Dogs have played an extremely huge role in my life. I grew up in a very low income household for most of my childhood, and this was made even worse after having to continuously move due to my parent's financial situation. However, over dinner one evening, my mom brought up a crazy idea she had. "What if we started breeding dogs to try to make ends meet," and little did we know that this idea would change our lives forever. A few months later, my mom bought her first two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. After allowing the pups to grow to a more mature age we had our first litter of puppies. My mother quickly began to build a customer base under the business name Agape Cavaliers, and after a few post on social media all of the puppies were spoken for. With the money made from this first litter, my mom decided to buy and adopt two more females. Soon, a heat cycle system was worked out and litters were spaced out safely and efficiently. This led to having litters consistently throughout the year and building a strong clientele in the industry. Eventually, the amount of time, work, and effort became too much for my mom to handle on top of her regular job. Now, raising dogs is my mom's full-time job. By doing this she has built connections within a multitude of industries. She has sold puppies from coast to coast and even internationally. Watching her dreams pan out has shown me that any situation can be turned upside down for the better. Being raised with dogs made sure that I not only had a friend, but also had the opportunity to watch something be completely life changing. As a family, we went from being sent to friends houses so we could afford to eat as a family, to being able to send puppies to families around the world that need a new family member. Dogs alone have shaped me to be who I am today. They were the reason I no longer had to live in poverty. I've learned through my dogs that crazy things can be made possible through simply working for them and stepping out on a limb to chase your dreams. These dogs have impacted my life tremendously and I will always be thankful for it. I not only gained best friends, but also sources of income that no one believed was possible for my family.

I have always been pushed to be the best I can be, but I have also been surrounded by strong individuals that are willing to hold me up when I cannot do it alone. I long to not only bring out the best in others, but also be there when they are not able to accomplish something by themselves. To me, being a mentor means that you are responsible for taking the person to new levels. Whether this be mentally, or in the physical, a mentor should always be there to bring clarity, advice, and help. Clarity can be brought to a situation by a levelheaded individual. To be levelheaded is to be sensible. By being a mentor of others, I long to be sensible about any situation someone comes to me with. I accomplish this by keeping personal opinions about others out of the conversation and not encouraging an overreaction. As a mentor I hope to give advice that will help by pushing the individual to look at the situation as a whole. Personally, when I do not step back and observe a situation from a distance, I tend to overreact. So, through my mentorship I hope to guide others to take a step back before reacting. Overall, I want people around me to be impacted by traits such as being levelheaded and bringing clarity. Reaction is everything, so I hope that others through my mentorship learn how to react to things with maturity and a steady hand.

From the time I have lived in Muleshoe, I have taken such pride in being apart of such a tight-knit community. I have always chased academic excellence and have worked very hard to be accepted into Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. However, my college fund is strictly money that I have earned showing livestock and working. If I were to be awarded this scholarship, I would be proof that small town people are seen. I have worked hard in dual credit courses and as a result I will be graduating with my associate's degree the day before I graduate from Muleshoe High School. I have done my absolute best to break the barriers of a small town mindset. Being from a small town is a positive thing rather than a negative thing, Muleshoe has catapulted me into success in many areas of life. This grant would help me be able to attend my dream school and be closer to financial stability. I know that I have the town of Muleshoe standing behind me as I enter this new phase of life. Being awarded this scholarship would not only benefit me, but also my community and family. On my tenth birthday, I was blindfolded and led into the garage for a “special birthday surprise”. You can only imagine my little ten-year-old brain’s thoughts. I heard shuffling in the background as my dad tried to cover the noise up with dad jokes and whatnot. “Are you ready Kaitlynn?” my mom asked as she untied the blindfold that blocked my vision. A black and white border collie puppy with speckles covering her face and paws came running towards me. I crouched down to greet my new puppy, not knowing that this dog would soon become my best friend. This puppy would eventually teach me that special moments can be taken for granted when you are not aware of what you have, and that nothing is ever guaranteed. I soon named the small pup Heidi. She became my closest companion. From working with animals, to going to the grocery store, we were attached at the hip. Years go by and her health declined. I took my sweet companion to the vet and was told that she was going to be just fine. The next morning, I had found that my best friend’s soul had gone to be with Jesus. I had gone to bed the night before without taking Heidi on a walk. I told her that we would “do it in the morning”. Little did I know, that was the last chance I would ever have to take Heidi on a walk. I did not take the last opportunity I had with her, because I was not aware of the extent of the situation. Within eight hours, this opportunity was taken from me forever. I had taken this last opportunity for granted. You hear people say that nothing is guaranteed about a million times throughout your life. But, I do not believe anyone will fully understand this without knowing the feeling of something that was expected slipping through their fingers. I had expected to graduate high school, college, and move out of my parent’s house with Heidi right by my side. However, none of that was ever guaranteed, I just expected it. I will now walk both the high school and college graduate stage without her. I believe that if I would have taken into consideration the quality of her company, I would have been able to give her a better life. Now I understand that what I had was absolutely priceless. While this essay was absolutely heart wrenching to write, Heidi continued to teach me things even after she passed. I learned to understand and appreciate what I have before it is gone, take advantage of every opportunity, and never “save it for the morning”. Heidi also taught me that it is important to prioritize correctly, rather than making the little things big. Now is the best time to seize the opportunity standing right in front of you, because tomorrow it might not be there.

