I have wanted to become a pediatric nurse since elementary school and have been working hard towards that goal ever since. When Covid shut everything down in March of 2020 I took a chance on the Running Start program to give myself a head start on my career goals. Not only have I enjoyed my classes, but the classes I have taken that have been career focused have helped solidify my desire to enter the medical field as a nurse. While I’ve never worked in an official nursing capacity I have had the opportunity to help others when they were ill or injured. I love to help people when they are sick, to help them feel better even if there isn’t much I really can do. Sometimes I simply do little things like turn off the light or run an errand to help so they can focus on resting and recovery. When my mom got sick with Covid-19 last August I was able to not only help care for her but to help take care of my siblings while she recovered. My first unofficial job was as a babysitter for families I attend church with. Before starting as a babysitter I took a child safety class from a local fire station and became first aid certified for the first time. The more I babysat the more I realized how much I loved children and wanted a career path that included caring for children. Last summer I got a job as a lifeguard for the Central Kitsap School District. As a member of my high school swim team I had shown maturity and leadership skills which resulted in the pool manager reaching out to me asking that I apply and get certified. I am currently certified with the American Red Cross as a Lifeguard. I have had many opportunities to volunteer in many communities through my church and as a member of the National Honor Society at my school. Some of my most memorable volunteer experiences were volunteering to stock shelves in a store house similar to a food bank where people in need could get food and basic supplies and helping to repair, paint and clean up a community park & campsites. The biggest service commitment was probably helping an Eagle Scout with his project to clear invasive species from South Kitsap Regional Park in 2019. I am always looking for ways to be helpful to those around me, I step up to help before being asked and it’s been said that kindness is my superpower. I want to be the kind of the nurse that can understand people’s fears whether of being alone in a hospital waiting room, waiting for surgery or getting a shot while having the knowledge and expertise to help them in a time that can be stressful and scary. Last fall my grandfather passed away from cancer, I got to see first hand just how important his nurses and caregivers were, not just for him but also for my grandma as she was his primary caregiver. Their kindness and compassion made a tremendous difference when the days were hard. I remember as a little girl being terrified of needles at the doctor’s office, and how I was treated by my favorite nurse Robert, he was kind, funny, but never made me feel bad for being scared. There are so many experiences like these in my life that have helped to inspire me on the path to becoming a nurse.

I have wanted to become a pediatric nurse since elementary school and have been working hard towards that goal ever since. When Covid shut everything down in March of 2020 I took a chance on the Running Start program to give myself a head start on my career goals. Not only have I enjoyed my classes, but the classes I have taken that have been career focused have helped solidify my desire to enter the medical field as a nurse. While I’ve never worked in an official nursing capacity I have had the opportunity to help others when they were ill or injured. I love to help people when they are sick, to help them feel better even if there isn’t much I really can do. Sometimes I simply do little things like turn off the light or run an errand to help so they can focus on resting and recovery. When my mom got sick with Covid-19 last August I was able to not only help care for her but to help take care of my siblings while she recovered. My first unofficial job was as a babysitter for families I attend church with. Before starting as a babysitter I took a child safety class from a local fire station and became first aid certified for the first time. The more I babysat the more I realized how much I loved children and wanted a career path that included caring for children. Last summer I got a job as a lifeguard for the Central Kitsap School District. As a member of my high school swim team I had shown maturity and leadership skills which resulted in the pool manager reaching out to me asking that I apply and get certified. I am currently certified with the American Red Cross as a Lifeguard. I have had many opportunities to volunteer in many communities through my church and as a member of the National Honor Society at my school. Some of my most memorable volunteer experiences were volunteering to stock shelves in a store house similar to a food bank where people in need could get food and basic supplies and helping to repair, paint and clean up a community park & campsites. The biggest service commitment was probably helping an Eagle Scout with his project to clear invasive species from South Kitsap Regional Park in 2019. I am always looking for ways to be helpful to those around me, I step up to help before being asked and it’s been said that kindness is my superpower. I want to be the kind of the nurse that can understand people’s fears whether of being alone in a hospital waiting room, waiting for surgery or getting a shot while having the knowledge and expertise to help them in a time that can be stressful and scary. Last fall my grandfather passed away from cancer, I got to see first hand just how important his nurses and caregivers were, not just for him but also for my grandma as she was his primary caregiver. Their kindness and compassion made a tremendous difference when the days were hard. I remember as a little girl being terrified of needles at the doctor’s office, and how I was treated by my favorite nurse Robert, he was kind, funny, but never made me feel bad for being scared. There are so many experiences like these in my life that have helped to inspire me on the path to becoming a nurse.