My name is Emma Kreutner I am a senior at Valentine High School located in Valentine, Nebraska. My small town has less than 3,000 people who live within the city limits. Being from a rural area, empowerment is often intertwined with your last name and relevance in the town however, neither myself nor my family are from Valentine initially. This experience caused a struggle amongst myself when I was younger. I couldn't understand why my voice didn't matter compared to the others. I was bound and determined to change that and make a name for myself. As I grew up, I made it my mission to establish my name inside my small town and to leave an impact. From a young age, I was a natural-born leader and very extroverted. In elementary school, I wanted to know everyone and become their best friend. This passion for connection has never dulled throughout the challenges and hardships of middle school and high school. I continued to expand my connections by joining extracurriculars during middle school which included playing four different sports year-round. Being from a small town, our average drive one way to our sporting events was two hours. These long journies helped me expand my connections around the state of Nebraska. My journey of empowerment and connection only bloomed from there. When I joined high school, I joined the National FFA Organization, the Future Business Leader Association, the National Honor Society, the Student Council, and the class government. I did this all while being involved in three sports all four years of high school. Within these extracurriculars, I held leadership positions for four years within my student government, three years for the Valentine FFA, and two years with the Valentine National Honor Society. Within student government, I was class Vice President for two years, and over my junior and senior years, I served as the President. In the Valentine FFA, I served as Sentinel (10th), Vice President (11th), and during my senior year, I had the honor to be the President. During these years of leadership, I also was an active member of the Valentine NHS and served as Treasurer (11th), and currently, in my senior year I am the President. In the Valentine FBLA, we do not have designated leadership positions however, I was a State Champion in Sports and Entertainment Management (10th), 4th in Client Service (10th), State Runner Up in Healthcare Administration (11th), and 6th in Client Service (11th). I was a competitor at the national level during my sophomore and junior years. These opportunities have given me the ability to network at a state, regional, and national level. Serving in leadership positions and attending the National Leadership Conference in FBLA have allowed me to empower myself as a young woman from a small town. My highly decorated honors and awards within my extracurriculars have allowed me to build my name and reputation in my small town. I had done it I had proven myself to my small town. However, it was always more than that to me. Empowerment meant that I had gained and achieved a newfound level of self-confidence and real-world skills that I could use to set myself apart in my desired field.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. As a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and working nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grows. The longer I work with elderly residents, the more I feel driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. During the second semester of my senior year, I began job shadowing at Cherry County Hospital in the specialty clinic. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to shadow in several different specialties. My favorite so far has been Medical Surgery. I was able to watch several pain management operations, and I felt a special interest in learning more about the surgical side of nursing. Following the Medical Surgery rotation, I highly enjoyed the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialty. Being in rural medicine, our specialty doctors often drive or fly to attend their clinics. Dr. Freeman, an ENT from Colorado, was the doctor I shadowed. When hearing his explanation of different diagnoses, I found it extremely intriguing. I have also experienced oncology, podiatry, ENT, medical surgery, orthopedics, urology, and nephrology. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of the Children's room to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in the Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. As a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and working nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grows. The longer I work with elderly residents, the more I feel driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. During the second semester of my senior year, I began job shadowing at Cherry County Hospital in the specialty clinic. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to shadow in several different specialties. My favorite so far has been Medical Surgery. I was able to watch several pain management operations, and I felt a special interest in learning more about the surgical side of nursing. Following the Medical Surgery rotation, I highly enjoyed the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialty. Being in rural medicine, our specialty doctors often drive or fly to attend their clinics. Dr. Freeman, an ENT from Colorado, was the doctor I shadowed. When hearing his explanation of different diagnoses, I found it extremely intriguing. I have also experienced oncology, podiatry, ENT, medical surgery, orthopedics, urology, and nephrology. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of the Children's room to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in the Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday. These experiences I've experienced have reinforced and solidified my desire to pursue nursing. Through my experience at Cherry Hills Estates, I am even more determined to make a difference in the lives of others who seek compassionate care. I firmly believe that earning my degree in nursing will provide me with the skills and knowledge required to provide more specialized and comprehensive care. In the future, I see myself working in a clinical setting, collaborating with others involved in the healthcare field to improve the lives of patients. Through my job shadowing, I have fallen in love with the workload and pace of nursing. Achieving these career goals will require an unwavering commitment to my academics and professional development. While in school, to achieve my degree in nursing, I will have to balance my coursework and my normal work. This means finding a balance of night shifts to overcome the irregular hours and lack of routine sleep. This can and will be challenging, but I am determined to achieve my