Seeking knowledge, strengthening the mind, and integrating that understanding to benefit society is my goal for the future. Some of the most fulfilling parts of my life have been through schooling. I strive for opportunities to advance my education by aiming for the highest grades and preparing for my time in university. This has led me to become an honour roll student, currently accepted for the fall semester at the Thompson Rivers University Veterinary Technology program. I look forward to attending university because it will allow me to immerse myself in academics and hands-on work, not only learning the medical aspect of animal care, but also further understanding the importance behind pet hygiene, exercise, affection, spaying and neutering and other physical and mental activities that impact a pet’s health. While my education has been a crucial part of my life, it does not compare to the value I have gained from my volunteer experiences. My work in the community has been a constant thread throughout my life, fundraising and meal prepping for homeless shelters, garbage clean-up, and dog walking as a younger child and teen, as well as volunteering at animal shelters and pet hospitals in more current years. The volunteer experience that had the greatest personal impact was through caring for the cats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, a shelter dedicated to rehoming abused and abandoned cats while also educating the public in appropriate feline welfare. I have worked there weekly since March 2023, and it remains one of the most important roles in my life. Not only can I guide our community’s cats towards a physically and emotionally healthy environment, but I am given the opportunity to help owners find their perfect match, spread information that highlights the critical nature of spaying and neutering, and work with the cats to improve their behaviour and adoptability. My volunteering has taught me how to take my knowledge gained from my academics and apply it to physical work. It also encourages me to form connections and further my understanding of how I can impact the people around me in a social manner. Through my veterinary career, I can make a positive impact on the sustainability of animal health beyond direct medical care, like blood draws, vaccinations, and dentistry. As a licensed professional, I can enlighten owners with knowledge on how to prevent health deficits from occurring in the first place. In this way, the animals will have fewer hospital visits with a higher quality of life. Attending university has become my next step because it will immensely advance my learning, networking, and career qualifications so I can benefit hundreds of animals and their owners. Since my acceptance into the Thompson Rivers University Veterinary Technology program, I have been eager to discover where this new experience will lead me and how it will impact the future.

Financial adversity has continuously played a role in my life. It has been the cause of substantial anxiety, narrow-minded focus, and limited access to resources. However, the pressure of keeping up with the financial burden has guided me in developing my financial literacy skills. Though balancing a part-time job with my high school studies, friends, proper food and sleep habits, and physical health can be overwhelming at times, I have developed strategies to budget for my future to prevent debt. As a child of divorce, my family’s income is solely based on my mother’s earnings. Because my mom is a homeschool teacher, her revenue is delivered through her diminishing RRSP savings and any eligible government funds. These financial limitations have been significant factors in the need for education in financial literacy. The cost of my two-year program (estimated over $75,000 not including moving and set-up costs) has been planned out thoroughly to determine the amount of student loans I may require and how long those will take to pay off. My savings have accumulated to nearly $15,000 because of my dedication to my job at my local cat shelter. I also have recently begun to receive disability funds on a monthly basis ($1,750.50) that I can put towards my rent and groceries. I have chosen to save on gas, car insurance, and the price of buying a car by utilizing my free bus pass that comes with my university fees. I also will be receiving RESPs from both my parents and grandparents that will cover a substantial fraction of my total fees. The upfront costs for my university program, such as tuition, fees, books, moving expenses, groceries, and rent, will present a steep price that I will likely have to pay prior to receiving the funds from RESPs, student aid, and other university funding methods. For this, I have set aside some savings to cover these expenses, and I currently maintain a payment plan with my mom in scenarios where I am unable to pay on the spot. At the end of each month, I refund her all of the total resources that I requested she help me with. I have also recently acquired a credit card that I can utilize as an alternative buy-now-pay-later method and budget my spending abilities accordingly to avoid using money I don't currently possess. Since I will be a full-time university student in a program that many university staff have noted to be the most rigorous program on campus, I will be incapable of maintaining an employed position, leaving most of my expenses to rely on my savings, RESPs, student aid, disability benefits, and any bonus scholarships I earn. This will bring serious financial hardship, but I have estimated an achievable payment plan for the student loans that follow my university education. This plan will alleviate my student debt in just over five years of monthly payments, acknowledging the law change that removes student loans from accruing interest if paid consecutively and faithfully. Finances will continue to weigh on me for many years to come, but I have developed strategies through using budgeting software, conserving and reusing my purchases, and comparing prices to find the best deal. In this way, I can stay on track with my goal of eliminating debts and increasing my financial literacy.

