For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about animals. From watching birds and squirrels bounce around in the backyard to playing tug-of-war with my dog, being around animals has always been something that I thoroughly enjoyed. However, when asked what my favorite animal was as a child, I was never able to decide. It wasn’t until I began showing Brahman cattle through 4-H and FFA that I was able to make a decision on which animal was my favorite. There was something about the Brahman breed in particular that sparked my interest like no other animal had before. Brahmans are remarkably intelligent compared to other cattle breeds and each have their own personalities and facial expressions. For example, one of my retired show heifers, Jasmine, had a signature look: she would raise one eyebrow, wrinkle her forehead, and tilt her head. Quirky mannerisms like these personify the Brahman breed, allowing people like me to realize that cattle are not all that different from people and securing their place as my favorite animal. Showing Brahmans has not only led to the discovery of my favorite animal, but it has also inspired me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Showing cattle has been one of my favorite experiences throughout my childhood. In addition to meeting many lifelong friends and making connections within the industry, my involvement in my livestock project has exposed me to the work of veterinarians and their impact on the communities that they serve. My cattle were given to me by a local veterinarian who has not only encouraged me to grow as a person but has also inspired me to pursue the same career path. Assisting her in vaccinating and dehorning calves has revealed my fondness for large animals in particular. I grew to love the variety that large animals bring to veterinary medicine. For instance, ranchers typically know how to do more routine procedures for their animals, so when a large animal comes to the clinic, the solution to their problem likely requires some thinking and research. Because of this experience, my dream is to work as a veterinarian at a mixed animal practice in a rural area where I can only hope to spark a child’s interest in livestock just as my local veterinarian did for me. Becoming a veterinarian will not only allow me to achieve my career goals but will also provide me with the anatomical and physiological knowledge of cattle that is necessary for being successful in raising a herd of my own. My grandfather, Poppy, raised a herd of registered Brahman cattle that he would give to children in the community to foster a love for agriculture. Poppy eventually had to sell his cattle, but his memory lives on through my herd of show cattle, Legacy Farms. After I graduate, I am returning all of my cattle to their breeder, but one day, I hope to own a herd of cattle in which every calf wears my Poppy’s brand on its hip. Like Poppy and the veterinarian who inspired me, I dream to become a veterinarian that is able to lend cattle to community 4-H and FFA members to provide them with the same opportunities that I was blessed to have and, hopefully, encourage them to do the same in the future. Without my interactions with animals throughout my life, I would never have become so enamored with the veterinary medical field or excited to make a career out of saving their lives.

Being part of many organizations across my high school campus and parish has allowed me to contribute to my community in various ways. As a student athletic trainer through my high school’s Sports Medicine program, I will volunteer many hours to assist our athletic trainers in treating injuries at various sporting events, from physical day and after-practice treatments to weekly football games and other sports in the winter and spring. Additionally, my church presents many opportunities for me to serve my community. I attended the disaster relief training provided by the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief program. Through this, I learned how to prepare food for crowds of people displaced by a disaster and plan to put this skill to use. In addition to this, I plan to serve as a group leader for our church’s vacation bible school. I have found ways to continue my service through 4-H as well. Through this organization, I will serve as a 4-H camp counselor and help the youth of my parish’s 4-H club grow in character and make new friends across the state. I show livestock through 4-H, opening the door to even more volunteer opportunities. I serve as the Youth Beef Livestock Ambassador, making me part of the Ascension Parish Livestock Board for all three of my high school years. This position will allow me to educate exhibitors on how to properly care for and show cattle at Livestock Family Day; serve food, present awards, and clean up after the Parish Livestock Awards Banquet; and work with other volunteers to organize the livestock show itself. Also, I plan to attend the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) as a volunteer show management intern. Through this position, I will be able to volunteer for four days as a check-in and show-ring assistant. Finally, I have spent most of my time volunteering for my high school’s FFA chapter. I was the Vice President of our chapter my sophomore year, allowing me to serve at almost all of our chapter’s events. For example, I spent the weeks before our largest event, Boo at the Barn, preparing for the 3,000-person turnout. I managed the entry tables and volunteers, ensuring that every volunteer at the event had food and water and knew everything about their assignment. This event is non-profit, with all proceeds going to the community food bank. This year, I returned as a volunteer and managed the petting zoo area and its volunteers and plan to serve again next year. I also served at Christmas Give, an annual program organized by FFA in which we provided a meal, Christmas gifts, and loads of canned goods to the families of students in need on our high school campus. I am an annual volunteer for this event and will attend in the years to come. Also, I plan to volunteer as an agricultural ambassador for the three days that 8th graders from my high school’s feeder schools came to campus to be exposed to the classes that are offered. I also will serve as an advocate for our FFA chapter at the campus-wide Incoming Freshman Night. At these two events, I will explain the benefits of agricultural classes to each student and encourage him/her to enroll in our agriculture program. Finally, FFA allows me to volunteer at the State and National Days of Service at the State and National FFA Conventions. These events allow me to give back to the community on a much larger scale. I hope to continue to contribute to the success of my community in various ways in the future.