Looking into Isabelle’s eyes I could see the optic nerves, but she didn’t react at all to the light of the ophthalmoscope. The veterinarian was gentle with our stoic cat as she verified my suspicion that Isabelle had gone blind. I was sad she had lost her sight, but also proud to have been the one to notice her odd behavior and correctly guess the cause. Being right in my diagnosis was affirming my dream of becoming a veterinarian myself. It is impossible to pinpoint when I first began planning this career of caring for our fellow creatures. Born of my love for animals, I have carried this dream within me for many years. Growing up, I was actively involved in our pets’ care through all phases of their lives. I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently explained what she was looking for and what it meant. I witnessed the effects of old age and disease on cats and dogs. In addition to the many clubs and other activities I took part in during high school, I volunteered with local animal shelters. My tasks primarily consisted of giving the animals exercise and socialization for their physical and emotional health. I also helped with adoption events. Seeing these victims of unethical breeding, overpopulation, neglect, and abuse had a huge impact on me. I grew even more passionate about improving the quality of life for all animals. My summer job at a pet “resort” and boarding facility was the most physically demanding, but the redeeming factor was working with the dogs all day. These dogs had families and were well loved. My experience goes beyond household pets. I have attended various farm, science, and nature camps, familiarizing myself with domestic and wildlife populations. I banded hummingbirds, brushed down horses, and surveyed reptile and amphibian varieties. I learned about the world around me by studying the creatures it supports. I am dedicated to protecting our environment and the creatures living within it. I have carried out projects benefiting wildlife and raising public awareness of the threats they face from pollution and habitat displacement. My Girl Scout Bronze Award project informed people of how to seek help for injured wild animals they might encounter. After learning about bats, I focused my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the needs of the bats of North Carolina, including constructing and installing my own bat house to help establish a protected colony. Earning a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine is a long and difficult path that will take many years of education and training. I have begun by working toward a bachelor’s degree in Biology. This will provide a sound foundation for my graduate coursework. To prepare for this, I took additional biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes while in high school. These piqued my interest in the development of new products or procedures to treat the diseases that discomfort, maim or kill, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and cancer. Improvements in animal outcomes might also lead to developing new treatments for humans. With this knowledge and experience, I will tackle veterinary postgraduate studies, concentrating on the intricacies and ailments of pets and wildlife. Upon completion of my Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, my ideal position would be in an emergency animal hospital or rescue organization, using my skills and training to treat animals with urgent medical needs. Until then, I will continue helping where I can and I have already joined the shelter dog walks at my college. As always, I try to treat all animals with gentleness, love, and respect.

Looking deeply into Isabelle’s eyes I could see the optic nerves, but she didn’t flinch and her pupils did not contract from the light of the ophthalmoscope. Our veterinarian had shown me how to examine the cat’s eyes before, however, this time we were confirming my suspicion that she had gone blind. I was sad Isabelle had lost her sight, but also proud to have noticed her odd behavior and correctly guessed the cause. It is impossible to pinpoint the moment I first wanted to become a veterinarian. Born of my love for animals and my innate curiosity, I have carried this dream in my heart for many years. Growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently explained what she was looking for, while letting me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope. I attended science and nature camps, familiarizing myself with domestic and wildlife populations. I banded hummingbirds, brushed down horses, and surveyed reptiles and amphibians. I learned about the world around me by studying the creatures living in it. For my Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, I created projects benefiting wildlife and raising public awareness of the threats they face from pollution and habitat displacement. I am dedicated to protecting our environment and the creatures that live within it. At home, I was actively involved in our pets’ care through all phases of their lives and saw the effects that old age and disease have on cats and dogs. While volunteering with local animal shelters and rescue organizations I became familiar with victims of abuse, unethical breeding, and pet overpopulation. Witnessing these problems has had a huge impact on me. I have grown even more passionate about improving the quality of life for all animals. I have begun the first step of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology with the long-range goal of earning a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. The study of Biology will further my knowledge and experience in the life sciences and provide a sound foundation for my graduate-level coursework. Preparing for this, I took additional biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes while in high school. These sparked my interest in researching animal ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill animals, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, and obesity, would improve many animal lives. Breakthroughs in combating these medical issues in our pets might also aid in developing treatments for humans. I look forward to my college studies furthering my knowledge and experience in understanding what could be done in these areas. Upon completion of my degrees and licensing requirements, I plan to join an established clinic or start one of my own. My ideal position in an emergency animal hospital or rescue organization would bring my skills and training to the aid of animals with urgent medical needs. Alternately I might research solutions to the diseases that plague our pets. Either way, I hope to use my knowledge to alleviate animal pain and suffering. Until then, I will continue volunteering with local shelters. Although relocating for college, I have already connected with a group that regularly walks shelter dogs. Surrounding myself with animals strengthens my resolve to complete this journey to become a Veterinarian.

While serving on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council I learned how important accountability can be. Our city witnessed major upheavals with the board of education, resulting in staff walkouts, families losing confidence, and the Superintendent’s resignation! I learned about public speaking and working on committees, but also the importance of accountability to the public. Although I do not plan a career in politics, inspiring trust and being accountable for your actions is required in all avenues of life. Looking at my list of achievements always surprises me. I forget what I have done while focusing on the goals I have ahead. Several were the unsought benefits of other projects I was pursuing. Graduating as the valedictorian of my class and a North Carolina Academic Scholar, and being inducted into the National Honor Society, the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, and the International Thespian Honor Society are all honors I am proud of, although I was prioritizing getting good grades for their own sake. Other accolades have demanded concentrated effort, such as my Girl Scout Gold Award. Holding myself accountable has been a tool that fuels me to get things done. My sense of accountability is both externally and internally driven. Others rely on me and will suffer if I do not carry out my duties. My cats need me to feed them, teammates and co-workers need me to do my share for our mutual success, and even the environment needs me to do my part. These all depend on me carrying out the actions I have promised to do and I do not want to let them down. I also owe those who praised my actions to continue to be deserving of that trust. For those recommending me for positions of recognition, such as the Honor Societies, and those who have hired me or mentored me based on the promise they saw in me. I owe this to myself as well. I focus my efforts on those things I am most passionate about, protecting children, animals and nature. I need to know I did the best I could. Incorporating accountability checks with each stage of a project is my best method for reaching a specific result. I break down the project into achievable steps. Only then am I organized enough to get things done. With my Gold Award, I not only had to recognize a problem I wanted to work towards solving (water pollution), but I had to come up with a project to address it (educating children on their impact) and develop a plan to accomplish this. Only 5.4% of high school Girl Scouts actually complete a Gold Award. This is not surprising, as it involves a lot of work. I spent over a year researching, recruiting people to help, developing the teaching tools, including a game, and arranging workshops. Having practical action items allowed me to get the larger tasks done without being overwhelmed. The emotional boost of completing each step keeps me motivated, too. I am already working toward my future challenges. My ultimate career is to become a veterinarian. Working in this direction, I am attending college with the goal of earning my bachelor’s degree in the next 4 years. From there I plan to study veterinary medicine, pass my board exams and become a licensed veterinarian. These are goals I may not have complete control over, but I have to be accountable to myself by showing up and doing my best to follow my logical path to achieve my dream.

