My name is Briauna Ricenbaw. I am a senior at Canyon High School and on the path to graduate in May of this year. I am heavily involved in Band, Theater, and Colorguard. I am in the honors percussion program and the Colorguard Captain. My band is a 5-peat state finalist in 4A. I have been part of my school’s theater department since my sophomore year as a student, actor, and tech crew member. I am in the National Honor Society, and I am currently following my High School Healthcare career path. After I earn my high school diploma, I plan to attend Amarillo College through the new Badger Bound program. I am attending this community college for two years to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2028. I will then attend either Texas Tech or West Texas A&M University to finalize my educational aspirations to work as a Registered Nurse. My career aspirations and current involvements have all been formed by my loving family and childhood experiences. As a child, I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much”. While that may be true, who says that's a bad thing? I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. When I got older, I realized I wanted to use my “sensitive soul” for the better and go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I yearned for. The more my knowledge of healthcare grew, the more certain I became that this career would be the perfect fit for me. Science and human anatomy have always interested me, and what little girl does not enjoy the idea of being a doctor? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother from the bottom of my heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided that no matter what challenges come my way, I will become a doctor to help families and individuals who feel the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it was like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. From then on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I got older. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. I began learning about the process of joining the medical field after high school. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. After many hours of researching and continuous learning, despite the common opinion, I decided that attending a successful, yet close to home, college was the best decision for me. I am an extremely family-oriented person and do not believe I am quite ready to move away yet. Furthermore, neither my family nor I had enough money saved up for me to rent or buy my own housing. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I will be working full-time as a pre-medical student, and financial assistance for my college career will help solidify my ability to continue this path and become a Registered Nurse. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much”. While that may be true, who says that's a bad thing? I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. When I got older, I realized I wanted to use my “sensitive soul” for the better and go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I yearned for. The more my knowledge of healthcare grew, the more certain I became that this career would be the perfect fit for me. Science and human anatomy always interested me, and what little girl does not enjoy the idea of being a doctor? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother from the bottom of my heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided that no matter what challenges come my way, I will become a doctor to help families and individuals who feel the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it was like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. From then on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I got older. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. I began learning about the process of joining the medical field after high school. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. After many hours of researching and continuous learning, despite the common opinion, I decided that attending a successful, yet close to home, college was the best decision for me. I am an extremely family-oriented person and do not believe I am quite ready to move away yet. Furthermore, neither my family nor I has enough money saved up for me to rent or buy my own housing. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I will be working full-time as a pre-medical student, and financial assistance for my college career with help solidify my ability to continue this path and become a Registered Nurse. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much”. While that may be true, who says that's a bad thing? I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. When I got older, I realized I wanted to use my “sensitive soul” for the better and go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I yearned for. The more my knowledge of healthcare grew, the more certain I became that this career would be the perfect fit for me. Science and human anatomy always interested me, and what little girl does not enjoy the idea of being a doctor? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother from the bottom of my heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided that no matter what challenges come my way, I will become a doctor to help families and individuals who feel the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it was like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. From then on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I got older. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. I began learning about the process of joining the medical field after high school. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. After many hours of researching and continuous learning, despite the common opinion, I decided that attending a successful, yet close to home, college was the best decision for me. I am an extremely family-oriented person and do not believe I am quite ready to move away yet. Furthermore, neither my family nor I has enough money saved up for me to rent or buy my own housing. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I will be working full-time as a pre-medical student, and financial assistance for my college career with help solidify my ability to continue this path and become a Registered Nurse. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

