I began my journey with the Wildlife Leadership Academy during my freshman year of high school after my history teacher, Ms. Yarborough, nominated me for a field school. I have had an interest in animals my whole life, and I seized the opportunity that I was granted. That summer, the Ursids field school was the highlight of my summer. My favorite experience was the bear processing and my newly discovered interest in botany. That fall, I spent 38 hours doing various forms of community outreach in hopes of returning. I was chosen for the Youth Mentor position, and I was blessed with the opportunity to mentor those experiencing the field school. After being a mentor, I joined the 2023 Pay It Forward team, raising over $250! Last summer, I was one of the Apprentices at Ursids field school and I served as an Academy Support Team (AST) member at Ursids and Gobblers this past summer. I enjoyed it so much. I’m hoping to return again next year!

Each of my three years with the Academy, I was granted scholarships. As someone in a single-mother household, that helped us greatly. I want to raise money so we can open up even more doors! Accessibility leads to growth in the program overall. My goal of $350 would go a long way for a future class of students.