I will be going into my second semester as a Veterinary Technician Student. I have always had a passion for animals and knew I wanted to pursue a profession where I could help all creatures. In exploring my passion, I have had the chance to work at a vet clinic and currently work at a boarding and training facility. A new hobby and passion I discovered while working the job is dog training. I love getting to know each dog I train with and discover their unique personality. It’s such a joy to see it “click” for them when they understand a command or trick. A well mannered and trained dog is so important to me. Not only is it satisfactory and exciting to engage with your pet, it also allows you to share more experiences with your dog. You are able to adventure out and enjoy the world together. I have done many different obedience and dog sports with my two Golden Retrievers in my own time including dock diving, agility, rally, and more. I hope to try many different activities in the future with them and continue to grow as a trainer and dog owner.

There are so many people and ideas that come to mind when I think about where I find joy. My family, friends, siblings, health, pets, job, and so much more. I believe happiness is one of the most important emotions we can express in life. One of my favorite quotes states "Do what you love, love what you do." I thought about this phrase a lot when deciding what I wanted to study in college. I am now in my first year of college studying veterinary technology. I knew I had a strong passion for animals and helping others. This occupation is something I knew I would find joy in and I never looked back. I find so much joy in helping others and their pets. I'm beyond excited for my future in a career that I love. Now more than ever, people need to see the importance of happiness and celebrating the little things in life. Joy can be found all around us. I hope we all strive to find joy not only in daily things but in life as a whole.

There are so many people and ideas that come to mind when I think about happiness. My family, friends, siblings, health, pets, job, and so much more. I believe happiness is one of the most important emotions we can express in life. One of my favorite quotes states "Do what you love, love what you do." I thought about this phrase a lot when deciding what I wanted to study in college. I am now in my first year of college studying veterinary technology. I knew I had a strong passion for animals and helping others. This occupation is something I knew I would find happiness in and I never looked back. I find so much joy in helping others and their pets. I'm beyond excited for my future in a career that I love. Now more than ever, people need to see the importance of happiness and celebrating the little things in life. Happiness can be found all around us. I hope we all strive to find happiness not only in daily things but in life as a whole.

My name is Sophie Dekkers and I am a recent graduate of Sioux Falls Christian in Sioux Falls, SD. I plan to go to Southeast Technical College next year to become a Veterinary Technician. I grew up with pets my entire life and multiple of my extended family are involved in large animal farming or industries giving me the opportunity to be exposed to large animals as well. Taking my love of animals into consideration, I began working at a vet clinic in my town at the end of my sophomore year to gain more experience in the Veterinary field. Through that job opportunity, I have gained experience and knowledge in the field and over time have grown an even greater love for animals and caring for them. I believe that a career in the Veterinary field will be a good fit for me because I am experienced in the practice and would be dedicated to my work. Throughout my entire life growing up with animals, I have learned firsthand how working with animals can be difficult yet rewarding. Working at a vet clinic, I often have the dirty jobs of cleaning up after the animals. I have learned not to be afraid to get dirty in this career as I often leave work smelling dirtier than before. Because of this, I know what I am getting myself into and I know I will not only be able to endure the challenges ahead but enjoy them as I begin to see the rewards ignite. I'm beyond excited to continue my experience and knowledge in this career. Animals have been a passion of mine since I was little. Being awarded this scholarship would give me the opportunity to ease my college expenses and allow me to save and spend my money more wisely in the future. Vet Techs don't make the largest salary so this scholarship opportunity would be such a blessing for my future finances. I can't wait to begin this journey as a Vet Tech and help pets and their owners in any way I can.

My younger brother is one of the most optimistic people I know. He leaves me with a smile on my face daily. Whether he's making a joke or simply showing his love and appreciation, he always fills a room with joy and laughter. He is smart, plays beautiful songs on guitar, and is always challenging me to an Xbox football game. My brother is like any other 13-year-old middle schoolboy. The only difference is he uses a wheelchair to get around. My brother was born with Spina Bifida which is a birth defect where the spine doesn't develop properly. In his case, he is paralyzed from the waist down and has no feeling or movement in his legs. He has been through countless surgeries, hundreds of doctor appointments, and many hospital stays since he was born. For my sister and I, this often meant staying home with our Grandparents while our parents were at the hospital. Hospital stays and half of our family missing often came with friends bringing homecooked meals or desserts for us to enjoy. It wasn't until I was older that I really appreciated what so many people did for us. There have been countless times people have shown their kindness in these tough situations. However, one I remember more distinctly was during Thanksgiving. My brother and parents had gone to the hospital with shunt troubles. A shunt is a tube placed in the brain that regulates spinal fluid draining. My sister and I traveled to our Grandparents for the week and celebrated Thanksgiving with them. I remember being so scared for my brother but at the same time so thankful for family and friends that provided and cared for us. As my sister and I have gotten older, I've come to appreciate how friends and family will not only check in with our parents and brother, but they will contact us as well to comfort us in the unknown. My brother receives countless cards, best wishes, and balloons when they are in the hospital. There have been so many people who have gone out of their way to help us in amazing ways. Their kindness is always sincere and makes my brother feel better just knowing he's loved and cared for. The optimism and kindness my brother presents even in the hardest times is an encouragement to me as well. Kindness is contagious and this holds true in my brother's story. I hope to pass kindness to others as so many have done for my family and me. A simple act of kindness can make a person's day and change a life. I am so thankful for people who have not only expressed kindness to me but helped me learn the true definition of a kind and servant heart.

