When I was young, I was introduced to agriculture in a way that most people would never experience. When I was twelve, I joined my family's tradition of showing cattle, which completely changed my life. There was just something about growing up around animals and seeing how they impacted not only my life but everyone's lives everywhere that made me want to give back to them. I also wanted to do something that would allow me to help others, so, with a desire to do good and a love for animals, I set out to become a mixed-animal veterinarian. Becoming a mixed-animal veterinarian will allow me to help the food industry by providing more access to health for livestock animals. Right now, Kentucky and several other states around the United States are hurting for more large animal veterinarians, so I plan to pursue a career where I can help address the problem in the livestock industry. As someone who showed livestock, I understand what it is like not to have access to the care you need. For my family, the nearest large animal veterinarian was a few hours away, so if there was an emergency, there was nothing that could be done most of the time. Growing up knowing that help was too far away and animals were dying made me want to give back to the food industry. Everyone, whether they realize it or not, uses livestock animals; I want to ensure that this industry, which is so valuable to daily life, has the proper care and recognition it deserves. My career goals include attending college to get my bachelor's in pre-vet medicine and then moving on to a vet school where I can obtain my doctorate in veterinary medicine. With my newly obtained degree, I hope to work or open a vet clinic in Kentucky that will allow more farmers and livestock owners to have the care their animals need. However, I don't just want to provide people with access to a large animal veterinarian; I also want to help educate owners on their animals and the proper care they need. The summer of my senior year, I had the opportunity to work as a kennel tech at my local vet clinic, and it was through this experience that I realized how uneducated many people are when it comes to owning a pet. Many pet owners are not aware of what it actually takes to own a pet, and I will not pretend that before working at a clinic, I knew exactly what I was doing. It was the realization of how little I actually knew about my pet as someone who wanted to work in the animal industry that I realized how much people outside of the industry did not know. I hope that by becoming a veterinarian, I can use my knowledge and voice to help bridge the gap of improper care between owners and their pets. Many lives could be saved if owners simply knew more about their animals and the benefits that come with proper care.

When I was two years old, my parents got divorced. I was not old enough to remember or understand, which most people would think is a good thing because I would not have to go through the emotional turmoil of living through my parent's divorce; however, I am constantly feeling the impact fifteen years later. Growing up, my mom had primary custody of me and my sister, while my dad would visit us two times a week, which to me was normal until I got older and understood what was happening better. My mom always did everything she could to ensure me and my sister had every opportunity we wanted, which was difficult considering our financial situation. In our house, it was my mom, sister, Poppy, and me. My mom was the only one working a job because my poppy was disabled and my sister and I were just kids. She raised two girls while also taking care of her father and trying to give us the best life possible. Meanwhile, my father would visit every week, but he didn't put in half the effort my mom did. My mom was a single mother taking care of herself and three other people, while my dad lived alone taking care of himself, making more than my mom, and making me feel like a financial burden. My dad got us every other Sunday, and it was his responsibility to feed us, but growing up, I remember several of these Sundays when we only had one meal with my dad, and as soon as we got home with my mom, we would go to the kitchen and find something to eat. My mom came to everything while my father would occasionally show up for the graduation and performances. Growing up with a mom who didn't have extra money to spend and a father who was stingy with money made me conscious when it came to spending any money. However, it also impacted how I saw the world. Being raised by a single mother, I saw how women can do just as much as men. She did heavy lifting, used tools, did outside work, and could do more than some men. It was seeing this that made me realize that if she could do things outside the norms or push herself to give two little girls everything that they wanted, there was nothing that would stop me from achieving my goals. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a veterinarian, and my mother did everything she could to support me, so I started taking action to make her proud. I started pushing myself in high school by working a job so I could get my things and take the financial burden off her while also taking as many AP and Dual Credit courses as possible to ease the financial load of college. By becoming a veterinarian, I will be considered the first doctor in my family, and hope to change my community for the better. I will be able to benefit my community by giving farmers and other large animal owners the access to healthcare their animals deserve. It was growing up with a single mother that made me realize that I am responsible for what I can accomplish and that there is no excuse for not achieving my dreams and helping my community because she always managed to do it all.

