I have grown up around animals of all types and learned to love caring for them at an early age. I have had various dogs and cats along with, horses, pigs, chickens, alpacas, parrots, goats, and more. I always felt a special connection with animals and would often spend my time playing with the horses we had on a friend's property. I was taught how to feed and bathe the miniature ponies along with larger horses. I was shy when I was younger and so animals were like friends to me and I thoroughly enjoyed being with them. Even now I still find joy in caring for various types of animals, I have a pug and quaker parrot currently and both are very special to me. I knew for a while that I wanted to be a veterinarian in the future and tried my best to improve my grades in middle school leading up to my freshman year. I managed to get into an animal care class my first year of high school and was incredibly excited to be working with animals and learning about veterinary medicine. I was so interested in the subject that during my eighth grade year I studied animal anatomy and common diseases. I kept a small journal and would take notes on the different illnesses along with their treatments and symptoms. I remember one day in animal care we were learning about the anatomy of a dog and were taking notes based off a power point the teacher provided. I quickly noticed that this anatomy and the one I had studied the previous year didn't line up and brought it up to the teacher. It turns out I was correct and the diagram she had shown us was actually for a cow and not a dog. This was the first time I truly believed I would be able to become a vet. I want to be a zoo veterinarian and help animals at a local zoo depending on the school I attend. I originally wanted to specialize in dogs and cats, but I have always been intrigued by wild animals. My own experience with various birds such as quaker parrots, african grey, and macaws has convinced me that I would enjoy working with these types of creatures daily. With a career in veterinary medicine I could aid so many animals that are in zoos along with possibly wildlife. I can educate younger generations on these animals and pass on my passion for animal care. I believe proper animal handling is important and I could demonstrate how to while encouraging a love for animals and their habitats. I strive to make a difference in animals' lives and want to make sure each animal I come in contact with is cared for. Animals have always been a very important part of my life and that will never change, in the near future I plan to volunteer at various animal shelters near my college to try and gain more experience with animals along with helping those in need.

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety at a young age, though I couldn’t get the proper medication I needed right away because I was ‘too young to have depression’. I spent time switching therapists and this didn’t show any progress since my anxiety made it difficult to express my feelings to a stranger. Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression are viewed negatively in society, I wouldn’t openly admit to having either condition for years and would go out of my way to hide the fact I had to take medications. It is something I think nobody should be ashamed of or be ignored because of their age. It’s not simple to complete tasks sometimes because of both depression and anxiety, I often feel tired and lack motivation. When I do have energy and push myself anxiety finds a way to interfere and prevents me from completing incredibly simple tasks involving social interaction. I obsess over things that have happened or could happen, causing an unnecessary amount of stress. I can’t speak in front of the class, talk to a stranger, or ask the teacher a question without extreme difficulty. I have to work harder to encourage myself and this has made me a hard worker. Having mental health issues has made me more determined to improve myself and push through daunting social situations which I’d like to avoid entirely. My goals can sometimes seem simple to others, but to me they are accomplishments nonetheless. I had a hard time making friends, of course, with anxiety, especially in middle school where everything changed. The relationships I have formed are because I forced myself to speak to people and assured myself nothing was going to happen. I have drastically improved from the sixth grade and can now start a conversation with another student in my class, but anxiety is still present. Living with this has given me a new understanding of the world, I have found people I idolize and speak to daily that have the same problems. Growing up I began to realize that mental health is something that needs to be spoken about. It’s not something that should be embarrassing and everyone should be able to connect to others with the same mindset. I realize now that I am not alone with the way I feel, thousands of people my age have gone through what I have. Depression and anxiety don’t just go away over time, they are something people all over the world have to deal with everyday. This doesn’t mean we have to be ashamed or feel crazy because we process things differently. There are so many individuals who do not seek out or receive proper treatment because they are scared or not taken seriously. No matter the age anyone can have anxiety or depression, it is not something only adults have. Even with medication you cannot rely entirely on it. Some days are better than others, the point is that you are trying. My personal take from living with mental illnesses is that you have to work to better yourself. Therapy and medications won’t do anything, trust me I know, if you don’t want to get better. You have to put yourself in uncomfortable situations and take one step at a time, improvement will happen eventually with hard work and perseverance.

