Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The world of STEM is amazing and incredibly gratifying to explore. I love learning, and I feel that STEM channels the best way to learn, because it allows for curiosity and discovery. The science part of STEM is my favorite. It combines practical knowledge with the discovery of our diverse world. The STEM Major I am interested in pursuing in college is in the science field. I want to attain a biology major, because it provides so much variety within the field of science itself. I have always loved the intricacies of the natural world, and after taking biology as a freshman in high school, I have never looked back. During and after taking biology, I have always seen biology from a different perspective and appreciated our unique world, a result of God’s creation, instead of taking it for granted. Not surprisingly, there are a multitude of rabbit holes you can jump into in biology, from microbiology to zoology. I am looking into all the options for classes and concentrations within a biology major, and right now I am leaning toward taking classes or a concentration in something animal related. This might be zoology, conservation biology, ecology, or wildlife biology. While I love animals, I know that I will not become a veterinarian, because I get queasy at the sight of blood, and I have almost fainted when I have received vaccinations. Therefore, I would love to do something animal-related that does not involve blood, such as conserving and tracking wildlife, taking care of zoo or museum animals, or combining these skills with laboratory work or research. However, I know that this path may not be easy. I need to gain hands-on skills working with animals and be comfortable with them. Additionally, the salary for these jobs may not be large. These are all things to consider when choosing my focus, but I am willing to be flexible. There are so many reasons why I love STEM, and I look forward to pursuing a major in this field. Thank you, Learner, for this opportunity!

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson was correct when he made this statement. Achieving success in life depends on peoples' growth and perspective on life. Particularly, academic success hinges on higher education, and will help me grow, enhancing my perspective by accomplishing my career-oriented and personal goals. One reason that higher education is important to me is that it will help me get more money and assist with my career goals. If I go directly into the work force or attend trade school after high school, my career options and thus salary will be limited. Going to college and getting at least a bachelor’s degree will enhance my career opportunities and salary and allow me to pursue my interest in biology. Furthermore, if I continue my education by getting a master’s or Doctorate, this will continue to increase my career opportunities and salary. Another reason that higher education is important to me is that it will help me become a better person. When I go off to college, I will leave my family, friends, everyone, and everything that is familiar. While this is unsettling, it will also ground me in who I am and assist me to become who God has created me to be. I will also have more responsibility, which means more decisions. College will help me become a more independent person and draw me closer to God. Additionally, I will make new friends, gain new experiences, and explore the outside world more fully. I will develop my character and integrity. As an adult, I will have more accountability, and I will need to take good care of myself. I will need to make sure I eat healthy meals, exercise, and wash my clothes. I know that with God’s help, I will succeed in becoming a more well-rounded individual. I am extremely excited to receive a higher education, and while it will be a huge change and growth process for me, I am determined to work hard and achieve it, because it will enhance my career and salary opportunities and help me become a better person. Through God’s assistance, I am confident to pursue higher education. Thank you, Learner, for this opportunity!

Science. Technology. Engineering. Mathematics. The world of STEM is diverse and incredibly satisfying to explore. I love learning, and I feel that STEM channels the best way to learn. The science part of STEM is my favorite. It combines practical knowledge with the discovery of our world, unlike technology and mathematics. Additionally, science is integral to our society today. The STEM Major I am interested in pursuing in college is biology. It is so fun! This broad major provides so much variety within the field of science itself. I have always loved the intricacies of the natural world, and after taking biology as a freshman in high school, I was hooked. During and after that course, I have always seen biology from a different perspective and really appreciated our unique world, a result of God’s creation, instead of taking it for granted. Not surprisingly, there are a multitude of rabbit holes you can jump into in biology, from microbiology to zoology. I am looking at all the options for classes and concentrations within a biology major, and right now I am leaning toward taking classes or a biology concentration in something animal related. This might be zoology, conservation biology, ecology, or wildlife biology. While I love animals, I know that I will not become a veterinarian, because I get queasy at the sight of blood, and I have almost fainted before when I receive vaccinations. Therefore, I would love to do something animal-related that does not involve blood, such as conserving and tracking wildlife, taking care of zoo or museum animals, or combining these components with laboratory work and research. However, I know that this path may not be easy. I need to gain hands-on skills working with animals and be comfortable with them. Additionally, the salary for these jobs may not be great. These are all things to consider when choosing my focus, but I am willing to be flexible. Afterall, I know that I want to major in biology. The difficult thing is figuring out my interests. Science is crucial in our society, supporting curiosity and learning for everyone, and leading to discovery and achievements within scientific fields. Psychologically, science helps us classify our experiences and thoughts into bitesize chunks to help us digest what we are sensing in our world. As we take in information through our senses, our brain must have strategies to integrate and understand that information. Science helps us to do just that by classifying information into categories to explain various phenomena. There are so many reasons why I love STEM majors, and I look forward to pursuing a major in this field and forwarding the advancement of science in our society. Thank you, wiseGEEK, for this opportunity!

“Are you ready to ride?” my horseback riding instructor asked. “Tell your horse to walk on,” the instructor said as my twin sister and I began our first riding lesson at a therapeutic learning center called HorsePower. Therapeutic learning centers provide horseback riding lessons for people with disabilities; my sister and I were born three months early and had developmental issues. Twelve years later, we still ride and now volunteer at HorsePower. As a rider and volunteer, I have a unique perspective of both sides of the therapeutic riding program. When I was a rider supported by volunteer side-walkers and leaders, I was impacted immensely by those volunteers who poured their hearts into my lesson every week. Today, I use my own volunteer roles, interests, and skills to create that same positive experience for every rider at HorsePower. It is very meaningful to give back to the community where I first received that love, and to work with my favorite animal at the same time. HorsePower gives me numerous opportunities to grow by volunteering in the horse industry. When I first started volunteering at age nine, I mucked stalls. By age fourteen, I began side-walking, which involves walking next to and assisting riders throughout their lesson. Now, at sixteen, I am not only mucking stalls and side-walking, but also feeding and watering horses, preparing horses for classes, leading horses in classes, and subbing for the barn manager when needed. Leading and side-walking in classes are worth the smiles and laughter of a child participating in a sport despite their disability, whether they are overcoming hesitation on a bumpy trail or steering their horse correctly without help from their side-walker. I have explored various interests and gained new skills by volunteering at HorsePower. Before I began riding at age four, my favorite animal was not a horse. Now I love therapeutic horseback riding, and I hope to become an instructor, barn manager, or program director in the future. Additionally, I have developed many people skills such as leadership, communication, teamwork, and open-mindedness. As I manage a large group of people in the barn, I have to lead effectively, but be open to ideas from others. I must communicate well and work as a team with the other volunteers at HorsePower. When we are taking the nineteen horses out to pasture, everybody must know which horses are going out and in which pasture they belong. There is often another class in progress in the barn as we take the horses out, which can create confusion. Handling this situation requires me to be open to last-minute changes yet be flexible with volunteers’ skill sets. Also, I have learned to work with horses effectively and confidently. I can feed, water, groom, tack, and lead horses. I can deal with nippy or frightened horses. Furthermore, I can work with able-bodied kids and kids who have disabilities or behavioral issues. Volunteering has also helped me identify and conquer my weaknesses. While I have patience with people, there are times when I could be even more patient, especially when there is a lot going on in the barn, arena, and tack stalls. While I love working with horses, there are often monotonous tasks as well. People can learn so much about themselves by volunteering. In fact, this opportunity has transformed me. I carried my innate skills into this role, and I have now acquired new skills. My interests have deepened and given me a clear idea of my future career path. Volunteering teaches people about themselves, and nobody should turn down this opportunity.