My homeschooling experiences have been among the most fulfilling aspects of my life, as I could immerse myself in a rigorous academic education and volunteer in my community. I strive for opportunities to advance my knowledge by aiming for the highest grades and preparing for my time in university. Based on these actions, I was recently accepted for the fall semester at Thompson Rivers University, where I can further my insight into the career of a Registered Veterinary Technologist. My school has always been a priority. I have been homeschooled my entire life, which allowed me the opportunity to find a pace that maximized my learning. When needed, I could spend further time in school after homework was completed and dissect topics to broaden my understanding. I put my full effort into my work, even when it is not a preferred topic. Last year, I wrote a seven-page essay on the life of Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel and the inequitable loophole he found during his trials. I analyzed the court case that deemed the law he was charged under (s. 181 of the Criminal Code of Canada), spreading false news, unconstitutional. Though politics is not my area of interest or expertise, I poured hours into studying multiple court case documents regarding his indictment. My efforts left me not only with the satisfaction of a perfect score but also with knowledge that will stay with me for years to come. Homeschooling has taught me how investing my time in a subject can produce results that are invaluable to supporting lifelong knowledge. Due to my intense hours that built up a strong work ethic, my transition to online school was very smooth. I became an honour roll student because I was determined to reach high academic standards. However, my volunteer experience, which has been a constant thread throughout my life, has been even more valuable. My contributions have helped cats find forever homes, children grow in kindness and love, poor people access nutritional meals, and families have enjoyable summer vacations. My most powerful contribution to my community was through caring for the cats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, a shelter dedicated to rehoming abused and abandoned cats while also informing the public of appropriate feline welfare. I have worked there weekly since March 2023, and it remains one of the most important roles in my life. Not only can I guide our community’s cats towards a physically and emotionally healthy environment, but I am also given the opportunity to help owners find their perfect match, spread information that highlights feline overpopulation and the critical nature of spaying and neutering, and work with the cats to improve their behaviour and adoptability. My personal growth has evolved through my community involvement, as I have gained knowledge in social injustices and have maximized my emotional maturity. Being around people and animals and learning how to properly interact with them has taught me how to overcome obstacles such as social anxiety, which no longer interferes with my ability to fulfill my goals It is through my time at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven that I am prepared for the immense challenges that post-secondary studies will bring. My future goal is to become a Registered Veterinary Technologist, working with shelters to provide homeless animals with the medical care they need. The ever-changing structure of shelters will expand my experience beyond typical healthcare, as it also incorporates advocating for social injustices and nurturing their emotional well-being. I aspire to become a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Christy Moschopedis was the manager at my cat shelter where I volunteered weekly. Though she was my supervisor, she treated me as an equal and showed respect and appreciation of my place in the organization. She looked for potential in all of her volunteers and saw a spark in me that displayed commitment and passion towards animal welfare. She had unlimited confidence in my capabilities, believing in me far more than I believed in myself. Nevertheless, she walked with me every step of the way until I gained the confidence to complete responsibilities that she had long known I was able to handle independently. After two years, I brought her vision to reality when I was hired as the youngest staff member on the team. I admire her leadership abilities, not only because she guided me towards my own career goals as a Veterinary Technologist, but because she hand-picked the staff, designing a team that built off of each other’s strengths. The people she chose were those who dealt with many setbacks in life including depression, anxiety, autism, ADHD, epilepsy, and countless other backgrounds that made employment a highly difficult achievement. Two of my coworkers have testified that, before Christy, they had spent multiple years looking for a job, but they were turned down at every opening (Alina Lau and Jennifer Tousaint-East). A different staff member stated that “Christy knows where hiring is more than just doing the job. She’s good at finding strengths and setting us up for success” (Kennedy Hebert). Christy took the rejects of the community and molded them into staff members who thrived in the environment of support and understanding. She demonstrated patience in times where we had to constantly look to her for help. Though she was a professional, she considered all of us as some of her closest friends, regularly telling us that “[t]his group of staff is literally my favorite group I’ve ever worked with” (Moschopedis). She was the heart and soul of the staff, the shelter, and the community as a whole. This past winter, the cat shelter experienced a hostile takeover, forcing Christy, the assistant manager, and two staff members into medical leave for extreme stress