I spent my early childhood with both parents. For the first two years, my mother and father shared custody of my sister and me. While I was fortunate to have both parents initially, joint custody made things difficult. Around age five, my father stopped parenting regularly. Occasionally, he would take us out, but over time, those visits faded away. This wasn’t a major loss since we already spent most of our time with our mom. My mother is an amazing person who has had to put in the work of two parents. She did everything she possibly could to make ends meet for my sister and me. She talked about wanting her own place with us, but it wasn’t that simple; money isn’t that simple. My mother enrolled my sister and me in sports because she wanted us to acquire the vital skills needed for the real world. She also did this to distract us from our crazy lives, where it seemed nothing went right. I had to watch her constantly struggle with trying to figure out how to keep my sister and me in sports, constantly working with the coaches to find a payment plan she could afford. She loved us; that’s why she put so much effort into keeping us happy and healthy. Our way of living was stressful, and although my mother did her best to hide the struggles, I could see them. In fact, I feel as though I made them worse because I was a child who had a hard time coping with the trauma from my childhood. I know that this was just as hard on her as it was on me. I got through my issues, all thanks to my mom, who put the time in to help me understand that I got to choose how I wanted to live. She taught me early in life that I could do anything I set my mind to. My expensive career is what I have currently set my mind to. Since elementary school, I have been fascinated by animals and their well-being, which is why I am dedicated to becoming a veterinarian. My mother has always supported my career decisions and has constantly given advice on how I can get there. She also loves my adventurous side and would like me to go study abroad. She knows it's my passion to go to different countries and work with the native wildlife there. I know that she is upset that I might not be able to afford this opportunity. As I said previously, money isn’t exactly simple. I am trying to save up money to be able to afford this opportunity without having my mom pay anything. She’s already given up so much for me and has taught me everything I need to know about perseverance and strength. She’s given up many things to make me happy; I can’t ask her to give up more than she already has. My mother is my entire world. I don’t know the road I would have taken without her around. I am the person I am today because of her. I have determination and drive because of her. She raised me to go after my dreams; therefore, here I am, going after my dreams to make her proud.

Math is a vital skill that students will use for the rest of their lives. My family is what I consider a math family. This to me means that a lot of members of my family do math every day as part of their job. I’ve always liked math, even when I was little, and my competitive drive to make it around the world in math flashcards. It was the highlight of my day to overcome this challenge. I don’t remember that I ever made it around the world, but I sure got close many times. I have memories of sitting around my kitchen table for hours, going through flashcards, and seeing how fast I could get the answer. I found a new appreciation for math in high school. It became harder, and I had to think more about the answer. I then found that there are now multiple ways to get to the same answer. This was new to me, and at first, it was hard to accept. I always thought there was one way to get to the answer, and that was that. I soon realized that one answer wasn’t as fun. Life isn’t about one answer, and in life, there are multiple ways to get to a spot. Altogether, math is an essential skill that is needed in every profession. It challenges our views and teaches valuable lessons about life. This is why I love and appreciate math—not just because it feels natural, but because it brings challenges that make me think outside the box, challenges that I now see as essential for real-world problem solving.

The earliest moment of my childhood was a tough time. My parents didn’t get along and were constantly fighting over custody of my sister and me. It turned a happy childhood into a dark one. This, however, ended abruptly, as soon after starting school, my dad stopped showing up for things. It was only occasionally that my sister and I would visit for the holidays. My sister and I learned to rely on our mother, our coaches, and our teachers for supporting our endeavors. My mother solely raised me, paying for my sports and passions. She did everything she could to make sure I grew up right and fought for my dreams. I push myself to my limits because my mom had to do the same when raising me. She struggled but always persevered and gave her all for me. I continue to fight for my dreams every day because she gave everything so I could become a great person. My aspirations are big, and I intend to work hard for my mother, matching her effort with my own. My accomplishment in education are thanks to my mother. She pushed me in my academics and taught me to advocate for myself. She believed in me with every course I took. She knew my efforts would pay off, so every accomplishment is hers to share. My mother has appreciated the enormous goals I have, like studying abroad and becoming a veterinarian. Though the costs may make it hard to make these dreams come true. I am applying for scholarships and doing well in school because I have continuous support. I want to support my mother as she has for my entire life, raising me. I will continue to succeed because I know that failure is just a stepping block I have to get over in order to achieve success. I know that with her behind me, I can go after anything and everything. I don’t know where I would have ended up if my mother hadn’t been so strong in raising two daughters by herself. She instilled in me the strength to fight for myself, to continue moving past obstacles no matter how high the mountains seemed. She taught me what it was like to hold on when hope seemed lost; she was successful in raising kids; I will be successful in going after my goals and being able to do things I never thought possible.