Looking deeply into Isabelle’s eyes I could see the optic nerves and reflective areas, but she didn’t blink or flinch, and her pupils did not contract when the ophthalmoscope lit them up. This was not the first time our veterinarian showed me how to examine the cat’s eyes, however, this time we were confirming my suspicion that she had gone blind. The veterinarian was gentle with our stoic cat as she verified my diagnosis. I was sad she had lost her sight, but I was also proud to have noticed her odd behavior and correctly guessed the cause. It is impossible to pinpoint the moment I first planned to pursue a career caring for our fellow creatures by becoming a veterinarian. Born of my love for animals and my innate curiosity, I have carried this dream in my heart for many years. Growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently explained what she was looking for, while letting me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope. I chose to attend various science and nature camps, familiarizing myself with domestic and wildlife populations. I banded hummingbirds, brushed down horses, and surveyed reptile and amphibian varieties. I learned about the world around me by studying the creatures living in it. For my Girl Scout Bronze and Silver Awards, I also designed and carried out projects benefiting wildlife and raising public awareness of the threats they faced from pollution and habitat displacement. I am dedicated to protecting our environment and the creatures that live within it. I was actively involved in our pets’ care through all phases of their lives and saw the effects that old age and disease have on cats and dogs. While volunteering with local animal shelters and rescue organizations I have seen the victims of abuse, unethical breeding, and pet overpopulation. I gave these kenneled animals the needed exercise for their physical and emotional health and human socialization to develop into good household pets. Most of all they need love and attention. Witnessing these problems has had a huge impact on me. I have grown even more passionate about improving the quality of life for all animals. With the long-range goal of earning a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, I have begun the first step of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology. This field will further my knowledge and experience in the life sciences and provide a sound foundation for my later coursework. Preparing for this, I took additional biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes while in high school. These sparked my interest in researching animal ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill animals, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and cancer would improve many animal lives. Breakthroughs in combating these medical issues of our pets might also aid in developing treatments for humans. I look forward to my college studies furthering my knowledge and experience in understanding what could be done in these areas. Upon completion of my doctorate degree, I plan to join an established clinic or start one of my own. I hope to use my knowledge to alleviate animal pain and suffering, beginning with appropriate preventative care. Until then I will continue to do what I can to help animals in need. Although I have relocated for college, I have already joined the Saturday morning shelter dog walks. I do this as much for myself as for the dogs, as spending time with the animals really helps my mood and stress.

I could feel the tiny hummingbird vibrating in the palm of my hand. Although she zoomed off into the woods as soon as I finished banding her leg, the memory of that rapidly fluttering heartbeat fills me with awe and renews my desire to study living creatures, protecting them and working to make their world safer. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment I first decided to pursue scientific studies. Born of my love for animals and my innate curiosity, I have carried this interest within me for years. Growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit and was involved in all phases of our pets’ lives. I have seen the effects of old age and disease on cats and dogs and was the first to notice our older cat’s developing blindness. I have witnessed abuse, unethical breeding, and the problems of pet overpopulation at the animal shelter where I volunteer. I attended science and nature camps, studying domestic and wildlife creatures and their environment. In addition to hummingbirds, these included insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and bats. I consistently volunteer with local conservation groups, trying to counter the damage from pollution and the destruction of natural habitats by planting native seedlings, maintaining trails and clearing trash from lands and rivers used as dumping grounds for generations. I am passionate about this issue and have implemented several projects, including my Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards, on conserving our natural resources and raising public awareness of these threats. By educating others I hope to inspire them to be part of the solution. Recently graduating as a North Carolina Academic Scholar and the Valedictorian of my class, I also represented my school on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. This became a greater learning experience than expected when the presiding Superintendent resigned mid-year and we took part in hiring a new one. I learned a great deal about public speaking, working on committees, and answering to the public. While in high school I took extra coursework in anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology. These sparked interest in researching animal illnesses or developing new products or procedures to treat them. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill animals, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, and obesity, would improve many lives. Breakthroughs in combating these medical issues in animals might also lead to significant treatments for humans. I look forward to my college studies furthering my knowledge and experience in these. I have now begun working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I desire to help animals avoid illnesses and heal quickly from their injuries. I enjoy working with wildlife and can envision rehabilitating injured animals or helping to solve some of the threats to our indigenous species. I wish to continue with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, but I am also interested in Wildlife Biology and Environmental Sciences. Ultimately my ideal position would be in an emergency animal hospital, a rescue organization, or in research studies. There my skills and training could help these creatures with urgent medical needs. Until then, I will try to serve as best I can. Although relocating for college, I am continuing my efforts in my new community. I connected with a group that walks shelter dogs on the weekends and have joined the campus environmental club. Surrounding myself with animals and nature makes me feel good and strengthens my resolve to complete this academic journey.

Looking deeply into Isabelle’s eyes I could see the optic nerves and reflective areas, but she didn’t blink or flinch, and her pupils did not contract when the ophthalmoscope lit them up. This was not the first time our veterinarian showed me how to examine the cat’s eyes, however, this time we were confirming my suspicion that she had gone blind. The veterinarian was gentle with our stoic cat as she verified my diagnosis. I was sad she had lost her sight, but I was also proud to have first noticed her odd behavior and correctly guessed the cause. It is impossible to pinpoint the moment I first planned to pursue a career caring for our fellow creatures. Born of my love for animals and my innate curiosity, I have carried this dream in my heart for many years. Growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently explained what she was looking for, while letting me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope. I chose to attend various science and nature camps, familiarizing myself with domestic and wildlife populations. I banded hummingbirds, brushed down horses, and surveyed reptile and amphibian varieties. I learned about the world around me by studying the creatures living in it. I also designed and carried out projects benefiting wildlife and raising public awareness of the threats they faced from pollution and habitat displacement. I am dedicated to protecting our environment and the creatures that live within it. At home, I was actively involved in our pets’ care through all phases of their lives and saw the effects that old age and disease have on cats and dogs. While volunteering with local animal shelters and rescue organizations I became familiar with victims of abuse, unethical breeding, and pet overpopulation. I gave these kenneled animals the needed exercise for their physical and emotional health and human socialization to develop into good household pets. Most of all they needed love and attention. I found a different environment working at a local “Dog Resort” where the dogs had concerned owners, but there were several older or maimed animals. Witnessing these different issues has had a huge impact on me. I have grown even more passionate about improving the quality of life for all animals. With the long-range goal of earning a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, I have begun the first step of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology. This field will further my knowledge and experience in the life sciences and provide a sound foundation for my later coursework. Preparing for this, I took additional biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes while in high school. These sparked my interest in researching animal ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill animals, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, and obesity, would improve many animal lives. Breakthroughs in combating these medical issues of our pets might also aid in developing treatments for humans. I look forward to my college studies furthering my knowledge and experience in understanding what could be done in these areas. Upon completion of my degrees and passing licensing requirements, I plan to join an established clinic or start one of my own. My ideal position in an emergency animal hospital or rescue organization would bring my skills and training to the aid of animals with urgent medical needs. Alternately I might research solutions to the diseases that plague our pets. Either way, I hope to use my knowledge to alleviate animal pain and suffering.

“Isn’t it amazing that this river we’re standing in ends up being the same water we drink?” The other counselors at the camp I was working at were floored. Sure, they’d seen the water cycle pictures in textbooks, but never really thought about it in real terms. Where does their specific water come from and where does it go? No wonder so many people are careless and leave trash around to pollute our rivers and lakes if they don’t even realize the reality we are all living in! There is a growing Water Pollution problem in our world, and even after years of evidence and education, people are still adding to this problem. Corrective and clean-up measures have been made by our governments, but these laws deal with industrial or heavy point sources of pollution, not individuals. However, individuals are contributing to our ongoing water pollution problems, especially with the increased use of plastic and petroleum products. As long as people are continuously polluting our waters, this problem will continue to grow. To successfully fix this problem, people will have to be motivated to make changes in their daily lives. Our ignorance of where we fit into the local water cycle is a root cause of our indifference. We do not realize how our actions directly hurt the environment around us. Some of us think that when we wash things “away” they just disappear. These contaminants drain into our water tables and watersheds. We may also be unaware of how simple actions we adopt could reduce our negative impacts. Those of us who are concerned may get distracted by one item sub-issues, like abolishing plastic straws, only to miss the bigger picture of the problem of all single-use plastics. I feel this lack of motivation is due in part to the way the water cycle is often taught as a static concept. It is a picture in a book, not really relating to our everyday world. We don’t see ourselves as being in the picture, so it is hard to get inspired to do anything. If we felt this impacted us directly, we would make the necessary changes. So I tried to work on a solution. My idea was to present workshops and make a fun board game educating children ages 4-14 about where they fit in our local water cycle and the actions they could take to improve our water quality. I also shared this teaching tool game with other groups that have an environmentalist focus and work with children. This was successful! Over the past year, 82 school-aged children played my game and learned what watershed they lived in, ways they can reuse, reduce, and recycle, and how they impact the water in our area. They also made a pledge to protect the environment and shared their knowledge with their families. These efforts might not have an immediate effect, but they impressed these kids and inspired them to care. This is motivation they can carry with them wherever they move and they can be part of the next generation making our planet a healthier place to be.

