to help other people so it makes it a little easier to be gone so much.

What inspired you to be a fire fighter?

My mom was a nurse and my dad a police officer while I was growing up and I thought it was always pretty cool the things they got to do.  I got my first wildland fire job because of my mom's contacts and I really liked what I did and was able to see what a difference can be made by a group of highly dedicated individuals.


What did you have to do to become a fire fighter?

I had to go through a lot of training in a classroom and practice with my team.  I have also had to keep myself in good physical shape, because being a wildland firefighter is physically demanding as we hike a lot and work long days outside. I also decided I wanted a college degree so I got several degrees, one in particular in fire ecology which has helped me with my current job.

What do you have to know a lot about for your job?

Communication is one of the most important parts of my job.  I have to be able to write really well, talk to people in a way that shares important information and listen to the ideas and concerns of all kinds of people.  

Another thing that's really important to know as a wildland firefighter is that when someone of more experience says to do something, you should do it because it will help to keep you safe.



What is the hardest thing about becoming a fire fighter, and being a fire fighter?

The hardest part of the job now is being away from my family, especially when I'm on assignments because sometimes they can be more than two weeks.

When I first started, the hardest part was the long hours and sometimes the very little sleep I got when fighting a wildfire.  I seemed to always be tired, which made me a bit hard to be around because I wasn't always as nice as I'm supposed to be.

What do you love most about your job?

I love the people I get to work with!  They are so passionate and determined to make a difference for the residents of Idaho.

I also really enjoy being able to see and visit so many different places not only in Idaho but throughout the western United States.

What else do you want to be when you grow up? (This can be something crazy that may never come true, but that's fun to dream about...)

I've always dreamed about being a farmer.  Have lots of land to work, plant and harvest.  I also think it would be pretty cool to have and operate tractors and other farm machinery.  It would also mean I could finally own chickens because I would have the space and time to care for them.  Also, because I owned the land it would mean more time to hunt deer and birds as I don't get out as much as I would like.

A big thank you to Tyre for teaching about his job that keeps us all safe. 

If you think Tyre's job sounds fascinating, take a look at these websites about fighting fires. 

www.explainthatstuff.com/firefighting

National Parks Service Fire Basics for Kids

At your library:

AVAILABLE FROM:

THE WELL-READ MOOSE,
COEUR D'ALENE

CORNER DRUG 
DRIGGS, ID

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

BOOKS A MILLION

When a kingdom falls short in fairy tale rankings, the Queen orders all her subjects to attend her new school for knights and princesses. But when the boys refuse to slay dragons and the girls protest their glass slippers, the Queen has to rethink her idea of happily ever after.