A lifelong animal lover, Madie has thrived in her high school’s Veterinarian Science program throughout the last four years. This unique elective program has helped her learn all about biology, chemistry, animal anatomy and physiology, animal diseases, and clinical veterinary techniques. She received hands-on experience at a local pet emergency hospital and used her unique expertise to launch a successful pet-sitting business, providing high-caliber care to animals in her neighborhood. Her experience with entrepreneurship has taught her many lessons, including compassion and compromise.

“Not everyone is as fortunate to have a great financial situation,” said Madie. “It’s important to compromise when you need to.”

Madie is also a long-standing FFA member and competitor, becoming Arizona State Champion in 2022 in the Entomology division as a sophomore. She then discovered Agronomy, the science of soil management and crop production, and founded a team at her high school. Madie’s team won first place in the district competition and she placed first overall in the state competition. The team is now competing for recognition at the state level.

“STEM is important because it propels people into a new kind of world,” said Madie.  “Absolutely anything is possible. If you want to do something, you just do it, no matter who you are or your background, it doesn’t matter. You can be whatever you want to be.”

In addition to school and FFA, Madie is a dedicated volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters. She served as a teacher’s aide in agriscience classes her junior year, tutors students in math and science, is vice president of her high school’s National Honor Society, as well as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Yavapai College.

“Giving back shows that teens want to make this world a better place than when we were put into it,” said Madie.

Madie will graduate with both her high school diploma and an Associate of Science degree thanks to a dual enrollment opportunity with Yavapai College. She is the first from her high school to complete such rigorous coursework in several years. Madie will attend NAU to study chemistry with plans to go into the medical field as a way of helping others.