Kaylee Stallings

My Lifelong Career Goals

From a young age, I always knew I wanted to dedicate my life to helping those in need. My greatest inspirations are my Dad, who is now a Pastor, and his sister, who has had a diverse nursing career, because they are testaments to humility and compassion. They both came from an extremely difficult upbringing, and instead of letting that crush them, they became individuals of hard work and integrity. They have inspired me to use the resources and opportunities that I have been blessed with to support others mentally, physically, and spiritually. Through worship leadership, I can offer spiritual guidance to the church congregation; most importantly, through nursing, I can address my patients' physical and mental needs. My Dad has always emphasized that God works his greatest miracles outside of the four walls of a church through the Christ-like love and kindness of his servants, and that is precisely what my nursing career would reflect.

My Educational Path

As an aspiring nurse and worship minister, my first choice for college would be the University of Mobile (UM). I made this choice in no small part because UM not only offers the #1 nursing program in the state of Alabama, but also allows me to pursue a double major in nursing and worship leadership. Additionally, I would likely be able to compete in their athletics programs, which is a significant factor for me, as I would love to further my career as an athlete. Throughout high school, I have consistently maintained excellent academics, perfect attendance, and engaged actively in extracurricular activities to ensure my admission to UM. As a result, I have earned the highest level of academic scholarship available at UM. While I recognize that attending a private school involves a significant financial commitment, I am proactive in my scholarship search and dedicated to attending my dream school without the burden of lingering student debt. and in my education. Throughout high school, I have maintained good standing in academics, attendance, and extracurricular activities to ensure that I will be able to get into UM.

My Community Service

My Church has always been a primary source of resources for me to engage in community outreach and volunteer work. Through their programs, I have been able to go on mission trips, give free yard cleanings and car washes, give hospital employees care packages, as well as —My personal favorite— working with and teaching children biblical values in a fun and creative way during our Summer Vacation Bible School program, which is always a joy to be a part of. Additionally, I have been a member of school volunteer programs, including Key Club, National Honor Society, and our Theater Program. In these programs, I have had the opportunity to run field days and spring flings for our local elementary schools, send care packages and Christmas gifts to children in need, and contribute to food and other necessities drives for the homeless.

Participation in Distinguished Young Women's Program

Distinguished Young Women

The Distinguished Young Women Program is a pageant-like contest that, rather than judging girls on beauty, evaluates them on scholastics, talent, public speaking, interviewing, and fitness. This allows each girl to show her merit in any and all areas in which she excels.

Here's a link to DWY's website:

https://www.distinguishedyw.org/

Awards

Distinguished Young Women

After my guitar string broke five minutes before I went out on stage, and I scrambled to find a spare guitar in the band room, I was honored to be one of five girls to win an overall talent award (all five of equal weight) among 29 competitors. Of the five girls, I was the only musician to win an award, the other four being very talented dancers.

Take-Aways

Distinguished Young Women

Take-Aways

While I can't say I won the pageant or was even a finalist, I believe that rejection is redirection. At the end of the day, my worth as a woman is not based on the opinion of 6 people who don't truly know me. However, I can say that I have learned a great deal about who I am and what I want through this experience. I have learned that my talents and abilities are worth far more than I would lead myself to believe, and that they are even more valuable when matched with confidence. Additionally, through the endless love and support from the girls I competed with, I learned that we bring out our best sides by lifting one another up.

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