When I was young, I was introduced to agriculture in a way that most people would never experience. When I was twelve, I joined my family’s tradition of showing cattle, which completely changed my life. Through countless county and state fairs, I was able to broaden my knowledge of the livestock industry and find a desire to contribute to the industry that forever changed my life. As I began showing cattle, I gained countless experiences about the different ways animals are to be treated, how to show properly, the various types of breeds, the anatomy of cattle, and overall how important the livestock industry is to not only me but everyone everywhere. Without the industry, we would be without important needs such as food, fiber, and fuel. It was this important fact that made me realize that I wanted to do something to give back to agriculture, so through my experience with cattle and love for animals, I decided I wanted to be a veterinarian. It was with my future occupation as a veterinarian in mind that I knew I would need to go to college to get my doctorate in veterinary medicine. In high school, I started taking classes that would earn me college credit; my school provided two free dual credit scholarships a year for juniors and seniors, and I started taking as many AP classes that would give me credit as a way to try and shave off a semester or two. I began to take courses through Murray State University Racer Academy, which has allowed me to earn credits in animal science and introduction to veterinary medicine. By earning these credits I have a better understanding of what I will be doing in my future career, and through AGR 100 I earned my Elanco Fundamentals of Animal Science, showing my knowledge in the field. Outside of school, I have started taking steps, starting from watching my neighbor's cat to now working as a kennel tech at one of my local vet clinics. At the clinic, I get hands-on experience and a front-row seat to watch how veterinarians work and what happens in a clinic setting. Although I have not been working here for very long, I have learned countless skills and information that a veterinarian needs while also getting clinic hours, which are required for vet school. However, getting to where I am today has not been easy, and getting into vet school will be challenging. As long as I can remember, I have struggled with self-doubt, which has had a major impact on my ability to live life. Growing up, I constantly avoided social situations out of fear that others wouldn't like me and think I was weird. It was this self-doubt and insecurity of not being accepted that led me to miss out on so many great opportunities. It is this same self-doubt that makes me doubt that I will even be accepted into vet school. I know that spots are limited and they always look for the best candidates, which is why it is important that I stay on track and do everything I can to stand out from the other candidates; however, sometimes I still feel like it will not be enough. Going into the veterinarian industry is a long process; although I may doubt myself sometimes, I continue to push forward and remember all the hard work I have put into achieving my goals because I know it is what I want to spend the rest of my life doing.

When I was little and was asked what do you want to be when you grew up I never really knew how to answer the question. I knew that I wanted to do something that helped people, such as a nurse or doctor, but I wasn't sure. As a child, I never really knew how many possibilities there were when it came to helping people I just knew that the people working in hospitals were usually the ones helping when we were sick or hurt until I began my journey in the livestock industry. When I was around twelve years old my uncle presented me with the opportunity to show cattle. At first, I did not want to because I already knew what I wanted, I wanted to be a nurse so I could help people however that quickly changed. After watching my sister show cattle for a year I decided to give it away and fell in love. This experience was a defining experience in my journey towards pursuing a career as a veterinarian and introduced me to the world of agriculture through this hands-on involvement with cattle. The time I spent working with my animals allowed me to develop a deep appreciation for their well-being and an understanding of the importance of proper animal care. As I spent countless hours grooming, feeding, and caring for the animals in preparation for shows, I was able to learn so much about cattle and the animal industry. I was also able to learn valuable skills such as animal nutrition, health management, and handling techniques which allow me to better take care of my animals and treat them properly. What stood out the most, however, was the bond that formed between me and the cattle. To me, they weren't just livestock but companions who relied on me and my uncle for their care and well-being. This responsibility laid upon me gave me a desire to ensure that every animal received the best possible care. The bond I formed with my cattle made me realize how important and special the bonds we have with animals are and by becoming a veterinarian I will be able to give proper care to pet animals making their owners happy achieving my ultimate goal of helping people while doing something I love. My experience of showing cattle sparked my curiosity which led me to explore the field of veterinary medicine further, and I quickly realized that it was the perfect mix for my passion for animals and desire to help others. As I observed the animal industry, I became fascinated by how much there was to learn and even began to take dual credit classes through Murray State University. As of today I have taken introduction to veterinary science and animal science and hope to continue to expand my knowledge as I move forward. Today, as I embark on my journey toward becoming a veterinarian, I carry with me the lessons learned from my time spent with the cattle. I am so grateful to have had the experience that I did because it helped to open my eyes. I now know that there are several ways to help people than being the one to treat the wounds. Today I know that I want to be a veterinarian because the bond that comes with an animal is something that should always be cherished. As I move forward with my life the skills and experiences I went through while showing cattle will forever drive me in my journey to become a veterinarian.

Imagine living during a time when you would be scared to go outside of your home because you were afraid of all the chaos going on in the world. Now imagine if you took that fear and used it to channel your inner hero. With this inner hero, you will be able to help save several lives and will get to experience things you would never have been able to if you had stayed inside and hidden. While out saving people you will make friends, enemies, and possibly even find the love of your life. Now quit imagining because this did happen to one boy who helped jews escape to safety during World War II. One book that majorly changed my life was Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan and because of that, I feel like everyone in the world should read it. When I first started high school I had never really been able to pick up a book and understand how someone could be so fascinated with reading, until my sophomore year. In my English class, we had to pick one book to read for a project and I decided to do Beneath a Scarlet Sky because both my friend and my teacher recommended it. After I started reading the book I got to where I did not even want to put it down, I just wanted to know what was going to happen next. As I continued to read I got attached to not only the plot but the characters. I remember reading this book and it was the first time that a book had ever made me feel any emotions; there were times when I would laugh and cry because I got so attached. Thanks to Beneath a Scarlet Sky I finally was able to understand why people read for fun. I have gotten into reading because of it and my life will forever be impacted by it. I think everyone should read this book because not only will it educate you on World War II but also because it has an amazing plot that always keeps you on the edge of your seat. It involves history, romance, drama, and so much more that there is always something for everybody. If everyone was to read this book then maybe their lives would be impacted just like mine and it will become their favorite book.