Tayler Gomez

CROWN POINT, INDIANA

“Change your thoughts and change your world -Norman Vincent Peale”

OUTGOING | DETERMINED | COMPASSIONATE | HARDWORKING | LOYAL

My Story:

There are many factors that go into writing the pages of my story. These pages define me and my destiny in the world. I am a senior at Crown Point High School. I have been cheering there for the past four years on the varsity team. I am held to the standard of being the stereotype of a “cheerleader” and many of the aspects I find myself falling into. I am very outgoing and humble. I have been an athlete my whole life and it started with gymnastics at a young age which led to dance and finally cheerleading. There have been many hardships with the sports I have played but they have shaped me into the person I am today. Being an athlete you have to juggle many things from keeping up with school, to endless hours of practice, and having a social life. These things have made me the strongest version of myself. During my past four years of high school I have found to love myself for who I am. I have grown to be comfortable with my looks, image, and size. These three things nowadays are defining women and I think the strongest characteristic of myself is the ability to be comfortable with these things.

From a young age my mom has always taught me to follow certain values and morals whether that is treating people the way you want to be treated or the importance of kindness. These morals I have always lived by but, the most important one she has taught me is that honesty can get a person real far in life. I have always respected honesty in all of my friendships and other relationships. It shows the true strength of an individual and that they can accept their wrongdoings. Being honest with myself is the most important of all. I am very passionate about many things, one thing, in particular, is confidence.

Something that I have struggled with over my life is always being “too tall.” Throughout middle school and high school I have always been very tall especially for a girl. This caused my self-esteem to decline. Over the past few years, I have learned that being tall is not a bad thing. Being able to hold myself in a way that my height is glorified is the best type of confidence to have. Beyond all the pictures I take I am an ordinary teenage girl. I spend my weekdays doing school work and my weekends hanging out with my friends. I enjoy a movie night with the girls or just staying in and playing games with the family. The amount of love I have for the people who are most important to me goes above and beyond. I cherish every moment I have with them.

One day I see myself having a family of my own and I hope to impact their world just as much as my family has impacted mine. Overall, my life is very ordinary but, throughout my eighteen years of living I have learned that my impact on this world is only important if it is what I strive to make it. Hi I’m Tayler Gomez and this is my story.

Favorite part of working with PAT+CASSIE:

My favorite part about working with Pat and Cassie is that they truly take the time out to understand you. They put the girls/boys that they are shooting first and make sure that they are comfortable and enjoying their sessions. They both have a great sense of humor and I know I will always leave a session with a smile on my face. They have truly shown me a side of myself that I never saw in the past.

What advice would you give underclassmen?:

This year has shown and taught me many things. One piece of advice I could give is to never take anything for granted. Spend that extra second to say “hello” to the people you see. Tell the ones who matter in your life you love them, give them that hug, because you don't know when it will be the last time seeing them. Lastly, be the type of person who is happy for others even when things don’t go right for you.

Instagram: tayler_gomez

Rachel Fleszewski

CEDAR LAKE, INDIANA

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”

HAPPY | OUTGOING | KIND

My Story:

I am someone who loves adventure. Nothing makes me happier than visiting new places, trying new things, and making memories with the people I love! This is why one of my passions is traveling. Another passion of mine is to make the people around me feel happy and loved. I spend most of my free time hanging out with my family or friends and I wouldn’t want it any other way! They are my biggest support system and have pushed me to achieve anything I put my mind to. My goal in life is to be successful, but love what I do. You only have one life, so live it without regrets!

Favorite part of working with PAT+CASSIE:

My favorite part about working with PAT+CASSIE was getting the chance to meet new people and modeling in unique photoshoots.

What advice would you give underclassmen?:

Never change who you are for someone else! Real friends will stick by your side no matter what and will encourage you to be unapologetically yourself. High school goes by in the blink of an eye, so be sure to make memories that will last a lifetime!

Instagram: rachel_fleszewski

Amanda Schreiber

CEDAR LAKE, INDIANA

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.”

CREATIVE | OUTGOING | COMPASSIONATE

My Story:

Who am I? As a 18 year old I have never been able to fully answer that question. My life is filled with sports, clubs, friends and Netflix, but through experiences I have learned how to live life to the fullest. As an individual I see myself as an extrovert. I am the type of person that isn’t afraid of what is next and takes every step with excitement. I look for adventures in the sun, and for better tomorrows. I believe that life does not give you challenges that you cannot overcome. I am the type of person to have many dreams and passions. I have a motor that drives me to be the best version of myself.

My life has consisted of many things, but my greatest passion is for the game of basketball. I have had many leadership roles and grown up with role models that taught me so much about life in general. As an individual I would choose to impact the world in a way where no one should be afraid to be themselves, where they believe that diversity is unity. I believe that acceptance is the key to new beginnings, when you see a world with love and not hate you see life as it should be. So, if I were to say who I was, I would answer that I am a girl with dreams, and a girl that’s not afraid to live her life as if there is no tomorrow, and strive for something greater that lies ahead.

