Surrounded by mountains that are accompanied with cotton candy sunsets, Fernley, Nevada has always been my home. This tight-knit community that I have learned to be part has shown me not only how little things can hold strong impacts, but helped guide me to my ultimate goal of being a nurse to help give back to rural communities. My name is Brynne Wilcox and I am senior at Fernley High School, and growing up in Fernley has inspired me to be the best version of myself. Since I was a little girl, the events hosted for good causes have always been a bright part of my life. For example, I am grateful to have participated in the Relay For Life for multiple years. I have a very fond memory of my cousins and I designing homemade shirts that supported the campaign, and feeling proud that I was able to contribute to the community, even if it was in a minor way. Volunteering to be the videographer and work the booths at youth football games kept me busy during the fall. It was amazing to see so much of the community come together to support our young players, and getting to be part of that was a great experience. Along with that, my grandpa, a Vietnam veteran, has helped me recognize from a young age the importance of our troops. Every year around Christmas, I attend the Wreath's Across America event held at the cemetery. While my feet begin to hurt and the tip of my nose turns red, the sight of beautiful wreaths sprawled across the cemetery makes it worth it every single time. Though there are hundreds of graves of those I have never met, I always am comforted to know that the people of Fernley will not let them go forgotten for Christmas. An experience that opened many doors for me to grow into who I am was getting a job at the Fernley Swimming Pool my freshman year of high school. I originally got the job because I wanted to expand my independence to earn for myself, but being a lifeguard has ended up being so much more than that. Part of my responsibility as a lifeguard is to teach children how to swim, and that has definitely been a rewarding experience. Fernley is full of outdoorsy families that enjoy camping and hunting, so teaching a child to become a stronger swimmer and potentially reducing the risk of an accident occurring is very important to me. On top of that. simply seeing kid's faces light up when they begin to improve is extremely fulfilling. Perhaps the best thing my job at the Fernley Swimming Pool has provided me is direction. I sit on a stand and watch people swim for hours, and within those hours I meet and conversate with a great variety of people. These people are all so individual- some are old, some young. Some are soft-spoken, others love cracking jokes. Some keep a tight swim schedule, while some go swimming on a whim. Fernley is full of so many eccentric, wonderful people, and interacting with them on a regular basis and forming bonds has made such a positive impact in my life. Through talking with all of these different personalities I have recognized that I simply love people, and want to put myself in a career where I have the opportunity to connect with them all the time. It was sophomore year when I first began considering nursing, and with just over a month left of high school, I am beyond excited to begin pursing my passion. Having attended the Renown Urgent care in Fernley numerous times, I have understood the significance that choosing to work at a rural healthcare facility holds. Becoming a nurse to work in a rural healthcare setting has been greatly influenced by growing up in Fernley, and has made me especially driven to achieve my goal. Fernley has provided me with so much love, inspiration, and community. I sincerely know that wherever life may bring me, my heart is in this small town that has helped raise me to be an independent, motivated woman. I have always given back to my community to the best of my ability, and I hope that I have managed to do this in ways that truly make a difference. Winning the Diana Wagner Memorial Scholarship can help me to attend the University of Nevada, Reno where I can begin my journey of becoming a nurse who will strive to make positive impacts on the community.