Shaped by growing up as a homeschool kid in a rural North Carolina community, my life has been greatly impacted by my younger brother, Will, who has Down Syndrome. Will inspired me to volunteer throughout high school at a local therapeutic horseback riding facility serving the special needs population, as well as the local Special Olympics chapter. My name is Graham, and I am 18 years old with a dream of becoming a registered nurse. This passion is not just a fleeting thought, it has been forged by experiences spanning my life. At the age of thirteen, I started a neighborhood lawn mowing business as the pandemic slowly unfolded. What began as a way to earn money soon became a life transforming lesson in hard work, dedication, and responsibility. Operating this business taught me how to interact with customers, manage finances, and take pride in a job well done. This experience was invaluable as it taught me transferable skills to apply toward future endeavors. Navigating through the last two years of high school, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery by job shadowing various professionals. I spent long days with firefighters, engineers, park rangers and plumbers. While each experience was enlightening, none resonated at a deeper level until I accompanied a nurse for a twelve-hour shift at a local emergency room. This experience made a profound impact. The fast-paced environment and unpredictable nature of the emergency room brought excitement to a role my life experiences had been preparing me for. It was in that moment I knew nursing was my calling.