FACES OF GRANT
LAUREN COLYER
CLASS OF 2020
#GRANTYOURSELFAFUTURE
BY: MR. DORSEY
I am very grateful to have the opportunity to talk with and interview students about their experience and success here at Grant. This week’s Faces of Grant student is no exception. I am amazed at how much knowledge a person can gain when they know “what they want to be when they grow up” from an early age. I can’t wait to introduce you to Lauren Colyer, future Embryologist.
Mr. Dorsey: What school are you from?
Lauren: Williamsburg
Mr. Dorsey: When was the first time you heard about Grant Career Center?
Lauren: Probably 8th grade when they came in and talked about a few of the programs before we came over for a tour.
Mr. Dorsey: Do you remember what programs you visited?
Lauren: My 8th grade year I remember visiting Vet Science and Equine Science. My sophomore year I visited Vet Science, Equine Science, and Biotechnology.
Mr. Dorsey: When did you know that you wanted to attend Grant?
Lauren: At first,I didn’t know that I wanted to come to Grant. I knew Mrs. Smith from my home school because she taught there a few periods a day. She always mentioned her Biotech program at Grant. She would explain what her students did in there. When I came and visited that’s when I decided it would be a good fit for me. It took some time for me to apply.
Mr. Dorsey: What were you parents' reaction when you told them that you wanted to attend Grant Career Center?
Lauren: Quite honestly, they weren't too fond of the idea initially. Ultimately, it was my decision on where I went, and what choices I make for my future. I wanted to attend Grant, because I felt it was the best fit for me.
Mr. Dorsey: You have been at Grant Career Center for almost two years, what are your parents’ thoughts on Grant Career Center now?
Lauren: Now, my mom loves that I went here. She now realizes that Grant has given me a lot of opportunities that I wouldn’t have had at my home school. Overall, she is really glad that I decided to attend Grant Career Center.
Mr. Dorsey: Do you miss your home school sometimes?
Lauren: Yes and No. I am very grateful for where I went to school. I absolutely loved my home school, but I really love it here too. I feel I just fit in better at Grant. People just bond more. I do and I don’t miss it. I loved all my teachers at my homeschool, and I love all the teachers here too.
Mr. Dorsey: Do you feel, because you are in a program you are interested in, you feel closer to people in your program?
Lauren: Yes, Absolutely! I feel like we instantly became like a family in my lab.
Mr. Dorsey: Tell me about your academic teachers here at Grant.
Lauren: Obviously, just like anywhere, some teachers you become closer to than others. There are definitely some teachers here that I have become much closer to than at my homeschool. I feel like I can go to them if I need something. They are always willing to help which I really like and I have had a really great experience here at Grant.
I have loved having Lauren as a student and as a member of student council for the past two years! Lauren is an ambitious, self-motivated, and loyal young woman. She is passionate about learning new things (especially if it is related to cows)and works on improving herself and her work on a daily basis, no matter the subject area. Despite her shy nature, Lauren has never hesitated to reach out if she needs help and shows great maturity for her age. I have no doubt that she will go on to do great things at Morehead State and beyond! - Miss. Cadwallader, Social Studies Instructor
Mr. Dorsey: What is the climate like here at Grant?
Lauren: I think the teachers really appreciate the students at Grant. I also feel that the teachers genuinely want to know how you are doing and if we need anything. I believe the students at Grant do well, because they are in the area of interest that they want to be in. Therefore, students are able to focus more, and they are enjoying the things that they are doing and learning. Students want to succeed here. Where at your homeschool, everyone is there, and everyone is doing the same thing. Some students don’t want to do what we are learning. At Grant, you're doing what you want to do, in the area of interest you chose, you want to succeed and strive to reach the goals that you have. I really like that about Grant.
Mr. Dorsey: What do you think about your lab instructor, Mrs. Smith.
Lauren: Oh... I love her. I love Mrs. Smith. She is amazing and she definitely goes out of her way to make sure her students know the content and to help them succeed. She knows how to push people in a way, to reach their full potential, and be the best that they can be. She expects a lot out of us, but in a way that she knows that we can handle it. She wants you to think for yourself, so when we are in those real-world situations, we can think for ourselves and know what we are doing.