I could feel the tiny hummingbird vibrating in the palm of my hand. Although she zoomed off into the woods as soon as I finished banding her leg, the memory of that rapidly fluttering heartbeat fills me with awe and renews my desire to become a veterinarian, studying living creatures and helping to keep them healthy. It is impossible to pinpoint the moment when I first planned a career serving our fellow creatures. Growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently let me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope, warning me that it takes many years of education and training to become a veterinarian. Undaunted, I attended various science and nature camps, working with different animals including horses, reptiles, amphibians, and bats. I designed and carried out projects to help wildlife and raise public awareness of the threats from pollution and habitat displacement. I am dedicated to protecting our environment and the creatures that live within it. At home, I was involved in all phases of our pet’s lives and have seen the effects of old age and disease on cats and dogs. Through volunteering with local shelters I have witnessed the results of abuse, unethical breeding, and pet overpopulation. In contrast, I worked at a local “Dog Resort”. This boarding kennel and doggie day camp provided a very different environment, with dog owners who wanted their pets to have the enrichment of being with others. Interacting with many different animals has been a huge learning experience for me. I have grown more passionate about improving the quality of life for all animals. Recently graduating as a North Carolina Academic Scholar and the Valedictorian of my class, I also served on our district Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. This became a greater learning experience than predicted when the district witnessed major upheavals and the presiding Superintendent resigned mid-year. We became participants in the task of hiring a new one. I learned a great deal about public speaking, working on committees, and answering to the public. I have begun my first step on this career pathway by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Studying this field will further my knowledge and experience in the life sciences and provide a sound foundation for my later graduate studies. Preparing for this, I took additional biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes while in high school. These sparked my interest in researching animal ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill animals, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, and obesity, would improve many lives. More efficient methods of pet population control would greatly lessen the load on our animal shelters. Breakthroughs in combating these medical issues in animals might also aid in the treatments for humans. I plan to pursue this degree by enrolling in a doctorate program at a school of Veterinary Medicine. There I will spend the next four years concentrating on the intricacies and illnesses of pets, wildlife, and other animals. Although intrigued by research, I am primarily drawn to working directly with pets and other animals. Upon completion and passing licensing requirements, my ideal position is in an emergency animal hospital where I can utilize my skills and training to help animals experiencing urgent medical needs. I am keeping focused on this goal. Although relocating for college, I have already connected with a group that regularly walks shelter dogs on the weekends. Surrounding myself with animals makes me feel good and strengthens my resolve to complete this journey to become a Veterinarian.

I did not set out to become a leader. I was a nervous and shy child, hanging back at party games, not wanting to be the center of attention. Now I often find myself assuming leadership roles due to my intrinsic values of Helpfulness and Fairness. I focus on what needs to be done, recruiting others along the way, and soon I have a group of people working together toward a common goal. My experiences with Girl Scouts developed many of my skills. I gained self-confidence by being encouraged to try new things and my opinions respected. Group projects taught me to collaborate with others, as well as how to disagree and remain friends. In 2021-22 and again in 2023-24 I served on the Media Girlz teams representing Girl Scouts to the public. However, developing the Take Action and Higher Award projects had the most impact. I identified problems within my community, developed solutions and then carried them out. Learning by doing reinforced the ideals of social responsibility and public service while teaching project planning and management. I learned to be willing to work just as hard as those working for me but also to be able to delegate responsibility and workloads. In the online educational environment unique to my generation, I often acted as a moderator, encouraging everyone to contribute their ideas. I also raised issues affecting the whole class, such as access to resources or errors in test materials. In my senior year, I was selected to be my school’s representative to our District Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. This position ended up becoming even more of a learning experience than predicted as the school system witnessed major upheavals and the presiding Superintendent resigned mid-year. We became not just witnesses, but participants in the task of hiring a new Superintendent. I learned a great deal about public speaking, working on committees and answering to the public. All of which was helpful when I gave our valedictorian speech at graduation. However, I have had the most impact when working for a cause or an issue that I strongly believe in. I am passionate about nature and my most consistent efforts have been protecting and restoring our environment and the wildlife dependent on it. Not only taking part myself, I’ve convinced my clubs and friends to take part in clean-up days and assist a local conservation organization with their annual summer festival fundraiser. Clearing trash and weeds, putting up signs, installing handwashing and trash stations, and helping to raise the huge pavilions is grueling work in the mid-summer heat, but the success of this festival is very important. My paid jobs have also focused more on my love for working with children. For several summers I have been a Mentor for a science and nature camp. I introduced the campers to the natural world around them and showed them their impact on it. By educating others, I hope to inspire them to be part of the solutions for the future. Now I am starting my college studies, but I envision ultimately working in a veterinary clinic or a research lab. No matter where I land, I will need to develop plans and communicate them effectively, while inspiring my employees to follow my lead and maintaining good relationships with my coworkers and clients. The recipe that makes me a successful leader is fairly simple: identify an issue, work towards a solution, be flexible and cooperative, and engage others while continuing to work alongside them until we reach our goal. That’s what makes me an effective leader.

“What could possibly go wrong?” This is a phrase that is forbidden to be spoken in our family! My father is famous for saying this when playing board games, right before his character gets killed off. Our family and pets have had one injury or illness after another, our house has needed endless repairs, and my mother feels things are jinxed when she foolishly says, “Oh, I’ll get caught up just as soon as….”, but there is always some new catastrophe! Then there was my parent’s honeymoon. They got married in the Fall of 2000 but didn’t get to take their big trip until the following Summer ...at the very end of August. They were all set for two weeks on a Greek Island. In hindsight, they should have recognized the warning signs. The passport agency didn’t actually make the name change on my mother’s passport. My father’s truck broke down the day before they were supposed to leave and they just had to have it towed somewhere and leave it until they got back. And their return flights had been rearranged and had them changing planes in LaGuardia International Airport in 10 minutes! So my mom had to change all the flights around while waiting to board. But off they went on their travels. They had researched their destination, but hadn’t made any reservations or learned to speak much Greek. “We’ll be spontaneous!” They said, “Most tourist areas speak English. What could possibly go wrong?” They experimented with staying in the furnished rooms some locals rented out, and, after sleepless nights, chose to go somewhere else the next day. They went exploring the island, sometimes getting to their new destination only to find it was the day everything was closed. Once, while trying to find some ancient aqueducts they got lost and no one was traveling on those backroads. “We are seeing the unexpected parts of the wilderness!” they said. “We are having an adventure!” Finally, an old man and his son came by on scooters but they did not speak any English. My dad and the man realized they both spoke smatterings of German and tried to communicate that way. But the man was certain my parents were trying to get to the more popular Roman Baths. So the man hopped back on his scooter and gestured for them to follow. They followed him until they saw a sign to where they wanted to go and turned off, but the man did not look back and kept on going. They have wondered if he got all the way to the Roman Baths before realizing they were no longer following. The days went by and they were ready to go home. They were scheduled to begin their return journey on Sept 12th…the day after the 9/11 attacks. Needless to say, they were not able to fly into the US for several days. They were without much information in English and had not budgeted for more time staying in hotels and eating out every meal. My mother says they were also VERY tired of Greek food. So they took a plane to Italy instead and spent some time exploring the area around Milan. This was not on their itinerary at all and the Italians didn’t see the need to be as fluent in English as the Greeks had been. They were only able to get a hotel room with a single extra wide bed, but they were on their honeymoon and just squeezed in. However, after walking miles back to their hotel in the freezing rain, some of the joy had worn off. “We are having an adventure.” became their answer to everything. After a few days they were able to score a flight back to the US, but to the West Coast, not flying through NY as originally planned. “I don’t care what happens or how long it takes,” my mother said ”If we can get back on US soil we can find a way to get home.” And they did with only a few more adventures. So, when asked “What could happen?”, we say, “I don’t know… Your country could be attacked and you could end up not knowing where you are, unable to speak the local language, and racking up debts by the minute. You could be hypothermic, cold and wet. But, if you have someone you love with you, you can survive and know you are just Having an Adventure!”