degree. The financial burden of college is significant concerning this degree. On a traditional track, I will need five years within my program to graduate. This is where receiving this scholarship would allow me to put more focus on my studies without the additional stress of financial strain. Ultimately, this scholarship would enable me in my long-term career goals by allocating the resources and stability needed to advance my studies and professional development. With this financial assistance, I would be better able to focus on developing my academic and clinical expertise. The skills I would achieve would support me in providing the direct care needed to care for those in need. In the future, I hope to contribute to the success of the medical field, as well as my success and goals. In conclusion, obtaining my bachelor's of nursing at South Dakota State University would be the beginning of what I hope will be an impactful and fulfilling career in my nursing field of choice. Words cannot express my excitement to continue my education to the next level. I hope to expand my knowledge and gain experience that will allow me to provide high-quality care to those in need. This generous scholarship would provide me with the opportunity to achieve my academic goals while providing me the financial support necessary to achieve my passion for healthcare. With this scholarship, I will achieve another step necessary to achieving my dreams, while making an everlasting difference in the lives of those in need.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. As a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and working nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grows. The longer I work with elderly residents, the more I feel driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of the Children's room to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in the Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. As a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and working nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grows. The longer I work with elderly residents at work, I feel driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. It would continue to grow through my schooling. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. During the night, I provide several different forms of personal care. I remove compression socks, give showers, provide peri-anal care, assist with clothing, ambulation, housekeeping, and laundry. My shift begins at 5 PM and ends at 3 AM. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. In my family, we have had numerous members serve in all branches of the military. Both of my grandfathers served in the military: one was in the Army, and the other was in the Navy. My father's dad served in the Navy during World War II. My grandparents inspired my first cousins to follow in their footsteps: three attended West Point Military Academy and are on active duty, and two are enlisted members of the Army. My oldest cousin served in Sauda Arabia for a few months. During this time, we watched her dog and took care of her home in Colorado. My family's service in the military has inspired my pride and patriotism for the United States. Because of this, I attended Nebraska Cornhusker Girls State in 2024. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. In my family, we have had numerous members serve in all branches of the military. Both of my grandfathers served in the military: one was in the Army, and the other was in the Navy. My father's dad served in the Navy during World War II. My grandparents inspired my first cousins to follow in their footsteps: three attended West Point Military Academy and are on active duty, and two are enlisted members of the Army. My oldest cousin served in Sauda Arabia for a few months. During this time, we watched her dog and took care of her home in Colorado. My family's service in the military has inspired my pride and patriotism for the United States. Because of this, I attended Nebraska Cornhusker Girls State in 2024. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away, and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse. I aspire to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. This field piqued my interest because when I was a freshman, I was at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I was in and out of Children's to monitor a genetic heart condition that runs in my family. It took three EKGs and echocardiograms to verify I did not have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy despite the gene being present in my family. When I was in Children's, the nurses who worked there inspired me to continue in nursing. I have always had a strong passion and connection with children, especially newborn babies. Seeing the medical miracles and highly specialized skills needed to work in the NICU, I want to make a difference in those kids' lives. I have seen firsthand the miracles and care in the NICU because several of my cousins are premature. When I watched those nurses work, I felt inspired to be one of them someday. This scholarship would help make that dream a possibility for me.

My name is Emma Kreutner. I am a senior at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska. I have decided to pursue Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. My interest in this field began when I was a young girl who took care of her grandparents. In middle school, my grandparents moved to my town, and I would walk to their house after school to take care of them. The care I provided to them included; peri-anal care, ambulation, and changing their clothes. Taking care of my grandparents is where my passion for caring and nursing began. I continued to provide this care until I was a freshman in high school when my grandfather passed away and my grandmother was moved to a nursing home. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. When I was a junior in high school, I took a CNA class and passed with high honors. I became state-certified in 2023, following the conclusion of my class. I spent the next few months searching for jobs to expand my knowledge, and I found a job at an assisted and independent living facility in my town. I started in March of 2024, and I am currently still employed and work nights there. As my senior year began, I decided to study nursing at South Dakota State University. During my senior year, I am taking several classes pertinent to my studies in nursing. The more I learn about the medical field, the more I feel my passion for caring for people grow. The longer I work with the elderly residents at work, I feel a strong driven to continue learning more about healthcare. My experiences throughout my life, as well as the knowledge gained in the classroom, inspire me to become a nurse.