I grew up in a household that consisted of my sister, mother, grandmother, and myself. My father wasn’t in the picture for most of my life, which, in some ways, messed up my ways of having proper human connections. My entire life, I have felt like I wasn’t normal. I didn’t make friends easily, even though I was doing sports and around people all the time. I found it hard to connect and to figure out who I wanted to be around. I didn’t realize the importance of finding connections until later in high school. I met an important figure in late elementary school. I didn’t become super close with this figure until middle school and high school. This person supported me and always tried to give me advice in school. I still value this friendship to this day and get continued support from her. My friend Aubrey is a meaningful figure in my life, and I hope that we will continue our friendship for a lifetime. She always challenged my way of thinking and encouraged me to think outside the box. She looks for me and has even messaged me with internship opportunities that will help me get a step ahead in my career. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to come into my life. I don’t know that I would have ever felt comfortable in my own skin without her constant support. As said before, we met in elementary school and are still friends to this day. She helped me see the beauty in friendships and how connecting with people is important, especially when going into my intended career field. She brought me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to find my own connection with others. I don’t know if I would have stepped out of my comfort zone if it weren’t for her pushing me to do it. She changed my whole dynamic. I originally thought I had to be popular and liked in order to make meaningful connections. I followed people that I shouldn’t have followed in hopes of finding real connections. She showed me that all that mattered was having a few amazing friends. I now look for some of her qualities in others. Always willing to lend a hand, being there for me when I need them the most, and never letting things get between our friendship. These qualities are what I expect of myself as well. I want to be someone that others can turn to when things are rough, that they know I’ll support every decision they make, and that I won’t let random things get in the way of an amazing relationship. I didn’t know what qualities to expect of people because I had been let down so much. Aubrey gave me the ability to see great qualities and not to let others dictate my own relationships with people. I am seriously lucky to have such an amazing person in my life; someone who got me out of my shell and allowed me to shine. I will always cherish our friendship because she made me into the amazing person I am today.

I didn’t always appreciate education like I do today. In fact, I used to hate having to go to school and had numerous moments where I would refuse to go. I would grab the stairs of my house and refuse to be pulled down. My guardians would eventually come back for me and get me to go, but it was a huge deal to me. My hatred for school never stemmed from education itself, though. I liked to learn about animals and would do it all the time without even knowing that I was learning. My curiosity peaked when I had time to grow up a little more. I started to appreciate my education more when I got into middle school. It was the start of a new journey; I started caring about the effort I put into classes. I enjoyed learning more and doing different projects. I realized I had a passion for science and math. Those were the classes I enjoyed, not only because there was so much changing information, but because it was a challenge. I’ve always been more natural at science and math; not everything was easy, but I still understood it. This is the moment I knew my dreams of becoming a veterinarian could become a reality. Veterinary practices take science, math, English, and understanding the history of where it came from. It is a combination of multiple different subjects and would force me out of my comfort zone. It was then in high school that I truly zoned in on my career aspirations. I was going to become a veterinarian, and I was going to have to gain many different skills that would push me past my limits. I’m up for the challenge. Education drove me to realize that everything works together; although many things take on more of a specific subject, they all work together in one way or another. It put me on a road where I wanted to learn constantly. I want to gain hands-on experience and use my skills in the real world. Coming from a child who hated education, it had its own challenges. I was considered a slower reader; I understood it, but not quite where the rest of my peers were. I evidently hated reading due to this fact; I would avoid it at all costs. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I realized just how much education has changed me. Now, sitting in lectures at my college, I’ve seen the miles I’ve come from that little girl who despised school and learning. I can happily say now that I’ve found a passion for reading, and I happen to do it often. I just needed to become more educated, to understand myself better. Beginning college brought on tons of new challenges and obstacles. I’ve never been a fan of studying; I managed to make it through high school with limited studying. However, in college, studying is so important; you have to study if you want to excel in your courses. I’ve had to figure out what type of learner I am, and I’ve found that I’m a combination of all learners, although I do my best by rewriting notes and listening to audio. It took a couple of weeks to get into the habit of studying. It’s given me a chance to figure myself out more, so that when I get to graduate school, I’ll have all the necessary skills to perform well in class. Education is a journey. It helps you find yourself and what you’re good at. It pointed me into a career that I love and enjoy doing. It drove me into a career that embodies many forms of education. This career is perfect for me, it forced me to step up, it allows me to continue my education for the rest of my life. It helped me realize that I’ve really grown and can continue to grow. It may have taken me many years to get to this point, but that’s the point. Sometimes it takes a bit to understand just how much joy education can bring into your life. I hope to use my education to support others, to teach them more about our world and its importance. I hope to encourage people to learn more every day, and that it’s okay to learn at your own pace. Education isn’t on a timeline. Enjoy learning as much as you can, find the topics that speak to you, and use them to your advantage.