I could feel the tiny hummingbird vibrating in the palm of my hand. Although she zoomed off into the woods as soon as I finished banding her leg, the memory of her rapidly fluttering heartbeat fills me with awe and renews my desire to become a veterinarian. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment I made this my career goal. This dream was born of both my love for animals and my innate curiosity. As a child, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently explained what she was doing and let me hear our cats’ heartbeats. I attended science and nature camps, familiarizing myself with different domestic and wildlife populations. At home, I was actively involved in our pets’ care through all phases of their lives and saw the effects that old age and disease have on cats and dogs. I volunteer with local shelters and have witnessed the problems of abuse, unethical breeding, and pet overpopulation. Local conservation groups have raised my awareness of the threats to wildlife from pollution and habitat displacement. As a result, I have only grown more passionate about improving animals’ quality of life, and my goals center on preventing these illnesses and harm and helping animals to heal quickly. Biology, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes in high school ignited my interest in researching animal ailments and the development of new products or procedures to treat them. Finding cures for diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, blindness, cancer, and obesity, would improve pet lives. I recently graduated from high school as a North Carolina Academic Scholar and the Valedictorian of my class. During my senior year, I represented my school on the District Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. These were unique experiences for me and I learned a great deal about public speaking, working on committees and answering to the public. This Fall I begin work on a bachelor’s degree in Biology as my first step toward earning a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. My college has an intensive senior thesis project requirement that will further develop my leadership and project planning skills, including grant writing and budgeting oversight. These are crucial skills for any future career plans. I plan to follow this with doctorate studies at a School of Veterinary Medicine, using my knowledge to alleviate animal pain and suffering. This dream however comes with a price tag that exceeds my financial resources. Being awarded this scholarship would help bridge the gap between my current funding and my educational costs, allowing me to delay incurring student debts and concentrate more fully on my studies. My varied experiences not only attest to my curiosity and drive but have begun to prepare me for this career path I wish to follow, making me an excellent candidate for this scholarship. Investing in me by granting me this scholarship would be a sound stake in the future.

The tiny hummingbird vibrated in the palm of my hand. Although she zoomed off into the woods as soon as I finished banding her leg, the memory of that rapidly fluttering heartbeat fills me with awe and renews my desire to study living creatures, learning to protect their lives and make their world safer. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment I first planned to become a veterinarian. This dream was born of both my love for animals and my innate curiosity. As a child, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she patiently explained what she was doing and let me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope or examine their retinas through the ophthalmoscope. I attended various science and nature camps, familiarizing myself with different types of domestic and wildlife populations and learning about our world by studying the living things in it. In addition to hummingbirds, I worked with chickens, horses, reptiles, amphibians, and bats. At home, I was actively involved in our pets’ care through all phases of their lives and have seen the effects that old age and disease have on cats and dogs. Through volunteering with several local animal shelters, I have witnessed the problems of abuse, unethical breeding, and pet overpopulation. Local conservation groups have raised my awareness of the threats to our wildlife populations from pollution and habitat displacement. As a result, my ultimate career goal is to become a veterinarian so that I can prevent such illnesses or harm and help animals heal quickly. Taking classes in biology, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology in high school ignited my interest in researching ailments and the development of new products or procedures to treat or prevent them. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill animals, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, blindness, cancer, and obesity, would improve the lives of these creatures and the families that love them, while developing cheaper and less invasive methods of curtailing undesired fertility, would greatly lessen the load on our shelters. I am beginning my studies toward a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, to be followed by a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. I am dedicated to using my knowledge to alleviate animal pain and suffering. Although interested in research, I am primarily drawn to working directly with pets and other animals. My ideal position in an emergency pet or wildlife hospital or rescue organization would allow my skills and training to help these animals experiencing urgent medical needs. Until then, I will continue volunteering with animal shelters and environmental groups. Although relocating for college, I have already connected with others that regularly walk shelter dogs and I intend to join the campus environmental club. Surrounding myself with animals makes me feel good and strengthens my resolve to complete this journey to become a Veterinarian.

The tiny hummingbird vibrated in the palm of my hand. Although she zoomed off into the woods as soon as I finished banding her leg, the memory of that rapidly fluttering heartbeat fills me with awe and renews my desire to study living creatures, learning to protect their lives and make their world safer. It is impossible to pinpoint when I first became interested in life sciences. I loved animals and cared about protecting our environment. Always curious, as a child I quizzed our veterinarian at every visit, and she would patiently explain what she was doing or how the equipment worked. I attended farm, science and nature camps, familiarizing myself with the concerns of working with domestic and wildlife populations and learning about our world by studying the living things in it. With this interest in living things, I delved into biology, anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology classes while in high school. These sparked my interest in researching ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for blindness, cancer, or obesity, would improve the lives of all creatures, human or animal. I would like to someday be able to make a positive impact on the world in this way. But not everything I do is exploring science. Throughout history, humans have sought expression and we all need art in our lives. Whether it is an outlet for our creativity, a therapeutic coping mechanism found in its creation, or the soul-affirming aspects of surrounding ourselves with it, it is vital to our human experience. For my own mental and emotional health I let my creativity flow through dance and surrounding myself with music. It is important for keeping myself balanced. Another thing that feeds my soul is helping others. I volunteer in various ways in my community. My most consistent efforts have been with local animal shelters and environmental conservation groups. I am split between these two passions and am at my happiest in activities where these overlap. I have devised several projects focusing on protecting our natural resources and raising public awareness of the threats of pollution and habitat displacement to our wildlife populations. At the shelters, I’ve witnessed an endless stream of unwanted pets that come in and the problems they face from abuse, unethical breeding, and abandonment. This breaks my heart and I would like to do something that breaks this cycle. The biggest factor is the number born each year. A sustainable solution will need to educate owners on the benefits of fixing their animals and making those services more available and affordable. Perhaps research could develop new methods that are cheaper or less invasive and easier to implement. Regardless of how it is achieved, reducing these numbers would greatly alleviate so much pain and suffering and benefit our whole community. Taking all these factors into account, I am pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, to be followed by a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. I want to prevent illnesses and injuries in animals and help them to heal quickly. I enjoy working with wildlife and can envision rehabilitating injured animals or helping to solve some of the threats to our indigenous species. I would like to use my education to address the problems of pet overpopulation and wildlife displacement. My ideal position would be in an emergency animal hospital or rescue organization or in research studies. There my skills and training could help these creatures with urgent medical needs. Until then, I will do what I can, including continuing to educate myself and others.

I’ve always planned to become a veterinarian and help animals avoid sickness and death. This path requires years of science classes and good grades. I tried learning all I could, not only at school but through science and nature camps as well. And I took pride in getting good grades. Even when COVID appeared and schools disbanded, I was grateful that my teachers were willing to instruct us through the rest of the Spring, even if the grades didn’t count. It was the learning that was important and I stayed a dedicated student. My freshman year, which should have been an exciting transition to high school, was very isolated, so I was excited to return to in-person school for tenth grade. I had forgotten how mean and manipulative other teens can be. I had my first disastrous romantic relationship and was surrounded by unsupportive “friends” with unhealthy behaviors. By Spring my depression had become suicidal and I was admitted to a behavioral health facility. This only added to my misery by taking away the positive influences of my parents, my cats, and dancing. I was also not allowed any of my schoolwork and ended up being released just in time to take my final exams without being allowed to study for any of them. My results were not as good as they would have been otherwise, and that frustrated me as well. Spending time with children and animals, dancing, kayaking, and cleaning up our environment helped me find joy in life again, and things began to get better. However, the school environment was still toxic and I spent part of 11th grade on home-bound status because the administration didn’t think they could keep me safe. Unlike the COVID year, classes were not designed for remote students, making my coursework much harder. Missing out on class instruction, tests stacked on the same day weeks after I covered the material and an uncooperative teacher presented a real challenge. Frustrated, I poured my efforts into doing as well as I could with what resources were available to me, often hunting down the information on my own. The end result may have hurt my grades a little, but it made me become a better student. I realized my personal worth is not defined by others and I can recognize manipulation and know how to take care of myself or ask for help. For my senior year, I changed schools, which helped tremendously. I was the representative to the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council and ended up being a North Carolina Academic Scholar and the Valedictorian! I am dancing more and volunteering with local animal shelters. Moving forward with confidence, I would like to give back to the animals for helping me cope when things were bad, making me even more dedicated to becoming a veterinarian. With my change in school, I was able to take more specialized classes in genetics, anatomy, physiology and biotechnology, which has piqued my interest in research as well as clinical work. I am now beginning my collegiate phase, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. As a first step toward a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Although the college I am attending offers a substantial merit aid package, I still have a gap between my financial resources and the costs of attending. My parents intend to assist me, however, the costs would far exceed their savings. Being awarded this scholarship would allow me to focus on my studies without the distractions of outside jobs or expensive student loans, helping me to achieve my goal in a timely manner.