As someone who has struggled greatly with the fear of what other's think of me, the wisest thing I have heard is when my mom said "Other people's opinions about you are none of your business." Simple, right? Believing this statement is so much more difficult than I had ever imagined. I used to be very bold with my presence. From the outfits I chose to wear, to my confidence being untouchable, I had absolutely no care in the world what people thought of me. As people grow older, opinions of others become more harsh and damaging. I found myself not wanting to go out in public after hearing some of the things people had said about me. But, I have since learned that you are out of someone's reach until you put yourself in the position to not be. You have to decide whether or not people who are looking from the outside-in are actually that significant. Business owners, CEO's, 6-figure earners of any sort cannot let every opinion towards them make an impact on their life. Knowing that I want to be in a circle of success in my future, I have decided that not everyone's opinions matter. In fact, most opinions are formed without any evidence or facts to back them up. Be untouchable, be the one that other's opinions do not even reach. Chase your goals, and take advice and criticism from your inner circle. Do not waste time on things that will not matter years down the road. And most importantly, do not let other people's opinions about you be "your business'.

Selfishness is defined as lacking consideration for others, or being concerned with one's own personal profit or pleasure. This has taken over the world we live in without people even realizing it. From friendly competition becoming not-so-friendly, to individuals metaphorically sweeping people's feet out from under them. This is the most destructive issue our world is facing at the moment. Learning more and more about the business world has taught me that trusting someone can be dangerous to your own well being. Coming to terms with an issue is just half of the battle. Solving it is almost unheard of. "Just sweep it under the rug and move on" is the mindset of this new generation has introduced to the world, and it is destroying us. The first step in solving the issue of selfishness in our world would be to improve public school systems globally. America's school system is draining hope, drive, and creativity from the majority of students today. When they are all taught the same way, and to fit into the same box, it becomes crowded. More competition in an area creates ruthless competitors. Many students are convinced to take the easy route in life. Easier colleges, easier jobs, and so much more. We are hardly ever taught to excel anymore. The second and last step of dissolving the matter of selfishness in our world would be to find people from wiser generations that are willing to step in to bring life back into schools. Fix the mindset of the generations coming up, and they will learn to deal with issues like these on their own. While young people need to learn from their elders, elders have to learn that change is good and absolutely necessary to continue the younger generations on the path to success.

