When I went to my first summer camp in third grade, the teacher brought up the topic of animals, more specifically…pets. This subject was tough for me because I always felt left out. Growing up, we didn’t own any, at least not as early as my classmates. In 5th grade, when I got the news from my parents that we were going to get a dog, I almost screamed. Well—I did. Then my mind became a flurry of questions: “who is going to feed him, what should he eat, does he need clothes?” At that question, I was already giggling. I then realized how excited I was for a dog I didn’t even meet yet. If I thought I loved this miracle before I met him—boy—would I know how much I love him now. It’s like one of those things—you can’t feel how other people are feeling unless you go through it—either positively or negatively. In this case, one classmate from my first experience at summer camp was deliberately explaining the unconditional love she shows to her pup. I was thinking, “How could she love an animal so much? What is so special about them? How could they make someone so happy?” As I thought some more about this, a couple of years later, I finally understood. As the years went by, I got even more attached and clingy to my dog. That's when we started watching animal documentaries. The majority of the documentaries I came across and watched were sad and realistic—animal abuse, or severe injury. Then I thought, “I don’t want that to happen to my dog Major”. Right then and there, that’s when I truly discovered my deep love for animals. I plan to impact the animal world by studying in the field of an animal's physical strength and well-being, by obtaining a BS in Kinesiology. By doing this, I plan to acquire the specific and helpful tools and knowledge necessary to successfully carry out my purpose. After this 4-year study, I want to get a certification to ultimately become a Veterinary Rehabilitation Therapist. This is my end goal because I want to be that helping hand, to guide every animal to comfort and to be their healthiest self. I believe that this scholarship will give me the opportunity and leverage to live out my passionate dream about serving animals, big and small. By becoming a Veterinary Rehabilitation Therapist—I will help animals become the best they could ever be without sacrificing one thing for another. This scholarship will not only provide me with the resources to pursue my education, but it will also allow me to fully dedicate myself to learning the necessary skills and gaining the experience needed to make a real and true difference in the lives of animals and with the trust of their owners. With this opportunity, I am committed to helping all animals recover and thrive—while advancing in the field of veterinary rehabilitation therapy—and I would like to step up and rise to that occasion.

When I went to my first summer camp in third grade, the teacher brought up the topic of animals, more specifically…pets. This subject was tough for me because I always felt left out. Growing up, my family didn’t have any pets, at least not as early as my classmates. In 5th grade, when I got the news from my parents that we were going to get a dog, I almost screamed. Well—I did. Then my mind became a flurry of questions: who is going to feed him, what should he eat, does he need clothes? At that question, I was already giggling. I then realized how excited I was for a dog I didn’t even meet yet. If I thought I loved this miracle before I met him, boy, would I know how much I love him now. It’s like one of those things—you can’t feel how other people are feeling unless you go through it—either positively or negatively. In this case, one classmate from my first experience at summer camp was deliberately explaining the unconditional love she shows to her pup. I was thinking, “Why does she love an animal so much? What is so special about them? How could they make someone so happy”? As I thought some more about this, a couple of years later, I understood. As the years went by, my dog gets even more attached, clingy, and silly. That's when we started watching animal documentaries. Some documentaries were very sad, and realistic—animals got sick and severely injured. Then I thought, “I don’t want that to happen to my dog, Major”. That’s when I discovered my love for animals. I plan to make a positive impact in the animal world by contributing to the health of each one. I am looking into the career field of a zoologist. Becoming one would mean checking each animal for disease, nutrition levels, and parasites. Zoologists also study animal behaviors and characteristics to see if they are doing and feeling okay. With becoming a zoologist, comes great responsibility—individuals and coworkers trusting you with an animal and treating the animal[s] accordingly—but nevertheless, I would like to step up and rise to that occasion. My major, or area of focus for my future, is supporting and assisting someone or something in need of help. Currently, I am enrolled in a program at my high school that holds the Academy of Health Careers. In this academy, I chose to be in the Dental program. In the dental field—really, any career that involves human interaction (specifically in the health field)—has the requirement of caring for that individual. Dental focuses on the well-being and health of each patient’s teeth while a zoologist concerns with the well-being and health of an animal. In my mind, it doesn’t matter what career I work in, as long as I successfully deliver my responsibilities and make an impact on each animal.