The phrase “Everything in life happens for a reason” used to make me sick to my stomach. I could never wrap my head around the thought that all the bad things that happened to me I was supposed to view them as good. Anytime someone said this to me in an attempt to make me feel better, it just made me angry instead– because my trauma did not make me stronger, it made me fragile. It made me sensitive and dysfunctional. I couldn't get myself to trust good people, I often felt exhausted from doing basic tasks, and I constantly felt behind, as if I were a 1992 Chevrolet running on an empty tank. Trauma doesn't strengthen anyone; in fact, it shatters them completely. As a child, I went through things no little girl should have to. I had to experience difficult things way too young, causing me to be worried about things I shouldn't have been. I was forced to become emotionally mature at such a young age that it made me feel as if I were the extra piece in a puzzle. I was in the right place, just never quite fitting in. I developed mental illnesses due to all the trauma I went through. It was a very odd feeling. I was a quiet soul on a chaotic stage; nobody ever understood me, but I somehow understood everyone. I felt so out of place– I hated this feeling so much that I constantly tried to mold myself to be more like the people around me to feel a sense of belonging. It worked for a while, but eventually I did this for such a long time that I completely lost who I was as a person. I became an imposter of my own mind. After a long time and a loss of many friendships, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was different. I may not be like everyone else, and that's okay. The trauma and mental illnesses may not have strengthened me, but they shaped me into who I am today, and I will forever be grateful for that. Daily, I still deal with the same mental illnesses I was diagnosed with as a child; I have just learned to be okay with it. I am who I am, and there's nothing I can do to change that. I have developed coping skills and found who I am as a person. For example, I want to be a nurse because I love helping people. I prefer to go by Bri. My favorite color is pink. I love band, flowers, fall, and most of all, I love who I am. I know deep down that I am a good person, and that is what matters most. I am extremely proud of the little Briauna who pushed through when all she wanted to do was give up. I am doing this all for her, not me. Nothing in life happens for a specific reason; it just happens. It's our own choice how we handle those experiences and whether or not we use them to benefit ourselves. So once again, no, the trauma itself does not strengthen anyone. It is up to that person to take those broken and shattered pieces of themselves and turn them into something beautiful.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? As a child, I went through things no little girl should have to. I had to experience difficult things way too young, causing me to be worried about things I shouldn't have been. I was forced to become emotionally mature at such a young age that it made me feel as if I were the extra piece in a puzzle. I was in the right place, just never quite fitting in. I developed mental illnesses due to all the trauma I went through. I felt so out of place– I hated this feeling so much that I constantly tried to mold myself to be more like the people around me to feel a sense of belonging. It worked for a while, but eventually I did this for such a long time that I completely lost who I was as a person. I became an imposter of my own mind. After a long time and a loss of many friendships, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was different. I may not be like everyone else, and that's okay. The trauma and mental illnesses may not have strengthened me, but they shaped me into who I am today, and I will forever be grateful for that. Daily, I still deal with the same mental illnesses I was diagnosed with as a child; I have just learned to be okay with it. I am who I am, and there's nothing I can do to change that. I have developed coping skills and found who I am as a person. For example, I want to be a nurse. I prefer to go by Bri. My favorite color is pink. I love band, flowers, fall, and most of all, I love who I am. I know deep down that I am a good person, and that is what matters most. I am extremely proud of the little Briauna who pushed through when all she wanted to do was give up. I am doing this all for her, not me. Nothing in life happens for a specific reason; it just happens. It's our own choice how we handle those experiences and whether or not we use them to benefit ourselves. So once again, no, the trauma itself does not strengthen anyone. It is up to that person to take those broken and shattered pieces of themselves and turn them into something beautiful. Terry's story inspires me because it reminds me that no matter what happens to you, you can still live an amazing and happy life. He went through so much as a child, and instead of giving up, he pushed through and built himself the life he deserved. His perseverance is a reminder to never give up.