Eight lives were saved! An animal shelter where I volunteer is overflowing with kittens and puppies, so it wasn’t a total surprise when the dogs that had been waiting for months were listed to be euthanized the following week. I had been working with these dogs and knew them to be very sweet animals whose only crime was being born without a loving human family. Now that these deaths were imminent I wanted to save them if I could. I started reaching out to friends and strangers through social media platforms. Others joined my efforts to recruit people to adopt these dogs. It worked! By Monday all eight dogs had new families! These lives were saved that day, but I know there will be more tomorrow or next week. I love animals and am studying to become a veterinarian. Growing up, I frequently quizzed our veterinarian and attended camps where I interacted with domestic and wild animals. I banded hummingbirds, surveyed reptile and amphibian varieties and examined macroinvertebrates. I have also designed and implemented several projects focusing on helping wildlife and raising public awareness of their needs. After I have earned my credentials, my ideal position would be in an emergency pet hospital or rescue organization. There my skills and training could help pets and their human families when facing urgent medical needs. I am also intrigued by research in ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill our pets, such as blindness, cancer, obesity, and the ever-present fleas and ticks, would improve the lives of these creatures and the families that love them. I also enjoy working with wildlife and can envision rehabilitating injured wild animals or helping to solve some of the dangers to our indigenous and threatened species. In the meantime, there are ways I am already leaving my mark. I consistently volunteer with environmental conservation groups and donate my time to the Animal Protection Society of Durham and the Independent Animal Rescue. These feed, house and provide medical attention for stray, surrendered, abandoned, abused and neglected pets. Unfortunately, an endless stream of unwanted animals comes in and there is a limited number of veterinarians and staff available to attend them. In my future career in veterinary services, I expect to work or volunteer with these organizations. My experiences in animal shelters have made me very aware of the problem of unwanted pets and the cruelties they face. Their predicament saddens and enrages me, reaffirming my desire to be able to address this problem. The biggest factor is the number of kittens and puppies born each year. A sustainable solution will need to educate owners on the benefits of fixing their animals and make spay and neutering services more available and affordable. Research could develop new methods that are cheaper or less invasive and easier to implement. This would greatly help our community and I plan to work towards these efforts. In addition to preventing these births, there are programs that transform these unwanted pets into service and therapy animals. These animals help many different populations, from those with physical disabilities to those with emotional or cognitive needs. These programs require oversight by a licensed veterinarian to guarantee the animals are healthy and safe. These are a few of my ideas for helping pets and their owners. I look forward to using my education to make a positive impact on the world by helping animals and I am sure to come up with more thoughts as I pursue my studies in veterinary medicine.

Eight lives were saved! An animal shelter where I volunteer is overflowing with kittens and puppies, so it wasn’t a total surprise when Pickles, Sweets, Habanero, Bonnie, Heather and Kovu were listed to be euthanized the following week. I had been working with these dogs for several months and knew them to be very sweet animals whose only crime was being born without a loving human family. I knew the emotional risk when I started volunteering, but now that these deaths were imminent I wanted to save them if I could. I started by reaching out to friends and strangers through social media platforms. Others who could not adopt the dogs themselves joined my recruitment efforts, spreading our plea further, and donating goods and services as incentives to adopt these dogs. It worked! By Monday all eight dogs not only had stays of execution, but they had something better, new owners! These lives were saved that day, but I know there will be more tomorrow or next week. I love animals and am studying to become a Veterinarian so that I might help prevent their illnesses and injuries and help them heal quickly. When I have earned my credentials, my ideal position would be in an emergency pet or wildlife hospital or rescue organization. There my skills and training would help pets and their human families when facing urgent medical needs. In the meantime, there are several ways I am already leaving my mark. I consistently volunteer with conservation groups and have devised several projects focusing on protecting our wildlife and natural resources. I donate my time to animal shelters in my area that feed, house and provide medical attention for stray, surrendered, abandoned, abused and neglected pets. Unfortunately, an endless stream of unwanted animals comes in and there is a limited number of veterinarians and staff available to attend them. In my future career in emergency veterinary services, I expect to work in conjunction with these organizations. My experiences in animal shelters have made me very aware of this growing population of unwanted pets and the cruelties they face. Their predicament saddens and enrages me, reaffirming my desire to become a veterinarian so that I may use my education to address this problem. The biggest factor is the sheer number of kittens and puppies that are born each year. A sustainable solution will need to educate owners on the benefits of fixing their animals and make spay and neutering services more available and affordable. Research could develop new methods that are cheaper or less invasive and easier to implement. This would greatly help our community and I plan to work towards these efforts. In addition to preventing these births, there are programs that transform these unwanted pets into service and therapy animals. These animals help many different populations, from those with physical disabilities to emotional or cognitive needs. There are even some programs utilizing prison inmates as trainers that have proven to be beneficial by reducing recidivism, improving behavioral and mental health, as well as providing employable skills, all resulting in more effective rehabilitation. All of these programs require oversight by a licensed veterinarian to guarantee the animals are healthy and safe. Helping these pets and their owners benefits our whole community. As I pursue my studies in veterinary medicine I am sure more ideas or opportunities will present themselves to me. I look forward to being able to use my education to make a positive impact on the world in this way.

Have you ever felt the thrumming vibration of a live hummingbird resting in your hands? This experience was one of many that confirmed my desire to become a veterinarian. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment I first wanted to serve our fellow creatures. While growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at each visit, and she would patiently explain what she was doing and let me explore her equipment. I have only grown more passionate about improving animals’ quality of life by preventing illnesses and helping them to heal quickly. Like the hummingbird, I am a friendly and vivacious petite ball of energy! I maintain my physical and mental health by keeping active, especially through music and dance. I love working with children and animals and have a passion for protecting our environment. I consistently volunteer with local animal shelters and conservation groups and have devised several projects focusing on our natural resources and wildlife. I recently graduated high school as a North Carolina Academic Scholar and Valedictorian for my class, as well as representing my school on the District Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. I am beginning my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Biology as my first step toward earning a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Attaining this could take a decade of education and training. Preparing for this, I took anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology, in addition to biology and chemistry classes while in high school. Although focusing predominantly on human structures, these courses are good foundations on which to build my understanding of all living creatures. I look forward to my college studies furthering my knowledge and experience in these STEM fields. In addition to Veterinary Medicine, I am also interested in Wildlife Biology. Ultimately I would like to work in a pet or wildlife emergency clinic. That dream comes with a price tag. My family is reasonably financially stable, however, my educational costs exceed our available savings and the generous merit aid offered by the college I am planning to attend. I expect I will have to borrow money at some point, but do not want to put my entire future in hock to student loans. That is why I am applying for scholarships. Hearing I was selected for the Headbang For Science scholarship would be music to my ears! It would help cover the gap in my finances, allowing me to decrease or delay incurring those debts. There will be many stressors along this rigorous path. Music has always helped me cope with what I was going through in the past and I expect it will still be my salvation. I listen to a variety of music, often choosing to match my mood, wallowing in the feelings at times, or totally escaping my thoughts at others. Heavy metal grips you and sucks you into its vortex. It can be the the release of driving energy or the expression of pent-up anger and frustration that leads us to not take it anymore or become numb. So, when I want to immerse myself in the rhythm and feel it coursing through me, I’ll do some head-banging. It stirs a primal urge to move and even the children I babysit love dancing to it.

