Hope Lockstaedt of the Slinger FFA Chapter was named the winner of the 2021 Wisconsin FFA Veterinary Science Proficiency Award during the State FFA Convention in Madison in July. The WVMA sponsored the award.
Lockstaedt’s veterinary science Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) began when she job shadowed at the Richfield Area Pet Clinic as a junior in high school. The following year, she began working as a veterinary assistant and veterinary technician apprentice at Woodview Veterinary Clinic in West Bend, under the direction of Drs. Daniel Bushard and Mary Hanrahan. She continues in those roles today while also enrolled as a student at Madison Area Technical College.
With a career goal to become a certified veterinary technician, Lockstaedt’s experience at Woodview Veterinary Clinic has allowed her to develop necessary skills such as restraining animals, “pulling” vaccines, performing blood and intestinal parasite testing, and identifying intestinal parasites under a microscope.
After graduation, Lockstaedt plans to go into the small animal emergency and critical care specialty.