Mr. Dorsey: What would you tell a student who loves science, but was unsure if they want to attend Grant?
Lauren: The best thing about Biotechnology is that you can explore more sciences. At your homeschool, you only get to take one generalized science class a year. In Biotech, we go into all kinds of stuff like Bacteria, DNA, immunology, and a ton of different topics. You may think that you want to specialize in one particular field of science and then come to Biotech and decide that you like a different field even more. There are just so many opportunities to explore, so many areas of science that you might be interested in but were never exposed to. In our lab, several of us have changed what we thought we would like to specialize in after high school, because of the diversity of experiences and topics taught in Biotech.
Lauren is an extremely passionate student with great drive and talent. She has a heart for service and helping others, and has really stepped up to the plate to become involved! I have enjoyed seeing Lauren grow in leadership, skill, and perseverance. She will be successful in any area she chooses to pursue. --Mrs. Smith, Bioscience Instructor
Mr. Dorsey: Have you ever heard that dirty rumor that students who attend the career center can’t go to college? What do you think about that?
Lauren: I think that career centers are designed for people to go into the workforce or go to college. Just because you go to a career technical school does not mean that you cannot go to college. I do plan on attending college right after high school. I know for a fact that I want to work infertility and reproduction, somewhere in that realm. I am going to attend Morehead in the fall. I plan on majoring in Biology but may change my major to Agriculture; mostly because I am unsure if I want to work with humans or cows, which requires a different major. So, ultimately I am still trying to decide if I will be attending Vet school or Med school. I either want to be a cattle embryologist or possibly a REI (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility) specialist or midwife if I decide to go the medical route.
Mr. Dorsey: I am really impressed with how many specific careers you mentioned. These aren’t just like saying “I want to be a doctor”. You not just saying “I want to deliver babies”. You are being so specific. Has your lab helped you narrow down your area of interest?
Lauren: So, coming to Grant I knew I wanted to work in reproduction and fertility. I have known that since I was little. I know that sounds weird because that is kind of an adult topic, but I have an uncle that works in Cattle Embryology and have been around it my whole life. Ever since I was four, I’ve wanted to do what my uncle does. As I have grown up, I learned more about how it all works and what is involved. I truly love it. Since this is my senior year, I get to work on my capstone project which is on two embryos. I get to do a lot of research into it, how it works, the processes. Why we do this and don’t do this.
Mr. Dorsey: Has being in this lab helped you any?
Lauren: Yes. You get to learn how to use all this amazing state of the art equipment that we would use in any lab setting. If I worked in a lab that was using micropipettes and microscopes to transfer and look at embryos, I know how to do that. I love that I have been given the opportunity to explore that area of interest in this lab, it has been amazing.
Mr. Dorsey: Can you talk about student life here at Grant?
Lauren: One big thing about Grant so far is being involved. At my homeschool, there were a couple of people on student council but that was about it. Here I am on the Superintendents Advisory Council (Supersquad), Student Council, I am an Ambassador, I belong to two CTSOs (Career Technical Student Organization) there are so many things that so many students can get involved in here at Grant. There are so many ways for students to show what they are doing and what they’re interested in. Really just to be involved, it’s just such a big thing with me. I love to be involved in my school community and be a part of it and making an impact. I didn’t feel like I had that connection at my home school. It felt like the same people had the same positions. I like how easy it is to get involved at Grant.
Mr. Dorsey: Do you feel that these leadership opportunities have changed or impacted you?
Lauren: Absolutely! I have always been very quiet. So, I feel like, here there are just so many ways to be involved in things. I am better at speaking up for myself, where before I probably wouldn’t have said anything. Especially, in class I felt that I used to be so quiet, now I ask questions, I volunteer and help others. I am engaged in my school community.
Grant Career Center is extremely proud of you Lauren. We wish you the best of luck this fall in college. We are excited to see what the future holds for you! Vet school or Med School only time will tell! The future is yours!
This article was written right before the Covid-19 School Closures. “It is my sincerest apologies to Lauren for the delayed publication.” - Mr. Dorsey.
