The small community that I have grown up in most of my life, has shaped the way I think. Going from a larger community to a more close-knit one has helped me learn about myself. Learning what my values and ambitions are, at a young age, has given me a head start in achieving my goals. One big example is the hands-on Agriculture class that I got the opportunity to take in high school. Thanks to the land given by the community, I got diverse animal experience, working outside every day. In my last year in agriculture, I managed the horse barn. I learned many valuable lessons on caring for animals that were not my own. Another way the community has shaped me is at the local humane society. Volunteering there, I have met so many others with inspiring stories that lead them to want to volunteer with animals. Everyone is so nice, and the donation events are very well done. I have witnessed people in the community coming together to help the shelter animals, and it brings me a lot of joy. My junior year in high school, I was set on my career path. I decided on the veterinary field. I wanted to job shadow to figure out what specific job felt right for me, and my community came through. Currently, I am job shadowing at two different small animal clinics, and both treat me like family. People that come into the clinics often give me high praise for being there, and getting the experience for my chosen career path. Everyone is so supportive and happy that I’m there. If that isn't the community, lifting up its young adults, I don't know what is. I learned many valuable people skills, communication, and how to make good decisions that affect others, as a camp counselor at Camp Tadmor. This will be my third year helping my community by leading middle school students at the camp. Even though this is not an animal experience, it has given me many of the skills needed to work with the pet owners in a vet clinic, and practice being an adult. I believe that this is very important, because the people make the decisions for their pet’s well-being, so communication with them is a big part of success in the veterinary field. Overall, my community has supported me very well as I figured out my path. Without this semi-rural lifestyle and the diverse experiences within, I believe I would not have found my passion

My name is Ayla Kinzer. I am a senior in high school. I have always been very interested in animals. I love their unique personalities, and I connect well with them. When I got into high school, I began to wonder what direction I should go with my life. I thought about my passions, skills, and hobbies. Everything pointed to an animal science career. After a lot of research, I decided I wanted to become a veterinary technician. It's hard to choose a favorite animal, but if I had to, I would say horses. A large amount of my animal experience and passion has come from what I have learned working with them. They have fully shaped who I have become. The mind/body connection and control you get with a good horse is unlike anything else. I have shown quarter horses in 4H for seven years, and OHSET for three. I am a member of Rural Oregon Gaming Association, and do their shows, as well as other summer shows. As for other animal experience, I took agriculture for two years and was the horse barn manager in my second year. I also took a vet science class. I worked with sheep, cattle, and pigs at my school’s land lab. I care for dogs, cats, sheep, goats, horses, and chickens at home. I have helped many friends with various show animals so that I can learn about them. I volunteer at SafeHaven Humane Society as well. I clean kennels, walk dogs, socialize cats, and help with public events there. I also sometimes go to the veteran's home with my 4H club so that the veterans can pet and talk about the animals with us. It brightens their days so much, and mine too! Animals take up a lot of my time, but I love every moment. Even the work side of it. I am not only interested in working with animals, but I enjoy talking to people, and I love science! I have over forty hours of job shadowing at small animal clinics, which has helped me know that I’ve chosen the career path for me. I like the idea of doing work that is never the same. I have learned that there are a lot of puzzles and excitement in the veterinary field. It has always brought me a lot of satisfaction when I help an animal feel better, in any way. Animals have been such a big part of shaping me, and I want to make their lives even better too. My hope in pursuing a career in the veterinary field is to touch as many lives as I can. My whole life has steered me towards this. It won’t be a job for me, it will be fulfilling my purpose.