My name is Ariana Peterson. I’m a student who hopes to make a difference to those around me. I’ve always been a dreamer, someone who had so much curiosity in the world around me that it was hard to keep my ideas tame. I was told from a young age that anything is possible and to dream big because nothing can get in the way of those dreams. That’s what I did; I dreamed and dared to be different. I was aware that I was different from my classmates. I chose silence; I didn’t like to talk, be loud, or crazy. I didn’t have many friends due to this; however, I managed to find some that loved me for who I was. I happen to still have those friends on this day. I’ve also learned how to step out of my comfort zone. I participate in multiple leadership roles at my current college. I may still be different, but that’s because I have a lifetime goal that is in the works. My goal is to become a veterinarian. I grew up surrounded by animals and by people who cared deeply for them. I still have the utmost respect for what animals contribute to our world and understand their importance to the ecosystem. I am currently planning to study abroad for the summer, where I would travel to three countries, working with many different types of animals. It would be a lifetime experience and help me complete my dream of getting into vet school. I would get to have hands-on experience with animals and learn more about conservation. This is a dream for me; it’s something I’ve always wanted to do but never thought I would be able to due to financial reasons. I still believe in what was said my whole life, that you should dream big. I’ve realized, though, that it can be hard without financial support. I came to a community college not only for sports but also because the costs were more doable for my family. However, I will be graduating in May of 2026 and will be transferring to a university. I will get to continue after my goal, but the costs are much higher than at my current school. I may need to take out outside loans in order to afford attendance. I’m applying for this scholarship because it can help with the last bits of costs for my attendance at this university. This will also help in my ability to do a semester abroad. I want people to know me as a dreamer. I want them to know that I’ve never given up, and that I will continue to fight for this dream. This scholarship can help make my dream come true, and it would mean the absolute world to me.

I grew up in a household that always had animals. Whether it was dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, or rabbits, they were around for me to look at and watch. I became fascinated by the diversity of animals in our world and wondered if I could care for them all. I remember constantly going to our local zoos, where I could stare at the animals for hours at a time if my mother had let me. I would bounce from exhibit to exhibit to watch the animal's roam. I also remember that’s when I first got the idea of wanting to be in the enclosures. I would see the zookeepers go into the penguin exhibit and feed them fish; I found myself wishing I could do the same. This is where my curiosity really took off, and anytime I found an animal in need of help, I was the first to volunteer to hold it (not with my bare hands). I would fight with my sister because I wanted to hold them the entire time. It wasn’t too long after these experiences that I discovered a job that would allow me to help animals in more ways than I ever thought possible. My mother was a veterinary technician for a time before switching to a different career path; however, I saw how she worked with animals and would care for them when they were sick or injured. I very quickly decided that I would become a veterinarian. I didn’t just want to work with pets; I wanted to work with exotic animals because I felt they needed more attention. I’ve learned more about conservation efforts over the years, realizing that’s what I want to do. Although I still want to become a veterinarian, I would like to assist in conservation efforts to help prevent a mass extinction from occurring. This is my attempt at making a positive impact. Working with zoos and sanctuaries to take care of their exotic species and to help conserve our remaining species. I am planning to study abroad sometime in order to work in different countries, aiding in conservation efforts and monitoring different animals, including pets, exotic animals, and marine animals. It would give me insights into what I could do for work. I want to travel around the world and work closely with sanctuaries and zoos to make sure their animals are receiving the best care. I have had a passion for animals ever since I could walk. I know that by pursuing a career in veterinary medicine, I can save millions of lives. I intend to continue down this path and hope to contribute to many conservation efforts, ensuring that each and every animal I encounter is treated with respect.

