My name is Sherry Negaard and I am a small-town girl with big dreams. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Wyoming, working to obtain a degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion. I grew up in Sundance, Wyoming on a ranch near Devil's Tower and graduated from Sundance High School. Growing up in Sundance has allowed me to obtain a strong educational foundation that has proven to be very helpful throughout my time at a higher education institution. There was one teacher in particular who influenced me the most throughout my time at Sundance and helped me understand that I needed to direct my attention to pursuing a degree in STEM. Tammy Needham was very influential in my life and I give her a lot of credit for helping me discover my full potential. Miss Needham showed me that I was creative, outgoing, talented, and determined. Tammy was my Destination Imagination coach, where she inspired me to become the creative and collaborative leader I am today. In first grade, I auditioned to be on the Rising Stars (the young form of DI) team. Intimidated at first, I quickly began uncovering who Miss Needham was as a person and looked forward to being in her presence for the next four years of my life. By participating in different creative challenges focused around: writing, acting, and building, I quickly learned how to use my imagination, how to think on my feet, and how to work well with others. These skills alone can help anyone become successful. She taught me how to become a leader and strive for success. I bobbled between different teams and every year that I participated, we either placed second at state or qualified for nationals. When in the presence of Miss Needham, a person would quickly learn how passionate she was about STEM and her students. She always made me feel very loved and welcome. In third grade, I officially started DI. The next year, Tammy Needham was my fourth-grade teacher. She made school fun and that is where my love to learn was first ignited. She helped me find my strengths in math and science and also showed me that I need to shoot for the stars. I am a firm believer that if it was not for Miss Needham, I would not be the devoted and successful student I am today. My STEM degree of choice uses all of the skills that Tammy Needham exposed me to. I plan to attend a 3-year graduate program to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy after my time at the University of Wyoming. My goal in life is to help others reach the highest quality of life that they can, and I believe that a career in physical therapy will help me achieve those dreams. After spending many hours as a physical therapy patient or as an intern in physical therapy, I have witnessed the true impact physical therapists have on their patients. I want to help others cure their aches and pains that oftentimes prove to be debilitating and refrain individuals from completing day-to-day tasks. I am determined to make a difference in this world by applying my knowledge of health to my patients to help them achieve the best form of themselves they can be.