A Habitual Rescuer Rescues Her Career

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Photo by: Rebecca Campbell

Jaiden, 6, with her bunny, Pebbles

Braiden Blank, Student of Journalism

A little girl finds a turtle the size of a quarter. Little does she know that this turtle will alter her life forever.

A habitual rescuer, that’s Jaiden Campbell. From rescuing baby birds to stray dogs on the side of the road, she never hesitates to help an animal in need.

It is Jaiden’s dream to do what she loves by helping animals for a living. At 7 years old, the first animal she saves is her turtle, Rocky, who went through a rototiller and barely survived. Concerned for the turtle and passionate about reviving him, she takes him under her wing. Then there is her bird, Ollie: abandoned as a baby but blessed with a kind soul to raise it. Jaiden grows up with a love for animals, inspiring her to become a veterinarian.

COVID-19 hits. Jaiden’s sophomore year is interrupted by a global pandemic that turns her life upside down.

She finds herself struggling to keep up with homework because of the isolation she feels. She loses motivation and succumbs to restless nights.

As senior year stealthily creeps in, she realizes she is in a predicament. Suddenly, as everyone around her is receiving acceptance letters into their dream schools, she realizes that she might have ruined her lifelong ambition of becoming a vet. 

“I really enjoy helping to give animals a second chance.”

As she has given second chances to so many other animals, she decides to give herself a second chance.

Coming up with a plan to save her dream, she decides to focus on her grades in order to raise her overall GPA. Instead of falling asleep in class, she stays attentive and engaged. Rather than letting her assignments pile up until she is overwhelmed, she stays on top of her work. 

With this new attitude of pursuing her lifelong aspiration, Jaiden continues to rescue her dream just as she rescued animals.