Community Involvement

Experiences and Volunteerism that Lead me to Healthcare

I hope to articulate my passion for service, hard work, and above all-compassion and perseverance. 
There are many points in my life that have lead up to this very moment of applying to nursing school and sending in my application. While to some it may seem trivial, but I feel as though my life is being evaluated for content and graded upon the quality of my persona. 
As it can probably be noted. I am someone that does not take character lightly. Growing up, I have always been the kid that is ‘sensitive’. It is only recently that I have learned that same quality is what has kept me pursuing a dedicated, compassionate lifestyle. Throughout my high school years, I participated in many clubs and activities including: National Honor Society, FFA, 4-H and FBLA. In these organizations, we would always find a way to give back to the community in various ways. Perhaps one of the most impactful events was playing bingo and visiting with residents at Settler's Park, a patient in-care facility. I thought how simple it was to be there for a few hours, considering the impact we had on the residents-likely the highlight of the month. That’s one of the moments that solidified my wanting to help people. 
For as long as I can remember the Baker County Fair and the Halfway Fair have served as a second home for myself over the summer. Every year since 2nd grade, the year my sister started 4-H, I found myself wandering the fairgrounds, making new friends and having fun with all their diverse animal projects. Some friends grew out of agriculture. Some grew out of responsibility. Some grew out of hard work, but the few individuals that persevered the nine years of 4-H and four years of FFA have undergone an amazing appreciation for the work ethic and service the county fair has provided.  I think back to all the prep time I put into my breeding sheep operation. I spent countless hours learning how to shear, feed, and fit my projects. 
I truly believe that the agriculture organizations of 4-H and FFA have made the very person I am today.
4-H has provided many opportunities in my life. One of which I cherish is 4-H camp. I had the opportunity to be a camp counselor for 5 years. So once a year, I would pack up all the necessities for entertaining 10 elementary school girls in  log cabins in the middle of nowhere. This was quite the experience and and impactful one at that. Through the years as a counselor, I’ve got to witness kids grow up into young adults and teach campfire songs to kids, just as I once did as a counselor myself.
All of these experiences serve as a testimony to my case of wanting to work in healthcare. There are few greater things than touching someone’s life and being able to say you made a difference today when you crawl into bed at night.