and anxiety. Additionally, another staff was “terminated without cause” after declining to sign an NDA. Despite these impossible circumstances, Christy persevered because of her heart for the staff, volunteers, and cats. Without pay, she remained the only person we could turn to for answers on work that nobody else had been trained in. The remaining staff members have since learned how to accommodate for the massive hole in the organization since Christy’s absence. Regardless, everyone’s mental health continues to travel on a rollercoaster, rising and falling faster than their brains can process information. The staff, despite the abusive invasion, have remained close friends. Christy built that team. Christy built that relationship. Christy built that trust. Christy is responsible for so much good that was designed during her time at the shelter and she is the most inspiring professional role model that I could ever imagine. When I received my letter of acceptance to the Thompson Rivers University Veterinary Technology program, she expressed more excitement for my success than anyone else in my life and she cares for the well-being of others more than anyone I know. Christy is my biggest professional role model because she takes action against animal abuse, educates people with her years of experience, supports people in their weaknesses, values others above herself, continually volunteers her time to help the organization run smoothly, among countless other qualities. She is, without a doubt, my most valued mentor and the reason I was accepted into my desired university program. I know that she has and will touch the lives of countless other people like me, to guide them towards their future goals. Christy’s presence in my life has taught me confidence, preparing me with the tools to be a leader and mentor to others. The attributes of care, determination, and recognizing the strengths in others that Christy continues to demonstrate have become qualities I strive to attain. She taught me long-term skills such as how to overcome my social anxiety, communicate and check in with my team members, and build long-lasting friendships. Her place in my life has permanently changed who I am, finding, building, and maintaining connections that can develop a more mature and knowledgeable version of myself. The below photo shows one of thousands of cats Christy sacrificed her time to save.

My epilepsy has presented and continues to present challenges in every area of my life. It was first noted as inattentiveness, forgetfulness, and exhaustion. While some would be optimistic by labelling me as a dreamer, I was usually regarded as lazy. People viewed me as disrespectful and uncaring. When I lost track of my thoughts and actions, I was shamed and yelled at. After being misunderstood for a significant amount of time, my family and I began to suspect that I had epilepsy. After a year of trying to navigate the logistics of the medical system, I was sent to a specialist at Children’s Hospital and was diagnosed with absence seizures. My epileptologist recommended that I begin taking medication to temporarily “bottle” my seizures until I grow out of them. After reviewing the lengthy list of terrifying potential side effects, I accepted the option of trying medication. My first introduction to epilepsy meds was through the drug ethosuximide. The weakness and exhaustion I endured from the side effects, was excruciating and I was unable to climb the stairwell without collapsing part way up. When adrenaline gave me a brief moment of relief, the activity was always cut short through post adrenal vomiting. My tastebuds turned everything I ate bitter and I lost control over my bladder. It took a full year until my epileptologist realized that ethosuximide would not work for me. This led me to valproic acid. While the side effects were severely lessened on this drug, my hair grew brittle and thin. It reached the point that I could grab a handful of my hair and remove it from my scalp without any pain. Even though this drug was far better than ethosuximide, my epileptologist was a lot more understanding about the degenerating side effects and lowered the dose, adding another drug, lamotrigine, instead. It was through this adjustment that my seizures were taken control of and, finally, after a year and a half, I had found some peace. When I reached age 16 and paused my medication, hoping for the possibility of a life without seizures, I was left disappointed. My first acknowledgement of its return was during a compromising situation. I work at a cat shelter and I was luring a volatile feline into a carrier. Seconds later, I was overwhelmed with confusion. I didn’t remember being asked to trap a cat but there he was, hissing and clawing, and my coworker stood beside me. The brain fog was heavy as I tried to recall the moments surrounding it but the memory was completely blocked out. Since that time, I have officially been diagnosed with both juvenile absence seizures and eyelid myoclonia. I returned to my meds a few months ago and am continuously on edge for their return. I’ve been prohibited from driving, following my dream of scuba diving, and I constantly worry about missing a pill. I dread the idea of returning to medication trials and, should that happen, I would likely take the risk of developing a grand mal seizure rather than suffering that experience again. I look forward to the day that I can find peace among the building anxiety. I had not expected university to be an option, but despite my limitations, I have come to reach high academic achievements as an honour roll student and have developed a love of volunteering in my community. I was just accepted into the Thompson Rivers University Veterinary Technology program for this fall and I look forward to making an impact on the animals and people in my future career.