I want my legacy to show that I worked hard and gave back to my community. Many people want to make the most money they can and it is perfectly normal to want to be successful, but that includes helping your community as well. I want to be known for providing donations to charities I support or helping those in need. I want this to be my legacy because just being rich is something people will recognize you for, but not admire you. Being truly successful means you have to be selfless and not just think about your own needs. I think if I left behind a legacy of service and success then others would see that becoming a successful individual is possible no matter where you come from. With enough hard work you don't need to even have a masters degree to become wealthy and I personally believe that you could be the wealthiest person in the world, but still not have a good legacy if you are a selfish person.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I have received is saving an amount of money for emergencies. This has helped me learn to spend my money wisely and have a safety net for the future. I try to save money in my account right now with my parents, but in the future this will help me to be better prepared when I live on my own. It's easy to ask your parents for twenty dollars for a field trip or for a new oil change, but when you are hours away at college it's important to have extra savings to use. You never know what could happen, there are accidents whether that be a broken bone or side mirror that you'll have to pay for. If you spend all your money on personal items without thinking about the future you'll be stuck with a wrecked car and no money to fix it. I haven't had any emergencies yet, but I know that if I ever do that I'll be prepared. Not only does saving a certain amount help in the future, but it encourages better spending habits. Whenever I buy something I check my account and make sure I have a certain amount left which means I never get to the register with no money to my name. You often see teens blindly swiping cards or entering numbers into websites, but I've learned to plan out my spending in accord to my allowance in order to better use my money. I hope this skill pays off in the future when I have to rely on a paycheck every month and can plan out my spending allowance.

Being independent means not immediately relying on others for help whenever there is a problem. Through life you experience many struggles and whether your first reaction is to step back and solve the issue or call your parents shows your independence. Being independent gives you the opportunity to make your own decisions whether that be for college or what you do with your money. You learn to be responsible for yourself and to not fully rely on another person for happiness or support. Being independent doesn't mean being completely alone, but being able to figure out things for yourself. Being more independent has helped me in many forms such as being able to drive, I can now go to practice or to the store without relying on my parents for rides. I have my own bank account where I learn to save money and spend my allowance wisely to have extra in case of emergencies. Overall, being more independent has helped me become a more well rounded person and leaves me striving to learn more about what I can do for myself.

My sentence to the world would be: Don't obsess over too many issues because if you do you'll get overwhelmed and won't be able to accomplish anything. I feel like this is a simple thought, but helps a lot when used in everyday life because you can spend so much time stressing about problems that you have no control over in the moment that you cannot focus on what is right in front of you. I find myself using this advice some times and find myself taking a step back and putting my focus on what I can do right now instead of what I wish I could do in the future. Doing this helps take a lot of stress out of my life and allows me to enjoy the moment instead of obsessing over what may happen. If more people would follow this advice I feel like less of the population would be as stressed and would learn to not worry about subjects out of their control.

