CAPTURING Teen Team: Real Chats About Friendships, Dreams & Growing Up

There’s something special that happens when you get a group of girls together and let them open up about real life. Between laughter, inside jokes, and a few “same here” moments, the conversation starts to feel like therapy, but with a whole lot more giggling.

This month, the Teen Team sat down for a little heart-to-heart — talking about everything from high school drama and big dreams to the friendships that shape who they are.

Funzies!

We kicked things off with the light stuff — the “funzies” questions that make everyone smile.

For Chloe Quick, her go-to comfort movie is Dirty Dancing (“It’s my favorite!”), while Kyleigh Smith swears by E.T. on Netflix. “It’s definitely my comfort movie,” she said.

Kristlyn Kehrer’s comfort song is The Girls by Megan Moroney — and when life gets overwhelming, she puts on her headphones and listens to Megan, Hudson Westbrook, or the Jonas Brothers. Music, it seems, is a common escape.

Addy Ross finds peace in prayer and music, too. “To calm down I either listen to music or pray — I find peace in that,” she shared. Her favorite Teen Team memory? The big sister reveal — a moment full of excitement and smiles.

When asked what the title of their life movie would be, the girls laughed, thinking of all the chaos and heart they’ve experienced — and it’s safe to say, it would be a hit.

Dreams and Goals

Talking about the future always lights up the room. Every girl on the Teen Team has something big in her heart — something she’s working toward.

Kristlyn hopes to earn her cosmetology license and build a loyal clientele: “One goal I have in the next few years is getting my cos license and having a good clientele going into the working class.”

Kyleigh dreams of growing her photography and turning it into something big. “I want to get really big, start getting clients, and make bank,” she laughed — but she’s serious about it, too.

Taylor Wadsworth finds inspiration from close to home. “My parents inspire me the most when it comes to chasing my dreams because they’re always there to support me and help me through everything.”

For Bailey Baldasare, her strength comes from the hard times she’s faced. “When things get hard, it motivates me to work harder because I want to go far,” she said. “That way, I won’t have to deal with those problems or people.”

And when asked what she’s learned about herself this year, Bailey didn’t hesitate: “I’ve learned that I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was.”

Handling Stress & Pressure

High school can be a lot — balancing school, friends, and everything else that comes with growing up. The girls were honest about how they handle it all.

For Addy, it’s about turning to faith and music. For Kristlyn, it’s a quiet moment with her headphones. Taylor finds her peace outside. “Something that always lifts my mood is going out to the barn and spending time with my animals,” she said.

Bailey opened up about something deeply real — her journey through depression. “I’ve struggled with depression for a couple years now, but it got worse when my friend died. I started going to therapy and actually talking about my depression — that’s what helps me.”

The group’s honesty reminded everyone that even when things get heavy, they’re not alone — and there’s always a way forward.

High School & Drama

Ah, high school — where every week feels like a new episode of a reality show.

Taylor has learned that not everyone who calls themselves a friend truly is one. “Friends are going to let you down sometimes, and you just have to let them go and find your real friends that actually care for you.”

Bailey agreed, saying one of her biggest lessons didn’t come from a classroom: “As you and people grow up, your interests are going to be different, and sometimes that means friendships grow apart.”

Kristlyn added, “You can’t try and be someone you’re not — you have to be who you are.”

That message hit home for everyone: staying true to yourself might be the hardest, but most rewarding, part of growing up.

Friendship

If there’s one thing this group knows well, it’s how much friendships matter.

Kristlyn said it best: “Something I value most in a friend is kindness and being there for me whenever I need it.”

Addy shared a moment that stuck with her — when a friend simply laughed at her joke after someone had been rude to her. “That small thing meant a lot to me,” she said.

Teagan Reynolds had a heartfelt take on how friendships evolve: “People change as they grow, and they aren’t going to like the same things as they used to. Maybe a boy gets into their life and changes who they are — you can’t do anything about that. If a friendship ends, you can’t force it to stay. You just have to let go and maybe it’s for the best.”

Bailey summed it up perfectly: “When you’re younger, you need a friend to play with. But when you’re older, you need a friend who will support your dreams and help you grow into an adult.”

Closing Thoughts

The Teen Team Talk wasn't just a Q&A — it was a reminder that behind every smile is a story, behind every goal is a challenge, and behind every friendship is a lesson learned.

These girls are growing, dreaming, laughing, and figuring out who they are — together. And that’s the real beauty of the Teen Team.