Jaedon Alvira, today’s guest during class, taught all of us very important lessons and gave insight into the world of art. He is a skilled jazz musician and is part of the band Poetic Thrust. Jaedon began his influential story by describing his family life and what they saw in his future. His mother wanted him to be a doctor, but Jaedon felt the need to pursue what he enjoyed, which was studying and playing music. I related to this because I’ve seen instances where friends and other people have had goals set by their parents and not themselves. Next, he explained how he obtained a saxophone from one of his teachers after getting into LaGuardia, sparking the start of his journey into the realm of art. Today, he is obtaining his master’s degree and does various performances with his band. Jaedon described the importance of widening one’s horizons and having variety in their musical work. Sometimes he creates music from scratch, shoots music videos, or takes part in performances both large and small. This displayed that the ability to be flexible and open to new ideas is essential to success. Another important point that was made was art’s capability to bring people together and create joy. Jaedon provided an example of his band playing in a spot where many people congregate, in order to increase their popularity. One final idea that he presented to us was the importance of pushing through setbacks and having role models to look to when you need support. Clearly, Jaedon Alvira is a very successful and intelligent young musician who left a lasting impression on the class.