A La Porte County Life in the Spotlight: Taylor Jump

Taylor-JumpBeing true to who you are takes a lot of work. It takes love and strength. Taylor Jump, a senior at La Porte High School has taken her time to be true to herself. Along the way, she has impacted people’s lives, put her life down into fascinating tales of love, and has even lost herself into the mind of another on stage. Jump is the kind of person that will always stand up for herself, and make sure that the world will never knock her down.

“I used to be really shy and scared to talk to people.” Jump said, “But then my favorite Teacher, Mrs. Kanney inspired me to try out for the play.”

Jump used to be a face in the crowd. One whose voice was never heard. But after gaining a lot of confidence and inspiration from Erica Kanney, an English teacher at La Porte High School. Her first performance was Snow White a Tale of a Hip-Hop Diva Where she played the important part of the narrator. Since then she has really branched out and was able to find out more about herself and the way her voice could be used as a tool.

Jump used her voice in the form of writing in the beginning. She won the Eiselman Contest which is a school-wide writing contest with three sections; Poetry, Personal Narrative, and Short Story. Her sophomore year she won the poetry section, and her junior year she won her Personal Narrative. She has included much of her poetry in the Reflections Literary Magazine, which is a collection of student writings put together by the school’s Creative Writing students.

“Choir is what made high school amazing for me,” Jump explained, “I feel very much included in a family and I don’t know what I would do without the people in that class.”

Jump’s opinions and desires have been suppressed by many of the people that surround her daily life. Being in choir, she has truly become a voice, and the people in it have given her the strength to be confident in who she is. Her goal in life is to change the world with her voice. She sees the people who are oppressed in the world, and she wants to give them a voice just as her friends and family gave her her own.

Growing up, Taylor Jump has had the issue of trying to be comfortable in her own skin. Being active in things like choir, the school plays, and Little Theatre has given her confidence and has given her the strength to be true to herself.

“Fake it til you make it,” Taylor said, “even though I didn't believe I was beautiful, I kept telling myself I was to the point where I realized I truly am beautiful.”

Taylor strives to make sure everybody is comfortable in their own skin. she has learned from her own life and wants to pass down her words of wisdom down to others.

“Everybody is beautiful and everybody deserves to be comfortable in their own skin,” Jump declared, “and I want to help give those people struggling the strength, voice, and confidence to be comfortable in their own skin.”

Jump has a big heart and thick skin. She is always available to help those in need of an inspirational talk or just simply a friend. Her words are both soothing and powerful, a sword and shield. Join her and her voice. One voice can make an impact, but a chorus of words can truly make an impact and go the extra distance in this world.