By Kirstyn Lyles
Hide-and-seek might seem like an innocent game, but in the mind of a child, it is far more complex. For Kierra Rand, the confines of her neighborhood, Wood Street, made it even more challenging. Endless nooks and crannies could serve as hiding spots; she could attempt to blend in with a cedar fence or climb up a tree and grip the edge of a branch like a koala. Almost anything was fair game. The thrill of the hunt was unmatched—especially if she was the last one standing. The final victor was Rand herself.
To Rand, that memory stands out in her mind as something of utmost importance, as it taught her about victory at a young age.
Rand first attended Galloway Elementary, then Northwest Middle School and is currently attending Jim Hill High School—all in Jackson, Miss., so she has had an authentic “City with Soul” experience.
School is a mixed bag of enjoyment for Rand. Interacting with new people is both positive and negative, since there are some people she can’t click with easily. “Sometimes, due to my personality, people just don’t like me for some reason,” she says. “People tend to be messy, and I feed into it because I don’t let people do me any kind of way.”
Still, Rand has been able to find genuine friends during her time at school. “My favorite part is just being around my friends and making new friends because I like talking to people a lot,” she says. In her family, Rand says she tends to just be there. “They seem closer with each other than with me,” she says.
Rand describes her personality as one of “vibrancy,” though some of it is hidden behind a veil of introversion. “I’m really shy when I first meet people, but if you know me, I’m energetic,” she says. She likes meeting new people and spending time with her friends. Since Rand enjoys camaraderie immensely, her effusive side comes out more naturally.
During her spare time, Rand embraces her creativity by combining outfits and doing hair. “I like to be cute,” she says. Hair is a bit of a different story, as doing braids is not something she considers a part of her wheelhouse. “I enjoy doing it, but it’s not something I would put as my main career. I just enjoy it on the side,” she says. Her future career aspirations are either in the nursing or dental field. This is both for personal satisfaction and the lucrative possibilities both careers offer.
Collaboration is important to fueling Rand’s creativity. She usually seeks advice from her friends on which potential attire is best suited to her. They can also rely on her for feedback on their own choices. “I like being with my friends,” Rand says. “A lot of my friends can collaborate with each other. We get on the phone and make outfits together.”
The Youth Media Project is Rand’s first legitimate job. She joined in part due to her mother’s suggestion; however, she was really interested in what the program offers. Rand has conducted numerous interviews with different people that pertain to various topics, especially life in Mississippi. The focus of the Youth Media Project this year is election-based, so much of what Rand has worked on is about elections and the different issues people care about and can vote on.
As Rand was still growing acclimated to the environment, she expressed excitement in what opportunities lie in store for her. “It’s new for me,” she says of the Youth Media Project. “It’s teaching me new things about working.”
Click here to read more about Kirstyn Lyles, who wrote this piece about fellow Youth Media Project student journalist Haley Bradford.