I love animals and have always had a passion for helping them. My ultimate dream is to become a veterinarian to prevent illnesses and injuries in animals and promote their healing. Growing up I quizzed our veterinarian at all our appointments, and she would patiently explain what she was doing or let me explore the equipment. She was my first professional female mentor and she has always been supportive of my career dreams. I was the first to notice when our cat showed signs of blindness. Going beyond household pets, I attended several farm camps where I worked with livestock and science and nature camps where I got to identify and handle various wild creatures, including banding hummingbirds, and examining macroinvertebrates to assess river water quality. I enjoy discovering what I can do to make animal’s lives better. For my 8th-grade science fair project, I conducted a series of experiments comparing which spice and plant scents attracted or repelled my sample felines and I focused my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the benefits and threats bats face in North Carolina, including constructing and installing a bat house. Recently I have started volunteering with local animal shelters. I walk dogs, engage cats in play, and help with adoption events. Kenneled animals need breaks from their cages and to get some exercise for their physical and emotional health. Kittens and puppies need human socialization to develop into good household pets. Overpopulation is always a problem, but with the Springtime the shelters are overflowing with the new generation. This means time is up for older dogs and cats that have been waiting to be adopted and many of them are now being euthanized. This both saddens and enrages me and reaffirms my desire to become a Veterinarian so that I can focus my energies on helping these animals. Earning my Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine is a long and difficult path that will take many years of education and training. I will face the additional challenge of being a woman pursuing a career in science. In preparation for this, in addition to my expected biology and chemistry classes in high school, I also took anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology. These classes fascinated me and drew my interest in researching ailments and the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill our pets, such as blindness, cancer, obesity, and the ever-present fleas and ticks, would improve the lives of these creatures and the families that love them. I also enjoy working with wildlife and can envision rehabilitating injured wild animals or helping to solve some of the dangers to our indigenous and threatened species. I want to work on the problem of the ever-growing number of unwanted pets and the cruelty they face. The solution lies in a combination not only of better education for pet ownership but also making spay and nurturing services more available and affordable. Or possibly the development of an alternative that is not as expensive or invasive. There are also several programs that transform these unwanted animals into desired helpers. Programs such as Vets to Vets United, train shelter dogs to become service animals, providing them with a home and loving owner. Other special populations could use similar programs. These are just a few of the ways I will be able to use my veterinarian degree to help the animals, their owners, and the whole community. As I study and work in this field I am sure even more related avenues will present themselves.

I love animals and have always had a passion for helping them. My ultimate dream is to become a veterinarian to prevent illnesses and injuries in animals and promote their healing. Growing up I quizzed our veterinarian at all our appointments, and she would patiently explain what she was doing or let me explore the equipment. I was the first to notice when our cat showed signs of blindness. Going beyond household pets, I attended several farm camps where I worked with livestock and science and nature camps where I got to identify and handle various wild creatures, including banding hummingbirds, and examining macroinvertebrates to assess river water quality. I have also enjoyed discovering what I can do to make animal’s lives better. For my 8th-grade science fair project, I conducted a series of experiments comparing which spice and plant scents attracted or repelled my sample felines and I focused my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the benefits and threats bats face in North Carolina, including constructing and installing a bat house. Recently I have started volunteering with local animal shelters. I walk dogs, engage cats in play, and help with adoption events. Kenneled animals need breaks from their cages and to get some exercise for their physical and emotional health. Kittens and puppies need human socialization to develop into good household pets. Overpopulation is always a problem, but with the Springtime the shelters are overflowing with the new generation. This means time is up for older dogs and cats that have been waiting to be adopted and many of them are now being euthanized. This both saddens and enrages me and reaffirms my desire to become a Veterinarian so that I can focus my energies on helping these animals. Earning my Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine is a long and difficult path that will take many years of education and training. In preparation for this, in high school, I took anatomy, physiology, genetics and biotechnology in addition to my expected biology and chemistry classes. The biotechnology classes interested me and I am drawn to working on the research of ailments or the development of new products or procedures. Finding cures for diseases that discomfort, maim or kill our pets, such as blindness, cancer, obesity, and the ever-present fleas and ticks, would improve the lives of these creatures and the families that love them. I also have enjoyed working with wildlife and would enjoy working as a rehabilitator for injured wild animals or helping to solve some of the dangers to our indigenous and threatened species. I want to work on the problem of the ever-growing number of unwanted pets and the cruelty they face. The solution lies in a combination not only of better education for pet ownership but also making spay and nurturing services more available and affordable. Or possibly the development of an alternative that is not as expensive or invasive. There are several programs that transform these unwanted animals into desired helpers. Programs such as Vets to Vets United, train shelter dogs to become service animals, providing them with a home and loving owner. Other special populations could use similar programs. These are just a few of the ways I will be able to use my veterinarian degree to help the animals, their owners, and the whole community. As I study and work in this field I am sure even more related avenues will present themselves.

I love animals and plan to become a veterinarian to help prevent their illnesses and injuries and to help them heal quickly. Pursuing this career requires a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, which is a long process to achieve. My ideal position would be in an emergency pet hospital. There my skills and training would help pets and their families when facing urgent medical needs. I plan to continue volunteering and putting my knowledge to use. I currently volunteer with local shelters. I walk dogs, engage cats with play, and help with adoption events. Kenneled animals need breaks from their cages and to get some exercise for their physical and emotional health. Kittens and puppies need human socialization to develop into good household pets. With the Springtime the shelters are overflowing with the new generation. This means time is up for older dogs and cats that have been waiting to be adopted and they are now being euthanized. Sadly, although I gave them fun moments and increased their chances of finding forever homes, it just wasn’t enough. This adds to my resolve to pursue this career. I would like to use my education to address the problems of pet overpopulation. There is not just one solution for this, but several different actions could work together to make this situation better. The basic root of the problem is that there are just too many unwanted kittens and puppies being born. Some cities have catch-and-release programs where feral cats and dogs are caught and spayed or neutered and then released back into the population. Many of these serve the function of keeping rodents down, like farm cats or junkyard dogs. Fixing them so they no longer produce litters would help keep their numbers from growing exponentially. There are also pet owners that are ignorant of how quickly and how young these pets will breed. Educating them that cats and dogs are fertile when they still seem young to us, reaffirming that dogs that are neutered can still be good guard or hunting dogs, and that statistics show pets live a much longer life if they are not constantly having babies or getting into hormone-charged fights. Another factor some owners face is the costs or availability of treatments. Until recently there was a mobile veterinary surgery clinic program in my area that provided lower-cost spay and neuter services. Being mobile they could travel to different areas that needed their services but found it difficult to come to an office. Our whole community would benefit from this, not just the patrons from assisted living or lower-income communities. Unfortunately, this local program shut down last year due to the lack of trained veterinarian staff. As for animals already in existence, there are several programs bringing cats or dogs to those who could use their help. One of these is Vets to Vets United. By training dogs from shelters to become service animals and matching them with veterans who could use the help, they provide the dogs with a home and loving owner, rather than having them killed in the shelters. It also helps the veterans by providing them a canine caregiver to assist them and keep them company. This program specifically targets veterans, but other populations could use similar programs. These are just a few of the programs I could use my veterinarian degree to help the animals, their owners, and the whole community!

I love animals and have always had a passion for helping them. I want to become a veterinarian so that I can prevent illnesses and injuries in animals and help them to heal quickly. I have fostered relationships with others who feel the same way. Growing up, I quizzed our veterinarian at every appointment. Patiently she let me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope or view their retinas with the ophthalmoscope! At home, I was actively involved in the care of our family pets through all phases of their lives and was the first to notice one of our cats showing signs of vision problems. Sadly, when she was checked at the clinic, she had gone blind. Being validated in my diagnosis only further reinforced my goal of making this my career. Growing up I chose to attend a series of farm and nature camps, familiarizing myself with the different creatures in each setting and becoming aware of the concerns and precautions of working with wildlife populations. I banded hummingbirds and examined macroinvertebrates to assess river water quality. After learning about bats, I focused my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the threats and needs of the bats of North Carolina. For my science fair project, I conducted a series of experiments comparing the attraction of various scents to sample felines. Recently I have started volunteering with several local shelters. I walk dogs, play with cats, and help with adoption events. These kenneled animals need exercise for their physical and emotional health, and human socialization to become good household pets. Knowing some of these animals will end up being euthanized if they are not adopted breaks my heart, but at least I can give them enjoyment and increase their chances of finding a forever home. Seeing the veterinarians come in to treat these patients only strengthens my resolve to follow this career path. To become a veterinarian requires a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Before tackling that I will need a four-year Bachelor’s degree in a related science. I have chosen to start working toward my Bachelor’s in Biology this Fall. In anticipation of this, my high school electives included genetics, biotechnology, anatomy and physiology in addition to biology and chemistry classes. These courses are good foundations on which to build my understanding of all living creatures. My Biology studies will expand my understanding of the complexities of living organisms, especially as they pertain to animals. This should provide a sound foundation for my graduate school work. Once accepted to a Veterinary School, I will concentrate the next 4 years on the intricacies and ailments of pets, wildlife, and other animals. Once I have been awarded my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, I will spend another two years of residency and internships. Once I have passed the licensing testing to become a fully board-certified veterinarian, I plan to join an established clinic or start one of my own. I believe caring for animals also helps the people who love them and keeping pets healthy eases the anxiety and stress of their owners. However, I could do much more. As I have seen firsthand, the shelters are always in need of medical assistance, but there are other programs designed to reach out into the community and help those who are either financially or physically unable to seek traditional private clinic services. I am also interested in helping with wildlife rescue and emergency medicine. Both of these not only help the individual animals but reduce diseases spread throughout animal populations. In these ways, I can achieve my dream of helping animals.

