Coming from a small town in Wyoming, there are few careers that people choose from. Branching out and expanding your education/career options isn't considered "normal." For a woman, it's expected even less. However, as a kid, I was lucky enough to have my mindset about picking a STEM field change. I was able to go to STEM-oriented activities hosted by teachers and mentors, who showed me that I was able to do anything I wanted, and that my options were not limited to certain jobs because of where I started in life. Those same community leaders offered a certain camp that was the first to inspire me to choose my career field in Forensic Science. The Rock Springs Police Department offered a Junior Police Academy, which I attended for two summers. They took us through mock versions of different forensic techniques. I remember dusting for fingerprints, making a cast of a shoeprint, and searching a "crime scene" for evidence. It all seemed surreal; at no point was I bored or wondering when I could go home. This camp truly opened my eyes and showed me how interesting the world of forensics could be. However, at 10 years old, it's hard to learn about something and decide that that's what you want to do for the rest of your life, but another experience later in my life really solidified my passion for the field. My sophomore year of high school, I joined an academy offered by the school that is designated to teach us about public service careers, specifically those in criminal justice. Through this program, I took two forensics classes. In these, we learned about everything: forensic pathology, fire investigation, forensic photography, and, among others, DNA analysis. Although I was always interested in the topic at hand, the class wasn't always easy. However, that made me realize how much more I liked it compared to other subjects. I've always been a high achiever. In school, some things came easily to me. I found that those classes, however easy, became boring and simply routine after a while. These specific forensics classes made me work for the answers and made me use problem-solving skills that I felt I was not utilizing in other curricula. I'm a hard worker, and I like the satisfaction of knowing I solved a problem from start to finish. When I passed both forensics classes with an A, it gave me that same satisfaction. This made me realize that a field like forensics is perfect for my kind of drive. I have finally found something that interests me, inspires me, and can keep me on my toes and not fall into a routine that I'll eventually tire of. Forensics is an ever-evolving science, but so are crime rates. Luckily, forensic scientists are constantly developing new ways to counter these statistics. It is my personal goal as a future biological evidence analyst to develop more accurate technology to analyze biological evidence. Specialties like biometric identification, investigative genetic genealogy, DNA phenotyping, etc, have so much room to grow. These sciences could prove guilt or innocence beyond a reasonable doubt, effectively making the community safer and delivering justice to those who deserve it. Which, in short, is the entire goal of the criminal justice system. I hope to one day be a part of that change. Going to college for this, despite all the expectations and doubt cast from small-town Wyoming, is the first step to achieving this goal. By awarding me this scholarship, you would be contributing to my journey, which is a gratuity I would be forever grateful for.