My name is Emma Kreutner, and I am from Valentine, Nebraska. I live in the north-central portion of Cherry County, with my town being the biggest in the county with under 3,000 people. I currently work as a night CNA at our local assisted and independent living faculty and plan on working in a rural area as a nurse. From a young age, I have had a special pull towards medicine and the medical field. This stemmed from seeing my father work as a Medication Aide at the assisted and independent faculty I work in now. This inspired me to start my journey in Healthcare, and this began when I was in the sixth grade. During my first year of middle school, my grandparents moved to Valentine and required round-the-clock care and I would walk to their apartment after school. I would take care of both of them on my own until 1630 when my mom would get off of work. This showed me that I had a unique calling in life, which was Healthcare. As time passed, so did my grandparents but my calling did not. I was able to become a board-certified nursing aide during my junior year of high school. The next few months were spent applying and interviewing for my first official job in the field. I was given a job as a night CNA at the same assisted and independent living home that my dad worked out. I was beyond excited to work and start my career in rural healthcare. As my senior year began, so did my college search. I have chosen to go to South Dakota State University and major in Nursing. I have decided to focus my studies in more rural healthcare and rural nursing because there is a significant underservice in rural communities for local nurses. In my town, we are the central hospital for Cherry County and I have seen firsthand the lack of local nurses. Any time I am in the hospital there is a significant deficiency in local nurses in comparison to the traveling ones I see. By choosing to go into rural medicine, you must have a vast knowledge of numerous different areas of medicine. This fact often deters those from going into rural medicine, and the lack of popular shops and stores to use. Being from a rural area, I have learned more about medicine than I ever imagined I would. By being from a small town, I can use that small-town knowledge in other areas to help increase the number of local rural nurses.

My first experience in the Healthcare field began in the sixth grade. During my first year of middle school, I was in charge of taking care of my extremely elderly grandparents. They needed round-the-clock care and I would walk to their apartment after school and take care of them until 16:30 when my mom would get off work. Some of the care work I did for them ranged from perianal care and showering them to feeding them meals. I continued to do this for a full year until my grandfather passed from congestive heart failure. From that point on my grandmother moved to an assisted living, but was quickly transferred to a long-term care facility due to her worsening condition. Seeing this decline in my grandparents was a call to action for me, during this time I found my calling in healthcare. I spent numerous nights researching opportunities to work in this field as I entered high school, and I was able to apply for a Certified Nursing Aide class through my community college. I balanced this on top of my nine other dual-credit high school classes and a part-time job. This learning process has taught me several things about myself such as the things that motivate me the most, the hunger to be my best for others. Out of the four core pillars, being hungry is the one that exemplifies me the best. In my junior year of high school, I passed my Certified Nursing Aide class with a 98% and received a 100% score on my board certification. The following months consisted of applying and interviewing for a job at my local independent and assisted living home. I received a job offer to work as a night-time CNA at this faculty, working ten-hour shifts. I was trained for four days before working on the floor on my own. This work expanded my hunger to learn more about my residents and their preferences. This includes the times they like to get ready for bed, their preferred shower times, and their dietary needs. During my time at night, I am responsible for getting 33 residents ready for supper and bed. This has taught me that my drive and passion for caring for others have driven me into a field I love. I have worked at this facility for nearly a year now, and I plan on working here until I move to college. As I began my senior year, my mind wandered to various possibilities for a major. However, my mind was already made up, I wanted to be a registered nurse. This drive and hunger to continue in the Healthcare field has led me to choose South Dakota State University to major in Nursing, where I will expand my knowledge and build skills to become a nurse. My passion for working with the elderly has helped me choose a specific division of nursing, geriatrics. The field for this line of work for nurses is small, but I am extremely driven to make a name for myself in this field and care for the elderly. My passion and drive have fueled my hunger to expand my knowledge in the Healthcare field and with the assistance of this $1,000 scholarship I will be able to satisfy that.