In my lifetime I have been able to witness two solar eclipses, and going camping a great frequently I get to gaze up into the sparkly night sky, miles away from the light spill from town. It is mesmerizing to melt into the sea of glowing specs, making you feel so small, and yet also connected to infinity. Although I do find it fascinating, I confess I am not seeking a career in astronomy. My heart and soul have been promised to the animals here on Earth, and my ultimate career goal is to become a veterinarian. I love animals and have always had a passion for helping them. My ultimate career goal is to become a veterinarian so that I can prevent illnesses and injuries in animals or help them heal quickly. I have planned to pursue this career for many years, however, it requires a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, which is a long process to achieve. I have spent years learning what training is required and have already begun preparing by taking high school coursework in biology, chemistry, genetics, biotechnology, and anatomy. These are good foundations on which to build my understanding of all living creatures. My next step will be earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, which I begin studying for this Fall. I’ve chosen to attend a smaller college that places a value on community, diversity, gender equality and integrity that is closely aligned with my own. I also have been invited into the Honors Program, adding a level of challenge to my studies, and I think I will thrive in this environment. The Senior Project will further develop project planning talents, including grant writing and budgeting oversight. These are crucial skills for any future career plans in the sciences. Veterinary medicine falls somewhere between the sciences of biology and the practices of medicine. This is part of the reason why it takes so long to become a veterinarian. But, by combining my knowledge and experiences, I am confident that I will be accepted into a Doctoral program at a school of Veterinary Medicine. I will concentrate the next 4 years on learning the intricacies and ailments of pets, wildlife, and other animals. After that, there are a few more years in Residency and Internship programs and then passing board licensing tests. So, in ten years I expect I will finally be achieving the goal of becoming a licensed veterinarian. Currently, my ideal plan is to join an established practice or open my own clinic. However, I know that ten years is a long time and being exposed to many different options I could follow means I might have shifted my focus by then. I have enjoyed my biotechnology class and could end up in research or development. I also already volunteer a great deal with various environmental groups and I can see myself running a wildlife rescue center too. Any of these would allow me to fulfill my passion for helping animals.

I love animals and have always had a passion for helping them. My ultimate dream is to become a veterinarian so that I can prevent illnesses and injuries in animals or help them to heal quickly. I have planned to pursue this career for many years, however, it requires a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, which is a long process to achieve. The first step will be earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology, which I start working on this Fall. The next big hurdle will be postgraduate studies at a school of veterinary medicine, learning the intricacies and ailments of pets and wildlife. Two years in residencies and internships follow this, and then passing board licensing tests. Finally, I will be a certified veterinarian and I plan to join an established practice or open one of my own. A career caring for animals also helps the people who love them. On the most basic level, keeping pets healthy eases the anxiety and stress of their owners, but it can be expanded to do much more. For example, the Vets to Vets United program matches shelter dogs who are good candidates to be service animals, with veterans who have specific needs. The dogs and their new owners undergo training so that they can both have a successful partnership, leading to happier, more productive lives for both. There are also mobile veterinary units that provide affordable services to populations that find it difficult to come to an office, such as those in assisted living or with transportation limitations. This helps keep dogs and cats healthy, and spaying and neutering them reduces the pet overpopulation problems in our cities. Another mobile program sets up special veterinary clinic fairs, encouraging homeless or indigent populations to bring their pets in for care, while through a related program, the people themselves get help with clothing, housing, legal aid, medical care, and job assistance. This is good not only for the individuals but also benefits the whole community. Once I become a licensed veterinarian, I could work with one of these types of programs or develop other ways to use my skills to make a difference. These programs are run by licensed veterinarians, but I do not need to wait until I have completed my degree to begin making an impact. I already spend time volunteering with environmental groups and working with animals in the shelters. I plan to continue doing these things even while at college. Volunteering in these ways makes me feel good, clearing trash from the woods and rivers gives me an immediate sense of accomplishment and seeing the doctors working with their animal patients strengthens my resolve to become a Veterinarian someday.

My name is Julia and I am a petite ball of energy! While finishing up my senior year I have represented my school on the District’s Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council and am the valedictorian speaker for graduation. I take dance classes several nights a week, work in the nursery at my church, and volunteer with local animal shelters. I am active in Girl Scouts, completing my Gold Award project, and serving on the Media Girlz team. I love working with children and have a passion for protecting our natural lands and wildlife, but my ultimate dream is to become a veterinarian so that I can prevent illnesses and injuries in animals or help them heal quickly. I have wanted to become a veterinarian ever since I was a small child. At every appointment, I quizzed our veterinarian, and patiently she let me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope or view their retinas with the ophthalmoscope! At one point one of our cats started acting oddly and I suspected she was having vision problems. Although she thought I was imagining things, my mother scheduled a clinic visit to check. Sadly, I was correct and she was blind, but being the first to notice and having the correct diagnosis confirmed my dream of making this my career. This requires a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, which is a long process to achieve. The first step will be earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology, which I start working on this Fall. The next big hurdle will be postgraduate studies at veterinary school, learning the intricacies and ailments of pets and wildlife. Two years in residencies and internships follow this, and then passing board licensing tests. Finally, I will be a certified veterinarian and I plan to join an established practice or start my own. However, I do not need to wait until I have completed my degree to begin making an impact on my community. I already spend time volunteering with environmental groups and animal shelters and I plan to continue. The shelters are always in need of trained medical staff and once I am lisenced I could do even more. Other possibilities where I could help include mobile veterinary units that could provide affordable services to populations that find it difficult to come to an office, such as assisted living or those with transportation limitations. This could help keep dogs and cats healthy, and spaying and neutering would reduce the pet overpopulation problem in our cities. I have had tremendous support from the women in my life, and I would like to be a similar role model. Not only do I expect to mentor other future veterinarians, but I want to continue being active in the organizations working toward our common goals and helping future generations. One such organization is Girl Scouts, which has helped me grow into the young woman I am today. Through them, I have gained confidence in myself, learned to recognize problems and implement constructive solutions. I also developed my closest friendships. Regardless of my career destination, I plan to give back to this organization that has done so much for young women by sharing my time and expertise, volunteering to help lead troops or chaperoning for trips, and opening my clinic to tours and workshops. This organization has meant so much to me and I expect it will continue to be an important part of my life.

Ever since I was a small child, I have wanted to become a veterinarian. At every appointment, I quizzed our veterinarian, and patiently she let me hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope or view their retinas with the ophthalmoscope! A few years later Isabelle, one of our cats, started acting differently, hanging back, not jumping up onto counters, and following along the wall when moving around. I suspected she was having vision problems. Although she thought I was imagining things, my mother set up a clinic visit to get Isabelle checked out. Sadly, I was correct and Isabelle could no longer see. But being the first to notice and having the correct diagnosis confirmed my dream of making this my career. I choose to attend a series of Farm, Zoo or Nature camps, familiarizing myself with the different creatures in each setting and becoming aware of the concerns and precautions of working with wildlife populations. I banded hummingbirds and examined macroinvertebrates to assess river water quality. I was thrilled to work with these wild animals and dreamed of being able to meet other more exotic creatures. After learning about bats, I focused my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the threats and needs of the bats of North Carolina, including constructing and installing my own bat house. For my 8th-grade science fair project, I conducted a series of experiments comparing which spice and plant scents attracted or repelled my sample felines. Recently I have started volunteering with local shelters. My tasks of walking dogs and playing with the cats and kittens help to socialize them and give them needed exercise for their physical and emotional health. Knowing some of these animals will end up being euthanized breaks my heart, but at least I can give them some enjoyment and increase their chances of finding a forever home. Seeing the doctors working with these patients only strengthens my resolve to become a Veterinarian to prevent illnesses and injuries in animals or help them get better quickly. I have spent years learning what training is required and I am ready to begin the first step of earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I have begun preparing with coursework in biology, chemistry, genetics, biotechnology, and anatomy. These are good foundations on which to build my understanding of all living creatures. It will also require a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. By combining my knowledge and experiences, I am confident that I will be prepared to tackle the next big hurdle of getting accepted into a program for veterinary postgraduate studies. I plan to concentrate the next 4 years on learning the intricacies and ailments of pets, wildlife, and other animals. This will be followed by another two years in residency and internships. It should also help to prepare me for the testing and licensing to become a fully board-certified veterinarian. Altogether it will be ten years of studying and training to realize my dream of becoming a licensed veterinarian and joining an established clinic or starting one of my own.

