We’re proud to announce Reina Ushiroda as the 2020 Ohio STEM Learning Network Essay Contest Middle School Winner.
Reina’s essay builds on an idea she’s been thinking about for over a year. The name for her idea, “Bon Appetreat,” came first. Since then, she been considering what solution would best fit her goals and skills. Keep reading to learn more about her solution to solve a problem in her life and community.
Reina is currently a sixth grader at Bio-Med Science Academy, a designated Ohio STEM School. She isn’t sure about her future career/college plans but is interested some sort of design-related focus, including architecture. Her favorite STEM habit is collaboration, in her words: “It’s cool learning about different people and how they work in different ways.”
Read her winning essay below. To hear about next year’s contest, be sure to sign up for the Ohio STEM Learning Network updates here.
2020 Essay Contest Middle School Winner, Reina Ushiroda, Bio-Med Science Academy
Pets are an important part of our lives. Even if you don’t own one, you recognize the happiness and support they give. Sadly, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many people have lost their jobs, therefore making less money than they used to which could be bad news for their furry friend(s).
Even though the pets are having a blast staying home with their humans all day long, it may not be for much longer. Thousands of people across the country including in our communities are facing the incredibly hard choice to say goodbye to their beloved animals and I want to change that.
Having 2 pets of my own, I have a strong bond with animals. I know that each and every one of them deserves a loving home, even in these tough times. I also find it hard to part my pets, even for a few days. I can’t imagine the pain of having to leave your pet forever. By inventing Bone Appetreat, I would provide free pet checkups, food, and adoption services to aid those in need.
My ideas and goals for the non-profit Bone Appetreat service are put into three steps. The first step/goal is to reach out to communities. Knowing that almost every community is dealing with the many struggles of the Coronavirus pandemic, I would like to be able to reach my service into the far reaches of our communities. Doing this would help save more lives than ever. The service could be as simple as an online site, giving owners tips, and the ability to order free or low costing food, to as complex as many volunteers and vets meeting throughout communities to provide support, animal check-ups, and food.
The second step/goal is free care. As a pet owner, some of the most expensive parts of owning a pet is the food and care, and I put this in mind while creating Bone Appetreat. The idea is that Bone Appetreat would provide experienced vets to those who need them, and packages of donated food to their customers for free. I believe doing this will make a big impact on the number of pets being dumped through these hard times.
The third and final step/goal is adoption. Adoption would also be one of Bone Appetreat’s main goals. Adoption is an important part of keeping the shelters from becoming overcrowded. Even though many people are experiencing rough financial times, adoption can be an option. Adopting pets from shelters would be a great experience, as opposed to buying them from a breeder. Future pet owners can adopt from one of Bone Appetreat’s sponsored shelters and get free healthcare and food services from the service. We know that shelter dogs deserve loving homes, and what better way to do it than with Bone Appetreat’s help.
Bone Appetreat’s services would help solve one of the largest problems in our communities and help shelters from overcrowding. It would also provide great care and food for those who need it most in these tough times. Using STEM/STEAM, our communities could come together (while staying 6 feet apart) to help those in need.