Endurance, a positive mindset, and passion are all absolutely crucial to surviving today's world. If anyone in the world exhibits these three characteristics, it would be my mother. From struggling to make ends meet, to running several thriving businesses, she has overcome the cookie cutter perspective on life and decided she would be successful no matter what. My mom had a very rough upbringing, for she was abandoned as a child. Her entire life, she searched for her place in the world, and I can confidently say that she has found it. She has taught me that absolutely nothing but laziness can disqualify someone from success. From a young age, my mom has told me that "You have to chase what you want, it won't come knocking on your door." This is what I have watched her do my entire life. She chases her dreams, rather than sitting around and waiting for success to fall in her lap. Now, I have accomplished so much due to the determination and work ethic I have learned from her. I have cheered on my high school varsity squad for three going on four years now, become the varsity co-captain, been voted in as my local rotary club's sweetheart, become very competitive in the stock show ring, been elected the District Vice President in FFA. While all of these activities and accomplishments are great, I am most proud of what is still in the works. I am currently about to launch a business, and I will take nothing short of success. Through all of these opportunities, I have had the opportunity to share what I have learned from my mother with thousands of people, and I plan to continue to do so in everything that I am involved in. My mother is my rock, and I know that with what she has taught me will never cut me short. Without her guidance, I would definitely not be where I am today. Everything she has taught me has woven me together as a person and pushed me to be a successful, functioning individual.

A sturdy support system is something an individual cannot go without. Businesses are always led by strong, determined people who have surrounded themselves with even stronger and more determined people. I have learned this from my parents. From the time I was very young, I observed business strategies and tactics from a very close, "behind the scenes" perspective. These observations have been the most useful tools to being successful with my own business. A few things I have learned from watching my parents so closely would be that finding a way to invest in customers is vital, being out of your element will push your vision for the business out of a small minded mentality, and the businesses reputation will always be a shadow of your own personality and morals. Investing in customers is extremely important. Whether this be a story, motivation, or maybe even a small keepsake, it is vital. My dad has always told me that "sowing a seed is always required to produce a harvest; expecting to see an enormous impact without putting in an extra step is illogical." Clients will always come back simply because you made them feel important. Every human loves to feel like they belong and like they are wanted; a business that fulfills this longing will witness the harvest of that seed. If a business owner only sells to people in their circle, they can not expect to ever grow. Entrepreneurs have to find a way to advertise to all dynamics of people. For example, if you are surrounded by small town people, and you never learn to market your business to large cities of people, you cannot expect to ever compete with the top brands in your industry. Entrepreneurs need to keep in mind that their business will always reflect on who they are as a person. A business owner needs to learn to be an ambivert. An ambivert is someone who exhibits qualities of both introversion and extroversion, and can switch between the two depending on their circumstances and goals. In other words, to be successful in the business world, one has to learn when to be quiet and when to voice opinions. Quiet is often mistaken as ineffective; however, you can get a lot of work done while you're not trying to be the loudest individual in the room. These are just a few of the lessons and tools I have had the opportunity to obtain from my support system. Not everyone has the endurance to be successful in this industry, but I have been taught by the best in the world to never give up. Success is always on the other side of fear, and without people to push me enough, I would have never learned this. Materialistic tools do not last, but advice and surrounding yourself with people who are willing to help does. Without a strong support system, it is inevitable for you to fail. People need people. To be successful, you have to find your people.

Abuse, hardships, and difficult upbringings would halt most individual's path to success. However, these things did not phase my mother. Today, she is a successful and fearless business woman who wakes up every morning ready to take on the world. She has taught me that life has no handouts; you have to fight for the life you want. Society will not care about your mission more than you do. The life we experience here is most definitely not an easy one. Nothing is just given to you. As I grew up, my mother made it extremely clear to me that I will have to work for the life I want. This has made me more determined than ever to build my dream life with my own two hands, rather than waiting for it to fall in my lap. Taking it day by day, I have built a life for myself that will lead me to success. Your passion should fume out of your ears for all the world to see. If the world cannot see it, why would they care? My mother's determination is unmatched. She has always put her whole heart into everything she does. If she can't do something to the best of her ability and then some, she simply does not do it. The world will know her name, and everything behind it. She will be unforgettable. This is what I want. My mission to this society will not only be shouted by me. Soon it will be known across the globe. All because I had a mom to teach me that I had to be the most excited, most passionate, and most determined in my own path. As you go on with your day, begin to think about your mark on this planet. Do you want to be successful and change people's lives, or are you only going to "exist"? It is all up to you. And while I would love to push you to be your best, only you can do that. I can only inspire you to be better. It is all up to you. No handouts, this life is not a "lucky" one. Be passionate. Be bold. Share your truth and leave your mark. Let my mother's story effect you the way it has me, go be better. Fight for your dream life; you can do it.