I grew up with pets my entire life and I have several extended family members who are involved in large animal farming and industries. This has given me the opportunity to be exposed to a lot of different scenarios with animals. Taking my love of animals into consideration, I began working at a vet clinic in my town at the end of my sophomore year to learn more about the Veterinary field. Through that job opportunity, I have gained valuable experience and knowledge in the Veterinary field and over time have grown an even greater love for animals and their wellbeing. I recently started a position at a dog boarding, daycare, and training facility working in their puppy training program. I have already gained valuable experience with dogs in these positions. I am learning more about their behavior, their learning abilities, how to care for them, training techniques, and much more. I can't wait to learn more about these animals through this job opportunity. Along with these positions working with animals, I have also done a variety of extracurriculars with my pets at home. I have two Golden Retrievers, Murphy and Maggie, and have done multiple obedience, agility, rally, and dock diving classes with them. Murphy has his Canine Good Citizen certificate as well as an American Kennel Club Trick Dog title. Maggie is currently working on her Canine Good Citizen title. Both Murphy and Maggie have participated in rally obedience classes, dock diving competitions, trick classes, and have worked on a few service dog tasks for my younger brother who has Spina Bifida and uses a wheelchair to get around. My growing love for the field and these animals led me to pursue a career as a Veterinary Technician. I have such a strong passion for animals' health and wellbeing from these extracurricular activities. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more through these activities and take joy in the process. I hope to continue learning new tricks with my dogs as well as the pets I work with. This coming Fall 2021, I will attend Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to study Veterinary Technology. I want to pursue a career as a Veterinary Technician because I love working with animals and learning about how to care for them. Through these extracurricular activities, I have gained valuable experience in the career that I will be able to use as a foundation to grow from. I have discovered a strong passion for the field and I can’t wait to continue my journey and education towards a career as a Veterinary Technician.

After more than 20 years of usage, my Grandma's flip phone had finally given out. She was in need of a new phone, but not a brand new iPhone with the latest model and features most of us would expect today. We drove to the store and purchased her a new device. The cost at only $30 for a phone with just the essentials she needed: phone calls and text messages. This situation made me wonder how I would get along with a cheap flip phone with access only to calls and texts. Yes, my Grandma has ways to connect to the internet and email on other devices, but I began to think about the power of this small rectangular box I carry in my back pocket. The world of technology has made tremendous breakthroughs over the years. Our phones can do virtually anything we need to giving ease to our everyday tasks. We can connect with a friend thousands of miles away, we have a portable camera with countless features, a map to bring us to our desired location, a simple search and we can find hundreds of places to eat in the surrounding area, and so much more. All these many features in a compact device we take everywhere we go. Most will agree that cell phones have amazing benefits for many situations. However, these devices can also present some challenges when considering distracted driving. Recent statistics found that using your phone while driving results in over 1.6 million crashes annually. This is an extremely high number of crashes that could easily be prevented by keeping your phone off while driving and focusing on the road. Taking your eyes off the road for even just 5 seconds increases your chances of a crash by over 400%. Reflecting on these statistics, we must understand the danger of distracted driving and take the liberty to protect ourselves and others from disasters on the roads. I believe smartphones can be an incredibly useful tool if used responsibly. Distracted driving not only risks your life but the lives of everyone on the road as well. I have heard countless stories of car accidents and deaths caused by a simple text. We can easily show our love to others by paying attention behind the wheel and driving responsibly. In the end, we can see multiple pros and cons to the continuous evolution of smartphones. When thinking about my Grandma and her new phone, it makes me incredibly grateful for the technology we have today. I am blessed to be able to call, text, or email my Grandma within seconds. Conversation with my Grandma is valuable to me and advances in technology make this an easily accessible option for us.

My younger brother was born with Spina Bifida which is a birth defect where the spine doesn’t develop properly causing lower paralysis for some. Being only 5-years-old when he was born, I had no idea how much of an impact he would make on my life. My brother is paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair to get around, but that doesn’t stop him from living his best life. As I watch him grow up and learn how to maneuver his way through life, there is one quote that has always stood out to me. The quote by Scott Hamilton states, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” My brother may live his life differently because of Spina Bifida, but that “disability” doesn’t define him. My brother has been and continues to be a huge inspiration in my life. He has taught me to stay positive no matter the circumstance and to never give up when something isn’t easy. Through every long surgery and difficult appointment, he never lets his attitude get him down. He makes everyone around him smile with his overwhelming optimism and contagious laugh. This little kid, without even knowing it, taught me the most valuable life lesson: your attitude changes everything. Today, my brother is the most joyful and caring middle schooler I’ve ever seen. He loves to spend time with others and try new things. This quote about attitude will stick with me for the rest of my life reminding me to stay positive in every circumstance.

This is Murphy and Maggie. Murphy is a 2-year-old Goldendoodle and Maggie is a 1-year-old purebred Golden Retriever. Murphy has a Canine Good Citizen Certificate and an American Kennel Club TKN Certificate. His favorite activates include dock diving, meeting new people, and playing fetch. Maggie enjoys learning new tricks, playing with her brother, and cuddling. Murphy and Maggie are the best of friends and love to go on walks, off-leash hikes, and car rides together. Instagram handle: @srae242

This is Murphy and Maggie. Murphy is a 2-year-old Goldendoodle and Maggie is a 10-month-old purebred Golden Retriever. Murphy has a Canine Good Citizen Certificate and an American Kennel Club TKN Certificate. His favorite activities include dock diving, meeting new people, and playing fetch. Maggie enjoys learning new tricks, playing with her brother, and cuddling. Murphy and Maggie are the best of friends and love to play tug-of-war with each other. Instagram handle: @srae242