Favorite part of working with PAT+CASSIE:

My favorite part about working with Pat and Cassie was the experiences. I was able to be apart of shoots that were unique and so fun to be a part of. I experienced self love, and feeling like I was able to express myself in a picture and get support from them. I was able to appreciate the beauty that pat and cassie was able to capture in a photo. All those experiences led to my view on Pat and Cassie that I will never take for granted.

What advice would you give underclassmen?:

Be your true self. Always know your worth. Don't worry if you feel different from others, show it off, be extravagant, there is no better way to live than just accepting yourself. There is much more to you than what others see on the surface. Don’t get so caught up in the difficulties of the moment since they are only temporary. Don’t dwell on the past. Lastly, everything happens for a reason. There is no right or wrong in life, just experiences and lessons that make you a better person everyday. Stop and smell the flowers, enjoy life and most of all, just have fun!

Instagram: amandaalouuu

Kaylee Hoffman

DYER, INDIANA

“She believed she could, so she did.”

AMBITIOUS | LOYAL | PERSISTENT

My Story:

Describing who I am comes as no easy task to me. I feel as if I have scratched the surface on who I am or will become, but I guess that comes with always looking to better myself. I am a very hard working, determined, and goal oriented person, and I apply those traits to all aspects of my life. In school, I have set the standard very high for myself and achieved that with good grades and graduating with the honors diploma. In athletics, I stuck with a sport, cross country, all four years that time after time knocked me down. When I say knocked me down I mean physically because I would pass out a lot, but also mentally too. I am always looking to challenge myself because I feel that is when you can fully appreciate the rewards that come with it.

I hope that one day my hard work will allow me to be able to travel the world and see new places because that is one of my passions. Although, I am constantly focused on what the future holds, I have also learned to appreciate the opportunities and moments in the present.

I became very involved in many activities throughout high school, and I certainly do not regret it. One of my favorite things I participated in was being the "lady indian" for sporting events because it was really fun and it allowed me to be a leader in the student section.

Outside of school I love to surround myself with good friends and family that I feel bring out the best in me and that I can make good memories with. When it comes to the people I care about, I am extremely loyal to them, and I would have to say that is one of my favorite qualities about myself. Although there is still a lot more potential and growth for me in the future, the qualities that embody me today I plan to take with me in the rest of my journey.

What advice would you give underclassmen?:

I would advise underclassmen to make the most of every opportunity that comes their way because time flies by fast in high school. Try to get involved in as much things as possible so that you have countless memories to look back on. Also, do not slack off in school!

instagram: kayyhoffman

Haven Stanley

LOWELL, INDIANA

My Story:
I am a very outgoing person with a big personality and succeed in anything I put my mind to. Ever since I was a little girl I always had so much self confidence and never cared what anyone thought because my family made me feel beautiful… up until about 8th grade.

I had an eating disorder that went unrecognized for about a year. It took a toll on my passion, pitching. I started playing softball when I was 4 and pitching when I was 8. When I started losing weight, I started losing my strength, which then affected my happiness, which was softball. My focus then started shifting to becoming the best version of myself, on and off the field, and embracing my athletic build. I fell in love with working out, eating right, and focusing on what I needed to do to be healthy.

I am now 5’7, 150 and embrace the fact that I am an athletic build who is most importantly, healthy. Softball, working out, and being healthy is my passion and Pat and Cassie have helped me capture it in their photography and style. In my freetime you will see me in workout clothes, no makeup, and my hair in a bun. However, getting ready at Pat and Cassie’s studio is one of my favorite things to do and they compliment my essence so well. I want every girl to know how beautiful they are in their own ways and be able to recognize it, embrace it, and share it with the world!

Instagram: Haven.victoria

Alaina Seren

DYER, INDIANA

“Live for the moments you can’t put into words.”

My Story:

Everything happens for a reason. I know that saying is cheesy, but it’s true. I think each minute in our lives has its own specific purpose. Every decision or action, good or bad, is leading you to where you’re supposed to end up. Some people would consider this mindset to be too optimistic, but I am optimistic. Engulfing myself with positivity is my main goal. Life is way too short to not be surrounding yourself with the people and things that make you the happiest. There is too much negativity in the world to have time to stop and dwell on it.

I think the little things in life are my favorite. The absolute best feeling for me is when you are surrounded by people you love, laughing so hard you don’t have anymore air in your lungs, and there’s not even a sound coming out anymore. Moments like that are what I live for. Pure joy. Growing up is kinda scary as we’re making all these big, stressful decisions, but I know I’ll end up where I’m supposed to be and as long as I have those moments of pure joy, I know I’ll be doing good.

Favorite part of working with PAT+CASSIE:

Getting to know and work with such an amazing team, taking pictures with my best friend, and discovering a confidence within myself that I never knew I had.

Instagram: alainaseren