I love animals and for as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. I wish to prevent animal illnesses and injuries or to help them heal more quickly. In various ways, I have been working toward this goal my whole life. While growing up, I quizzed our cat’s doctor at every appointment. She allowed me to hear our cats’ heartbeats through her stethoscope and inspect their retinas with the ophthalmoscope. I was actively involved in the care of our family pets and was the first to notice one of our cats showing signs of blindness. In the 8th grade, I experimented by comparing the attraction of different spices and plant scents on my sample felines. I attended science and nature camps introducing me to the concerns and precautions of working with wildlife populations. I got to band hummingbirds, survey various insects, reptiles and amphibians, and study macroinvertebrates to assess water quality. After learning about bats, I was motivated to center my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the threats and needs of the bats of North Carolina, including constructing and installing my own bat house. Currently, I volunteer with local shelters walking dogs, playing with cats, and helping with adoption events. The kenneled animals need exercise for their physical and emotional health. The kittens need human socialization to develop into good household pets. Knowing some of these animals will end up being euthanized if they are not adopted breaks my heart, but at least I can give them some enjoyment and increase their chances of finding a forever home. I am starting on the next phase of my journey to become a veterinarian. This is a long and difficult path that will involve many years of education and training, culminating in a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and passing a state board exam. While in high school I have already taken courses in biology, chemistry, biotechnology, genetics, anatomy and physiology. This coursework should aid me in my college studies and is a good foundation on which to build my understanding of all living creatures. I will begin working toward my Bachelor's degree in Biology this Fall semester and I hope to complete it in four years. My doctorate will involve another four years learning the intricacies and ailments of pets, wildlife, or other animals I might be called upon to treat. That will be followed by at least two more years in residencies and internships where I might get to work in a clinic, an animal shelter or maybe even a zoo. Or maybe I will research a product or procedure that improves the lives of these creatures, by preventing disease or healing injury faster. Altogether it will be ten years of studying and training to become a licensed veterinarian. Many animal shelters and other non-profits are always in need of professional staff and after earning my degree, I can donate my services to them. There are also mobile units bringing pet healthcare to populations less able to come to the clinics, or taking animals on compassion visits to the hospital or homebound. I am also interested in helping in the rescue and rehabilitation of injured wildlife. These are all important programs I would like to be able to assist by using my education and skills. Providing the care and safety of our pets and other animals has a positive effect throughout our whole community.

My father has been the most influential person to me. Many people comment that we are just alike, and some who don’t know us well might bring up the nature versus nurture arguments, and say I take after him. That is just not possible, as I was lucky enough to be adopted at birth. So genetics can’t have any part in our similarities. He has been a constant influence on me by the role model he sets. My dad is very friendly and welcoming. He often attends events and participates in hobbies that interest him. Through this, he meets others with similar interests, but it is his welcoming nature that leads them to become friends. Being sociable is a very important quality because without it you would not have these close connections and life would be lonely. Being able to plan is another important quality. It allows you to be able to make good decisions. If you are not careful with money or jobs, or keeping things clean, you will create even more stress in your life. My dad likes to keep everything in a calendar and have reminders sent to him. This keeps him from overbooking himself. We have often had conflict over this, as I want to do everything that pops up, often overbooking myself. His resistance to my push for spontaneity has actually helped keep me from missing out on important events and to be prepared for them when they arrive. Being curious is another important quality I have learned from my father. Always being able to find something of interest in any situation can be a saving grace. On the most superficial level, it keeps you from being bored, but it also is a key part of human development and growth. I think it helps to keep our minds active and you can always learn something new. It also is one of the methods to making friends, by that true interest in them or a shared intellectual journey discovering something together. For many of my growing years, it was more a way of life than a conscious choice, but now that I am coming into my own person, I appreciate how uplifting it really is. Honesty is another quality he has had a great influence on. It sounds so simple, but it has been one of the main tenets of my life. So many times people pushed me to take the “easy” way out and lie. It is far easier to tell the truth. Sooner or later a lie is likely to be exposed, and then you will have compounded the problem by lying about it and losing that person’s trust forever. Throughout my upbringing, telling the truth has been emphasized, and even when I have done the wrong thing, I was honest about it, often to the surprise of others. But since it was so ingrained in my behavior, it is the most natural thing for me. The hardest part sometimes is being really honest with myself. These are just a few examples of the qualities I have invested in my life due to the influences of my father. We may disagree at times, but I feel he has helped me to develop some of my better qualities and I am very thankful to have had him as a role model.

I love all animals and have a passion for helping them. I want to prevent illnesses and injuries in animals or help them get better quickly. As long as I can remember, I have planned to become a veterinarian. While growing up, I quizzed our cats’ doctor at every visit. She allowed me to hear heartbeats through her stethoscope and inspect the cat’s eyes with the ophthalmoscope. I was actively involved in the care of our family pets through all phases of their lives and was the first to notice one of our cats showing signs of blindness. For my 8th-grade science fair project, I conducted a series of experiments comparing which spice and plant scents attracted or repelled my sample felines. Recently I have started volunteering with local shelters. My job has mostly been dog walking, cat playing, and helping with adoption events. The animals being kenneled there need to get out of their cages and get some exercise for their physical and emotional health. The kittens need human socialization if they are going to grow into becoming good household pets. Knowing that if they are not adopted, some of these animals will end up being euthanized breaks my heart, but at least I can give them some fun moments and increase their chances of finding a forever home. I also enjoy seeing the veterinarians who come in to treat their patients. It adds to my resolve to pursue this career path. My experience goes beyond household pets. I attended several science and nature camps where we identified and handled all sorts of wild creatures, including banding hummingbirds, and examining macroinvertebrates to assess river water quality. I was thrilled to work with these wild animals and dreamed of being able to meet other more exotic creatures. After learning about bats, I focused my Girl Scout Silver Award project on the threats and needs of the bats of North Carolina, including constructing and installing my own bat house. Providing care for animals is not all about petting and cuddling. I have enjoyed lab work and have taken a biotechnology short course at a local tech school. As a senior in high school, I am taking courses in anatomy and physiology, and genetics and biotechnology. Although these focus on human structures, the courses are good foundations on which to build my understanding of all living creatures. I know that earning a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine is a long and difficult path that will take many years of education and training, and quite a bit of financial backing. I look forward to my college undergraduate studies guiding me through the next steps on my journey. In 2024, I plan to start working towards my Bachelor's degree in Biology. I am excited about having an internship with a clinic, an animal shelter or maybe even the NC Zoo. Or perhaps I will get to research a project that improves the lives of other creatures, either by preventing disease or healing injury faster. I currently don’t have a preference which for direction to go, as they both sound like really fantastic opportunities. By combining my knowledge and experiences, I am confident that I will be prepared to tackle the next big hurdle of getting accepted into a program for veterinary postgraduate studies. Once accepted into one of the 33 accredited Veterinary Medical Colleges in the United States I plan to concentrate the next 4 years learning the intricacies and ailments of pets, wildlife, or other animals I might be called upon to treat. It should also help to prepare me for the testing and licensing that is required to become a fully board-certified veterinarian. I hope to join an established practice or start my own. Adding it up from the beginning, this will likely be ten years of training to become a licensed veterinarian. I will finally begin doing what I have been working toward for so many years!