Kendall J. Lestrade
3/14/08
Since I was a little boy, I have always expressed an interest in animals. Every Christmas, I used to ask my mother for two puppies and two kittens. As I got older, I started telling my mother that I wanted to work in a pet shop and possibly even own one. A few years later, I became interested in veterinary medicine. I told my parents that I wanted to be a veterinarian. All of my thoughts and experiences as a younger child developed into a love for science and the environment. When I first moved from the city to the suburbs, I got the opportunity to see wild animals at a more personal level, and no, I’m not talking about the zoo. I got to see squirrels, beavers, groundhogs, and deer right in my backyard! Because of this, I began to appreciate nature even more. Well, I never got two puppies and two kittens like I always used to ask my mother for, but I got one cat; one cute, chubby, and lazy cat that I care for very much. Getting the cat showed me how much responsibility is required to raise an animal. Every year, my mother and I took Patches, our cat for check-ups at the veterinarian’s office. I was amazed at how the veterinarian was gentle with her, yet did what he needed to do, no matter how much she fussed and fidgeted. In my sophomore year of high school, I completed the Veterinary Science Career Exploration Program at the Cornell University Cooperative Extension in Rockland County. I believe that this college will help me achieve my future goals. Not only will it help me decide whether to be a teacher or a veterinarian, but will also help me strive and be a leader in whichever field I choose to go into. Since I was a young teenager, I have been trying to get a job at a pet store, but nobody could hire me because I was not eighteen years of age, so I volunteered at the Hi-Tor Animal Shelter and got some community service hours. Volunteering allowed me to get closer to the animals; the animals that were put up for adoption and didn’t have anywhere else to go. I walked dogs and played with the cats. When the supervisor wasn’t around, I would even take the cats out of their cages and hold them and pet them. My love of nature also influenced my academic interests. Science and mathematics are the two academic subjects that interest me the most. I love science because it is the study of matter and energy and how things work. I am especially interested in biology, not only because of my experiences in the great outdoors as a Boy Scout, but also because it is the study of life and the environment. Life is such a precious
Kendall J. Lestrade
3/14/08
thing that I enjoy learning about and appreciate very much. As a result, I would like to major in biology and possibly explore a career as a veterinarian, a biology teacher, or any other career that will help to improve the quality of life. I aspire to be a leader in whichever field I choose. Math interests me because I think it is fascinating how many ways one can play with numbers and variables and use them to solve everyday problems. I believe I am a good candidate for a scholarship because I am a hard-working student. I plan on continuing to achieve high grades in college. I will do nothing less than my best and will strive hard to reach the career of my dreams.