My name is Briauna Ricenbaw, and I am a senior in high school in a small town in Texas. As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? As a child, I went through things no little girl should have to. I had to experience difficult things way too young, causing me to be worried about things I shouldn't have been. I was forced to become emotionally mature at such a young age that it made me feel as if I were the extra piece in a puzzle. I was in the right place, just never quite fitting in. I developed mental illnesses due to all the trauma I went through. It was a very odd feeling. I was a quiet soul on a chaotic stage; nobody ever understood me, but I somehow understood everyone. I felt so out of place– I hated this feeling so much that I constantly tried to mold myself to be more like the people around me to feel a sense of belonging. It worked for a while, but eventually I did this for such a long time that I completely lost who I was as a person. I became an imposter of my own mind. After a long time and a loss of many friendships, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was different. I may not be like everyone else, and that's okay. The trauma and mental illnesses may not have strengthened me, but they shaped me into who I am today, and I will forever be grateful for that. Daily, I still deal with the same mental illnesses I was diagnosed with as a child; I have just learned to be okay with it. I am who I am, and there's nothing I can do to change that. I have developed coping skills and found who I am as a person. For example, I want to be a nurse because I love helping people. I prefer to go by Bri. My favorite color is pink. I love band, flowers, fall, and most of all, I love who I am. I know deep down that I am a good person, and that is what matters most. I am extremely proud of the little Briauna who pushed through when all she wanted to do was give up. I am doing this all for her, not me. Nothing in life happens for a specific reason; it just happens. It's our own choice how we handle those experiences and whether or not we use them to benefit ourselves. So once again, no, the trauma itself does not strengthen anyone. It is up to that person to take those broken and shattered pieces of themselves and turn them into something beautiful.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field. I didn't know much about it, but I knew that I would help people, and that is all I wanted to do. I had so much love in my heart that all I wanted to do was share as much of it as I could with others. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and that I “care too much” when growing up. I constantly cried, and I was always worried about the people around me. But who says that's a bad thing? When I was ten years old, my mother got tested for endometriosis, and instead, the doctors found cancerous cells on the lining of her uterus. My family tried to keep this from me because they knew it would break my heart, but I overheard their conversations and found out on my own. This broke my heart because I love my mother with my whole heart, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her in this moment. After this, I decided to become a doctor to help families and individuals who felt the same as I did at that moment. Now that I understand what it's like to feel lost and lose all hope when something tragic happens, I will do everything I can to prevent others from feeling this way. Then, on, I learned as much about the medical field as I could understand at that age. My love for science, human anatomy, and the medical field only grew as I went on. Once I got to high school, I immediately began pursuing my school's healthcare career path. I learned more and more every day, and I only became more certain that this is what I was meant to do. Though the more I learned about the financial costs of pursuing a career in the medical field, the more worried I became. I am the first person in my family to attend a college in hopes of getting a bachelor's degree due to financial instability. I refuse to allow this factor to prevent me from doing the career I have always dreamed of. I know that my heart and soul belong in the medical field, and no matter how long it takes, I will become a doctor and save as many lives as I physically and mentally can.

As a child, my family severely struggled with money. From the ages of 1-6, my entire family of 5 was forced to live with our abusive grandfather because my parents were spending their money on drugs and alcohol. Child Protective Services was called on our family, and my brothers and I, who were all under the age of 11, were forced to move in with our abusive Aunt and Uncle for a year. They gave us food and water, but often physically and mentally abused us. My mother was unable to see us very often, so she worked very hard and saved up enough to get my oldest brother a phone to communicate with her. My uncle found this out and broke the phone the same day, preventing us from getting any help. Soon after we were allowed to move back with our mother, my father was arrested for a year, leaving my mother alone to fund our family. She was working an unstable job, and we often had no electricity or hot water in our tiny, almost unlivable, infested home. Rats and black widows infested every inch of the home; our windows were broken, and we were limited to a shower a day to preserve our hot water. After my father came home and began working, as did our mother, we were able to move into a more stable household and begin to build our lives from there. My family has been through so much, but I will forever be grateful that my parents were able to quit their addictions and recover for my siblings and me. Our lives have improved greatly in the past few years, though we still struggle with paying for large things like a new home or college funds. My brothers were not able to attend college because my family would not have been able to fund it, but I believe that with or without my family's help, I can attend college and become a Nurse Practitioner to save lives as I have always dreamed of. My childhood has shown me the importance of being smart with the money I earn and dedicating myself to saving money as much as I can. Making smart decisions and understanding the concept of personal wants vs. needs has helped me grow in the world of finance greatly. I will not allow financial issues to prevent me from pursuing a future of working in the medical field, and I will do anything necessary to prove it.