My volunteer work has been a constant thread throughout my life as I have aided in both short-term and long-term positions. As a younger child and teen, I was a member of “Adopt a Block”, cleaning up trash once per week. I participated in many Ruth and Naomi’s fundraisers, earning hundreds of dollars to support their cause of helping those who struggle with homelessness, poverty, and addiction in Chilliwack. Working at Gleaners to provide food for people from developing countries, putting together shoe boxes for children in need during Christmas, and walking neighbours’ dogs were all continuous activities I engaged in. My most powerful contribution to my community was through caring for the cats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, a shelter dedicated to rehoming abused and abandoned cats while also informing the public of appropriate feline welfare. I have worked there weekly since March 2023 and it remains one of the most important roles in my life. Not only can I guide our community’s cats towards a physically and emotionally healthy environment, but I am given the opportunity to help owners find their perfect match, spread information that highlights feline overpopulation and the critical nature of spaying and neutering, and work with the cats to improve their behaviour and adoptability. I also spent approximately 250 hours at the Sardis Doorway children’s program from September 2022 to June 2024. This is an organization that gives support to at-risk single mothers with preschool age children. As these children came from harsh backgrounds such as abusive fathers, teenage mothers, and extreme poverty, my role as group leader was to take care of their physical, emotional, and mental needs. Sometimes this was shown by sitting and listening to their feelings, engaging them with fun activities and energy, and teaching them manners and kindness towards others. Each of them had their own hardships but I was able to make a positive impact as I showed them love, made them laugh, and brought them joy that they may not have found in other areas of their life. Additional volunteer experience included interning at Menzies Pet Hospital during the fall of 2025 for a total of 90 hours. It was my first experience within a pet clinic, and I took on many tasks that would cover the role of a vet assistant. This included holding the animals during procedures, nail trimming, office cleaning and laundry, taking vitals, and providing the vet techs and veterinarians any tools they required for their tasks. Through my help, stress and busyness was removed from the staff while pets could be reunited with their owners faster, handled more efficiently, and given comfort while employees were handling other important tasks. I continuously did everything I could to support the function of the clinic in order to provide the animals with a sense of safety and comfort. My volunteer contributions have helped cats to find forever homes, children to grow in kindness and love, and those who are less fortunate to have access to nutritious meals. As I enter the Veterinary Technologist program at Thompson Rivers University this fall, I can implement these experiences to provide access to medical care and help animals find a loving, forever home. In this way, I can continue to give back to the community that has instilled my passion and hope for a future that eliminates the abuse and neglect of both people and animals, giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.