I was raised around animals my entire life. I had cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, and birds. I would pick up any animal I could; when I went to the zoo when I was younger, I even held a cockroach. I don’t think I could do that again, but I was a daring child. I’ve dreamed of becoming a veterinarian since I was a six-year-old. I practically lived in my backyard, watching insects fly, dogs barking, birds flying, and hares hopping. I was curious about all the animals that surrounded our world. I was fortunate enough to volunteer with my local zoo to gain some hands-on experience with animals. I got to help with their diets, handling, and even teaching younger children facts about each animal. This gave me an even greater taste of what would be my goal to accomplish, which is still a goal to this very day. I’ve had my fair share of adventures with animals. A few memorable experiences include trying to get my crazy cat into her carrier (which takes almost three people), having two crazy ducks running about in my backyard, and taking some birds to a wildlife rehab facility after finding them injured. I decided to go into veterinary studies because I wanted to make a difference in animals’ lives. I want to help each and every animal I find. I even trap and release spiders and millipedes instead of killing them like most people would. I am trying to travel abroad for a semester during the summer to work with different sanctuaries and to gain experience with pets, exotic, and marine animals. Our world is becoming less and less of a world for all our animals. I want to help stop this extinction that we are currently facing. I can help save the lives of millions by pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine. I’m passionate about working with animals and caring for them for the rest of my life. I will travel to help species, work with zoos, and do anything possible to contribute to veterinary care. My life has always been surrounded by animals and caring for them in the best possible way. This scholarship will contribute to my tuition costs and potentially my costs to travel abroad. I chose this field because I hope to save as many animals as possible. This scholarship will help me continue down this path as I get ready to apply for vet school.

I am currently studying pre-veterinary medicine at my Community College. I will be transferring to a four-year university and starting in the fall of this year. I will be continuing my degree in Biology to prepare for graduate school. I grew up around animals my entire life. I’ve dealt with cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and hamsters. I’ve always had a deep respect for nature and the animals that occupy it. Throughout my entire education, I learned that the food web is a fragile system, and each animal is essential to it. I would spend hours outside, watching the birds, the dogs running around, and the hares leaping through the neighborhood. I was curious about their behavior and would follow these animals to see where they lived and how they acted if humans weren’t around. My love for the animals around me never faded. When I was in middle school, I decided to volunteer at my local zoo. I got to work with chicken, ferrets, rabbits, hedgehogs, and birds. They were neat to be around, and I got to learn more about their diets and how they contributed to our world. Although this was an amazing experience, what I remember loving the most in our local zoo was the butterfly exhibit. I feel that large animals often receive all the attention (yes, they are what I would like to work with), but insects are just as important. Insects, like larger animals, are crucial for ecosystems as pollinators and as a food source. Volunteering with butterflies showed me the importance and beauty of even small creatures. Every animal has a vital role in maintaining a healthy environment, which is why I am passionate about this field. I am currently planning to study abroad for a semester during the summer, in which I would go to Thailand, South Africa, and Costa Rica to work with different sanctuaries and to gain hands-on experience with small animals, exotic animals, and even marine animals. It’s important to understand how to care for each of these groups of animals; they all require different learning and training. I would get to witness firsthand the good that comes from working in conservation. I have also applied for an internship this summer in hopes of working with my local wildlife. Our world may be facing a mass extinction; I want to work to combat that threat. My experiences have shown me why conservation matters. With awareness and protection, we can give existing species a fighting chance. Although human actions may drive extinctions, we hold the power to reverse the trend. Every effort, whether with sanctuaries or local groups, has the potential to save lives—even millions of them. I would love to receive this scholarship as it would help with my tuition costs for my four-year university. It would also help with my expenses when it comes to traveling abroad and preparing for graduate school. I am very passionate about working with animals and protecting their health and well-being. This scholarship can help me reach my goals and help me save lots of animals’ lives.

