Jayden Sam earned first place at the University View Academy science fair in January thanks to his project on comparative bone structure in birds and mammals. The project explored the differences in skeletal structures and surgical fracture repairs.
Sam, driven by his passion for animals, explored this project because he aspires to become an exotic veterinary surgeon.
“This project shows me what my life will be like in vet school,” Sam noted. “It let me experience the feeling of research and showing me a lot of what my future career might look like. That was the most enjoyable thing about this project.”
Sam, a UVA 4-H club member, spends his weekends volunteering at Bocage Animal Hospital in Baton Rouge. He also loves to give back, and nothing exemplifies that better than his most recent service project in conjunction with the Bocage Animal Hospital.
Through hard work and dedication, Sam was able to collect blankets, towels, toys, animal food, and other items to donate to the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society (CAAWS). In total, he collected 83 items worth about $1,000.
“It definitely made me feel very happy; I felt like I did a big thing for my community (by donating to CAAWS),” Sam said. “It’s a very good thing I did in my life. And I’m going to try and do a whole lot more in the future.”
In just his second year at UVA, Sam has been exposed to new opportunities and options that he wasn’t even aware of. He enrolled in UVA’s Early College & Career Academy to get a head start on his future.
Sam’s story is a brilliant example of what can happen when service, education, and passion are intertwined. His career aspirations include going to LSU and earning a bachelor’s degree in pre-veterinary medicine and French before attending vet school. He wants to eventually become an officer in the Army and serve as a veterinary officer in the Army Reserves.