My name is Hanna Greenwood and some of my greatest joys have been found in math, art, zoology, and volunteering in my community. It is through these activities that I have learned to manage the battle against my mental health that was formed from my parents’ toxic relationship. Both my mother and father have been challenging relationships in my life. My dad’s vendetta against my mom eviscerated any respect for him as his lack of maturity spreads to create a thicket of pain for me and my siblings. He evades paying child support, prohibits us from interacting with her during visits, and shoots negative comments about her in every opportunity. My primary guardian, my mom, has continuously been a supportive person in my life. She homeschooled me since grade one and walked me through any obstacle that I was faced with. While she cares deeply for her children, she struggles with immense trauma, both in her childhood and adulthood, that is often verbally processed at me. The damaged she has endured forces her to externalize her fear, anger, and an explosion of other emotions. As the oldest child who is currently a dependent of her, she regards me as her confidant and sole person of trust. It is appreciated that she views me in that manner, but it also makes me the victim of her unwanted toxins. Whether it be from my family dynamic or underlying depression, I have severely struggled with my mental health. My boundaries were continuously violated, painful accusations deteriorated my self-worth, and the constant fear of being hurt isolated me from community connections and acceptance. I was not able to reveal any part of my true identity for fear of being wounded by words yet again. The only times I was capable of experiencing a glimpse of safety was when I buried myself in my academics or blocked the noise of life out with my earbuds. Despite my desire to eliminate all human contact, I began to volunteer at a local shelter for felines. The cats provided me with a sense of safety as they didn’t abuse my mental health but rather sparked a therapeutic sensation that restored peace. I appreciated that I wasn’t bombarded by other people and could work individually. After noticing my punctuality, work ethic, and care for the cats my manager began to train me in more responsibilities. Over time, I grew to consider her a reliable mentor and even became friends with some of the staff. The shelter was my place of complete comfort and freedom, relieving me from some of the burdens of home. Since my time there, I have been strengthened, learning how to hold firm in my boundaries and let the hurtful words pass by me without draining my mental sustainability. It is not only a haven for cats but a place where I can refill my brokenness. As I leave the organization to attend university, I can implement the skill of overcoming mental barriers to build upon, not only my mental well-being, but also my time management, organization, communication, collaboration, and initiation. My future goal is to become a Registered Veterinary Technologist, working with shelters to provide homeless animals with the medical care they need. Alongside typical healthcare, this position also incorporates advocating for social injustices and nurturing the animals’ emotional wellbeing. It is through this career path that I will continue to be guided through struggles and overcome challenges while also supporting those who cannot speak for themselves.

My name is Hanna Greenwood and I am passionate about biology, math, art, and animal welfare. I have spent my life as a homeschooler which allowed me to thoroughly absorb information, digging deeper into topics that were challenging and moving ahead on subjects that came easy. Due to my intense hours that built up a strong work ethic, my transition to online school was very smooth. I became an honour roll student because of my determination to reach high academic standards. However, my volunteer experience, which has been a constant thread throughout my life, has been even more valuable. My contributions have helped cats find forever homes, children grow in kindness and love, poor people access nutritional meals, and families have enjoyable summer vacations. My most powerful contribution to my community was through caring for the cats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, a shelter dedicated to rehoming abused and abandoned cats while also informing the public of appropriate feline welfare. I have worked there weekly since March 2023 and it remains one of the most important roles in my life. Not only can I guide our community’s cats towards a physically and emotionally healthy environment, but I am given the opportunity to help owners find their perfect match, spread information that highlights feline overpopulation and the critical nature of spaying and neutering, and work with the cats to improve their behaviour and adoptability. My personal growth has evolved through my community involvement, as I have gained knowledge in social injustices and have maximized my emotional maturity. Being around people and animals and learning how to properly interact with them has taught me how to overcome obstacles such as social anxiety. My social anxiety has significantly decreased within the past two years. Though age and maturity have developed my confidence, it was my networking throughout the community that guided me to become more assertive and approachable. My long-term volunteer opportunities especially aided in deepening my ability to engage in small talk, greetings, and overall engagement. In the past, this anxiety has been demonstrated through short, quiet answers and limited eye contact, easily shutting down