Everything seems so huge when looking at the world as a kid. We don’t have the concepts of doing things and all we know how to do is visualize. Visualize about what the future could like, or what we will accomplish over time. Our dreams are what make us human, but not everybody goes after these dreams as they feel too far to reach. I happen to be someone who kept my so-called fairytale dream alive over the years. I believe everybody is worth their dreams, they just must keep pushing towards it. Everybody goes through complications in life, but it’s how we deal with it that decides our fate. I’ve had my fair share of struggles; I’ve chosen not to let them define me. I had a rough beginning with my parents splitting up and soon after getting a stepmother. There were many times where my father overstepped his boundaries as a parent and didn’t do right by my sister and me. He loved us but didn’t show it the right ways leading to us clinging to our mom. I understand that everyone has their own way of dealing with demons; not everybody deals with it in the same manner. The hardest part is taking those demons and making them yours. You make them into something you can use to push forward in your life. I’ve spent my entire life surrounded by animals; they’ve helped me through many hardships. I don’t know who I would be today if they hadn’t been around. My mother taught me how to handle them correctly, as well as taught me what to do if one is injured. I enjoyed helping them and always hoped the one that we sent to a rehabilitation center survived and could be released back into the wild. I also learned quickly though that not everyone animal I helped could be saved. This never changed my mind about my career. You save more than you lose but helped them feel love before the end. I’ve heard people mention something like this all the time and keep it in my heart. I am doing this for a reason. Every job has its hardships, I keep pushing; I know what it takes to get where I need to. I know that many people have similar aspirations that I do. I also understand that many people are worthy of receiving this award. I feel that I have pushed myself to my limits to get the education needed to pursue my dream. I am worth my dreams because I’ve never given up on them and will continue to fight for what I deserve. My career path has never been that of an easy one; I will get to my dreams because I know that I am worthy.

Most people love animals and want them to be taken care of. I don’t think they realize how much effort goes into protecting the animals of our world and the impact we make on them. We can find a way to make a difference by looking at our habits, participating in conservation, and understanding how to contribute to a healthier environment. Firstly, we don’t realize how much our routines play a role in the welfare of animals. Welfare isn’t just about conservation but sometimes we need to take the initiative to involve ourselves to save animals. People tend to have a mindset that animals in the wild shouldn't be messed with; although this is true, there are some times where intervention is necessary for the welfare of the animals. I believe that zoos can be a great way to take care of animal species if done in the correct manner. They get vaccines and some zoos even participate in conservation and sanctuaries take in injured animals and release them once healed. These aspects are important to prevent more species from becoming extinct. When someone witnesses an animal in need, I think it is necessary to try and help them (with the help of a professional). People need to not be afraid to get help so these animals can get the care they need. Secondly, there are many ways that people can help with conservation efforts. Veterinarians who work in zoos care for the welfare of the animals and are trying to keep them healthy. Finding the right zoos that are doing this is essential to conserving the species on our planet. I have participated when volunteering at my local zoo in which I learned more about what it takes to help. My goals relate with the aspect as I am an aspiring veterinarian trying to work specifically with large animals. Along with wanting to travel to different countries to participate in conservation efforts by helping give vaccines and do a welfare check on the animals. I hope that throughout my college experience, I will get to participate more by traveling abroad with certain programs, in order to learn more about how I can help conserve animal species all around the world. Finally, the comprehension of how we can use our efforts into conservation. I have picked up over the years, little ways I can help our planet, in return helping animals. I want to make a positive impact by understanding how damaging certain things are and how there are better alternatives. I hope to establish myself in my career and to be able to tell the world about ways we can save our planet and animals with it. Our future is dependent on the fact that the food chain needs to stay in balance. Removing one key factor can completely tear down the process and everything suffers in the process. I hope I will be able to get my voice out there as someone people can trust, looking for new ways to safe and conserve precious life. In conclusion, the key to conservation is looking at ourselves and deciding on simple things we can change to better our environment. We all need to do our part so that animal don’t go extinct and I hope to play a role in that, in the future.