To me being a West Virginian is not just physically residing within the state but also the state of mind and experiences. As the second poorest state in the country, according to worldpopulationreview.com, West Virginia is a place where poverty is everywhere. Living here means seeing homelessness and addiction anywhere you go with government officials promising better conditions. It's one thing to read about poverty online and feel empathy for a few moments and another to see poverty first hand with people struggling to make ends meet with families and children. I believe this is what sparks the personality that many tourists claim we have, with so many people in need we just want to help and have this caring attitude compared to other states. Being a West Virginian means being able to adapt, like the recent ice storms in Cabell County that left hundreds without power for weeks. Many had to find ways to cook food or travel the slick roads with no power or WiFi. Even before the ice storms roads, especially those leading to less populated areas, were very poorly made. There are often potholes or pieces of the road cracking off that take months to be tended to. As a West Virginian you learn that there is poverty everywhere, the media portrays this as a foreign concept when in reality you can just drive five minutes down the road and view it. I think living in West Virginia has changed my view of the world because you get to see that not everyone has the same quality of life as you. It humbles a lot of people and makes you grateful for what you have seeing people who have very little who are some of the kindest people you will ever meet. West Virginia hasn't just affected me this way, but also with nature and my respect for it. With living in the country you spend a lot of time outside interacting with nature. Wildlife is everywhere and a big part of the environment here leading you to have an appreciation of it. I understand that I share the world with others and need to take care of the environment which relates to the world as a whole. Growing up in West Virginia has helped me to realize hard work because I am constantly surrounded by people who go into work every day and do the best they can whether they work at a gas station or as a doctor to help out their community. You always see programs attempting to help those in need such as ECHO or food drives and help you understand that helping others is better than doing nothing no matter how small the action.

1. I am from Barboursville, West Virginia and have grown up around various animals including ten miniature ponies at one point. I love being around animals and try to expose myself to as many different species and breeds as possible, except spiders of course. Ever since I was young I enjoyed being outside and taking care of animals, I also asked a lot of questions and learned to love science. After volunteering at an animal shelter and working with animals all my life I decided I wanted to be a vet. Along with animals I run cross country and track at the varsity level and have moved from being the worst on the team to qualifying for the state meet my senior year individually. My motivation is that I am not from the wealthiest background and want to work to be able to provide for myself. Coming from a small area in West Virginia means I didn't have as many opportunities as other students across the country, but I worked very hard to get to where I am now. If I could do anything I would become a vet and make healthcare more affordable because from living in a poverty stricken state I have seen animals of all species who could have a better chance at life if they had the right treatment. Care for animals should be more available especially with livestock who live in the harsh conditions of West Virginian weather. I would provide the best care I can and help begin programs to improve the lives of animals in poor states. 2. The thing that excites me about STEM is the opportunities because everyone has the chance to excel and show their skills when it counts. It does not matter where you are from or your financial background, everyone can do their best and be recognized. You can do research and further your education to accomplish your goals through labs or internships. STEM provides so many people with various choices whether that be engineering or something science related, the program does not limit you to one career path and leads to successful future jobs. Critical thinking is crucial and I think this helps train future engineers, computer technicians, or even doctors. I feel like I could make a positive impact by become a vet and helping my community. There are plenty of vet clinics, but quality and affordable care is hard to find. I want to make it a main priority to help animals in need before asking for a preferred card to charge because a life, whether that is a hamster or a dog, is more important than money. With a job as a vet I could help rehabilitate and adopt out foster animals that are in need of homes instead of having to live their lives in animal shelters. Helping animals is important because as the popularity of pets increases so will healthcare. I would be a great asset to any vet clinic in the future in aiding with the help of injured animals. 3. The greatest challenge I have had to overcome is having a special needs sibling. You have to share the attention from your parents because your sibling needs more help and that can be difficult for a child to comprehend. When I learned my brother was diagnosed with Autism I did not know what that meant and had to learn how to care for my brother. I enjoyed teaching my brother outside of school when he was younger and even shared my love for animals, which he picked up. I struggled to prioritize my time and trying to make sure he is doing well along with school. Having a special needs child or sibling can cause a little stress which you need to learn to handle appropriately. You cannot ignore your sibling and caring for them is a full time job when you are home because they are family. With an autistic sibling you have to be patient and it can be irritating sometimes as you mature. Finding people who understood me was difficult and when I finally found people who could relate to my life I learned that what you see at school is not always the case at home, people have lives separate from social events and other responsibilities. I've learned about patience and caring for others through my brother which could help me as a vet. These skills I learned from my childhood will help me with any struggle that comes my way whether that be college or life.