conversations. The Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven was an incredible journey through that fear. I began as a volunteer who focused on my work and efficiently completed my tasks. Through my commitment, punctuality, and love for the cats, my manager spent time teaching me new roles. She eventually became a mentor in my life and I worked alongside her in tasks such as flea treating, quarantine, and vaccinating. The more time I spent with her, the more I started to consider her and the rest of the staff close acquaintances or even friends. In June 2025, I was hired and could confidently lead my team of volunteers, interact with potential adopters to help them find their perfect cat, and answer others’ questions in a friendly and positive manner. It has become my place of comfort and provides me the tools to initiate a smooth transition to new environments with limited anxiety. It is through my time at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven that I am prepared for the immense changes that post secondary will bring. My future goal is to become a Registered Veterinary Technologist, working with shelters to provide homeless animals with the medical care they need. The ever-changing structure of shelters will expand my experience beyond typical healthcare as it also incorporates advocating for social injustices and nurturing their emotional wellbeing. I aspire to become a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

My epilepsy has presented and continues to present challenges in every area of my life. It was first noted as inattentiveness, forgetfulness, and exhaustion. While some would be optimistic by labelling me as a dreamer, I was usually regarded as lazy. People viewed me as disrespectful and uncaring. When I lost track of my thoughts and actions, I was shamed and yelled at. After being misunderstood for a significant amount of time, my family and I began to suspect that I had epilepsy. Unfortunately, the medical system requires general practitioners to test for more solvable problems before transferring a patient to a specialist. Despite the frustration, I followed my doctor’s recommendations which included the consumption of omega 3 eggs, walnuts, and coffee. After a year of failed home remedies, I was sent to a specialist at Children’s Hospital and was diagnosed with absence seizures. My epileptologist recommended that I begin taking medication to temporarily “bottle” my seizures until I grow out of them. After reviewing the lengthy list of terrifying potential side effects, I accepted the option of trying medication. My first introduction to epilepsy meds was through the drug ethosuximide. Taking ethosuximide was, without a doubt, the worst decision I have ever made. Once I began, the doctor wanted to keep trying until it succeeded, continuously encouraging that a slightly higher dose would help me control my seizures. Despite her intentions, I had lost control over everything else. The weakness and tiredness I endured was excruciating and, many days, I was unable to climb the stairwell without collapsing part way up. When my adrenal glands took over during times that brought me joy, such as seeing a friend, I found a brief moment of relief until the activity was cut short through my excessive vomiting. My tastebuds turned everything I ate bitter and I had zero control over my bladder. It took a full year until my epileptologist realized that ethosuximide would not work for me. This led me to valproic acid. While the side effects were severely lessened on this drug, my hair grew brittle and thin. It reached the point that I could grab a handful of my hair and remove it from my scalp without any pain. Even though this drug was far better than ethosuximide, my epileptologist was a lot more understanding about the degenerating side effects and lowered the dose, adding another drug, lamotrigine, instead. It was through this adjustment that my seizures were taken control of and, finally, after a year and a half, I had found some peace. When I reached age 16 and paused my medication, hoping for the possibility of a life without seizures, I was left disappointed. My first acknowledgement of its return was during a compromising situation. I work at a cat shelter and I had been requested to help lure a dangerous feline into a carrier. Just as I had successfully done so, my coworker stepped into the room and I was left dwelling in confusion. I didn’t remember being asked to trap a cat and I didn’t think anyone had followed me. Sure enough, the cat was right in front of me, hissing and clawing and my coworker was standing beside me. The brain fog was heavy as I tried to recall the moments surrounding it but the memory was completely blocked out. Since that time, I have officially been diagnosed with both juvenile absence seizures and eyelid myoclonia. I returned to my meds a few months ago and am continuously on edge for their return. I’ve been prohibited from driving, following my dream of scuba diving, and I constantly worry about missing a pill. I dread the idea of returning to medication trials and, should that happen, I would likely take the risk of developing a grand mal seizure rather than suffering that experience again. I look forward to finding peace among the building anxiety, a step I am growing closer to. A few years ago, I would not have expected university to be an option, but despite my challenges, I have come to reach high academic achievements as an honour roll student and have developed a love of volunteering in my community. I was just accepted into the Thompson Rivers University Veterinary Technology program for this fall and I look forward to making an impact on the animals and people in my future career.