I believe everyone has the potential to be great at something. The only thing that prevents people from getting it is the effort put into what they love. It takes a certain kind of dedication, persistence, and motivation to reach and achieve your dreams. You can’t reach a goal if you don’t put in the effort to accomplish it. You can say how much you want something but if you never go after it, then it will never get done. I have shown much dedication in my life; it was a rough start in my life with my parents splitting and having repressed memories due to sexual trauma that happen early in life. I chose not to look at that aspect in my life as a bad thing though. If anything, my experiences have only made me stronger; it made me work harder and even when being little, I still had huge dreams. I have wanted to become a veterinarian since I was around five; I stuck with it because animals are a huge part of my life. I have shown the dedication I have to this career as I am currently in college studying to become one. I never let my financial issue stand in the way of my career; I am also lucky enough to have lots of family who support me in my journey. I also have shown dedication in my sports. I have been golfing for many years, it’s been hard work, but I continuously got better. I don’t do golf competitively anymore, but I enjoy the sport; I will continue to work my game through my life and just have fun with the experience. The key to achieving a dream is not giving up when it gets tough. I’ve learned that setbacks are a part of life. I’ve had many set backs whether that be emotionally or physically like in sports. It’s draining when something that used to come so naturally just fades. That’s what persistence is for, to help you continue your journey even when you feel like you’ve headed backwards. You’ll never get better unless you keep going. I’ve been persistent my entire life, fighting to get skills, longing to be more emotionally available instead of closed off. All these things are still in progress; I haven’t mastered them yet. I am pushing through the pain and heartache because I know where I want to end up. I want to go to graduate school, I want to make a difference in the world by helping the animals around us. I refuse to let anything stand in the way of those dreams, but it would be nice to get some help occasionally. The financial barriers are the hardest thing but if given the opportunity, I will find a way to thrive. Lastly, the drive to accomplish and succeed. No one can motivate you to get better, no one can motivate you to dream big. It all comes from within yourself. There’re many instances where I could have chosen to move on, to accept defeat, but that’s not who I was raised to be. I’ve always been motivated to get better, in golf, cheer, and in my education. I know that I must be my biggest motivator to pursue my career field. In conclusion, I believe I possess the qualities needed to succeed in life. I push through hardships, don’t give up, and cheer myself on the entire way. I would very much appreciate the help in achieving my goals and believe these characters will make me a good candidate.

Golf people would say is a boring sport. That isn't true though, it can make you or break you; it's up to you to choose. I found my love for golf when I was very young. This was due to my uncle wanting me to learn early and always taking me out. I stayed playing the sport competitively all the way through high school and now play it recreationally. I've loved playing golf because it isn't a fast sport. I can spend time outside and enjoy nature around me. It's not about winning or losing but instead figuring out who you are and who you want to be. Golf is a sport that I've growth tremendously in and over the years, I've realized how much I've changed and learned to love myself and the sport. I love playing golf but there were many challenges I’ve faced over the years. I struggled getting out of my head and just learning to love the sport instead of the score. I would get so frustrated with myself; that I couldn’t just get it and be better. I was always told that the power was there, that I just had to keep practicing and that it would come eventually. Control is a lot easier said than done. When I played competitively, I never felt good enough to be in the sport. It wasn’t natural for me, not something I could just pick up with no prior knowledge. I had a lot going on in my life with other sports along with school. My family also doesn’t have a lot of extra money to spend so getting lessons in was occasionally unlike some who could go every week. I had my priorities but that never meant I didn’t try as hard as I could to become a better golfer. My main challenged appeared my senior year of high school; we had a newer coach, and I had never really gotten to know him. He made it clear early in my season that I was not important and that for some reason he didn’t want me to play at State. I tried talking with him about the challenges he was putting me through, but he didn’t care. I pushed through, working with getting out of head so that I could play in State but nothing I did was ever enough. I had to jump through hoops and even if I did, it didn’t mean a single thing. I got told that it might be too little too late for me; ironic in a sport that you can play for most of your life. I was then scolded for bringing this unfairness to the athletic trainer where it was made abundantly clear that he would never allow me to play at State. I may not have played in State, but I didn’t quick and instead take it upon myself to take a break. I now play golf recreational despite almost losing my passion entirely because of a coach. I was seen as a lesser player but just because one person doesn’t believe in you, doesn’t mean you need to quit. I still love the sport and can’t wait to play again this summer where I just get to be me.

