When Hope Becker was very little, she wanted to own 1 million pet pugs. Not one hundred, not one thousand, but 1 million pet pugs. She may not have all those pugs yet, but as a senior in high school, she is already on her way to becoming a veterinarian. 

Becker has worked at Kindred Animal Hospital in Kyle, Texas since the summer of 2022. She earned her Veterinary Assistant Certification on March 9. She was the first in the district to do so this year. 

“I have always been passionate about animals, like anything with animals,” senior Hope Becker said. “I love dogs. I’m definitely a dog person. And I love goats.”

Becker has been taking veterinary class/animal sciences classes since her sophomore year. The course is taught by Megan Hanson, Becker’s current veterinary teacher. 

“She’s always just kind of been a real go-getter in class,” Hanson said. “For the certified vet assistant program, most students don’t start their job-site until senior year. But she actually started in the summer. She’s very proactive and tries very hard, and always puts 110% into everything she does.”

By March, Becker reached the 300 clinic hours and 200 class hours required to take her certification test. 

“I didn’t think it was difficult,” Becker said. “There’s also a list of 72 skills that you have to have checked off by a licensed technician there. Like drawing blood, holding an animal properly, using common terminology, things like that.”

When going into clinics for practicum class periods, students get to experience how things are run on any normal day, even regularly witnessing surgeries. 

“This class is a great gateway into pursuing a career as a vet,” Becker’s classmate, senior Madyson Clark, said. “While you only learn the basics, it gives you so much hands-on experience and skill.”

After graduating this year, Becker will move on to Tarleton State University and work toward her undergraduate degree in animal sciences. From there, she hopes to go veterinary school. 

“Hope is extremely passionate about pursuing her career as a vet,” Clark said. “She has really put in the work to get as far as she has.”