Animals have been in my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up around them and always had a natural curiosity about them; I only got more curious after the few times when I rescued some injured animals. I found out very soon that it could be a job to help animals, to save them and help them get better. This was my calling, I just had to narrow it down to see which specific group I wanted to work with. It’s taken me many years and lots of growing up to finally decide on wanting to work specifically with zoo animals, although I’m not set in stone on that. I have a passion to work with all animals, I hope that maybe in time I can specialize to be able to work with more animals. As of my education right now, I feel this is the best way to go and it’s something that is very important to me. My senior year of high school, I took a zoology class where we attempted to hatch ducklings. This experience was a failure as none hatched, therefore, I took it upon myself to hatch them. I contacted the teacher who gave us eggs, bought an incubator, and did all the research to get them set to hatch. I ended up hatching eight ducklings and kept two for a couple months to gain the knowledge of how fast they grow. My work kept going as I was asked by my teacher to hatch some ducklings again for his flock. I ended up having a woman with a flock take my ducks to give them a better life (p.s. I still get pictures occasionally to see how they’re doing). This time only solidified my choice in becoming a veterinarian so that I could finally be the one who helps them. Although I’m not set in stone on my focus, it doesn’t change the impact I hope to make on the world. My desire once finished with my education is to work with zoo’s on keeping their animals healthy; I also wouldn’t mind having an opportunity to work with other countries in conservation efforts. I hope that I can help education people on the importance of animals and how essential they are to our ecosystem. I also want to establish my own practice keeping my prices fair so that my community has a safe place to go when they just want to help an animal in need. My major is pre-veterinary medicine, and it involves animals because I will directly be working with them to keep them healthy. I also hope to participate in conservation efforts to keep our world healthy.

Sports are a great way to get yourself moving throughout the day. They teach us a lot about patience, responsibility, and resilience. I’ve been taught these lessons in sports while also tackling school on top of it. Finding time to get school work done while also trying to stay ahead in golf has always been a challenge. It requires good time management, and I’ve pushed myself to keep going even when it felt overwhelming. I’ve given my best effort into school as well as golf; I’ve found out a lot about what I can do through these obstacles. Golf is a mentally challenging sport, and I’ve had to overcome my mind while playing and pushing myself to not get upset over the outcome. I know my limits and won’t stop until I’ve accomplished my goal. This scholarship would help me to reach my next goal in college. It would help me to keep overcoming difficulties and to farther my education. Every major has its challenges so having a scholarship is a huge reward to help you get your degree. My education has always been important to me but golf has also been important. My academics showcase the work I’ve put into my education; I’ve worked just as much on my golf to become better for college. I’ve taken some harder classes and still been able to get A’s while dealing with the golf season, and not having much time for schoolwork. Freshman year was tough on me because I had never had to deal with golfing everyday while also trying to get my work for school done. Everything had been new to me while also being on a different schedule because of the pandemic. I still was able to get the grade I wanted because I was determined to get my academic letter my first year. I’ve been able to keep my grades up while also improving in my golf game for three years. I am ready to finish high school strong; I’m ready to begin my new journey into college while still continuing to improve in golf. I believe that I would be a good candidate for this scholarship because of the time and dedication I’ve put into both my education and golf. I’ve worked hard to be where I am today, and I would use this scholarship to expand my education so I can continue to keep my good academics.

Disney has taught many people life lessons. You can learn about hard work and how to be independent. Disney is for everyone to watch and enjoy; you can use it to understand issues and how to problem solve. Disney has been a part of my life since I was a little kid. I could watch the movies for hours and never get bored of it. Disney has taught me a lot about working hard and refusing to give up even when times are tough. I’ve learned to be kind to everyone; to not judge people but to get to know them first. Tiana is one princess I admire most. She’s very determined, she won’t give up until she’s reached her goal, and she stays positive through everything. I work hard in all that I do and I understand that things will get better if you push yourself. Tiana has taught me a lot about reaching my goals; I realize things aren’t easy and that you have to work to succeed. You can’t expect to make it without struggling a little to figure things out. You make friends along the way to help you with your journey. Some people may not believe in you but those who do are the ones you share your success with. Another one of my favorite Disney characters is Moana. I enjoyed watching this movie because it teaches people about independence. In society, people expect you to act proper and it’s sometimes hard to be yourself. I’ve had a hard time expressing myself in society. Moana taught me how it’s okay to go off on your own and to follow my own path. I don’t have to be perfect; being myself is what matters most in life, and I can’t let others tell me what to do. I decide who I want to be and nobody else should tell me how to live. Moana had taught be that individuality is important and that you create your own story. Disney is meaningful and teaches the world about how to care for others but also yourself. There are a lot of problems in the world but Disney brings people together and gives them joy. Disney can be for all; everyone has something they can learn from watching them. Important lessons are essential for gaining success, and understanding the world around us. Disney teaches us these lessons and how to persevere through them.