DOIN' IT RIGHT Outstanding Local Kids

BY KRIS BLANKMAN

Jenna Wright

Learning to be patient through life’s challenges is a lesson we all must go through. Jenna Wright is a charming and bright 17-year-old that has already recognized this valuable lesson. With warmth and humor this impressive young lady has learned that winning in life is much different than winning in the arena, and she has done both. Jenna loves math and is taking some medical/college courses while still in high school with a goal to obtain her CNA. She is the recipient of a scholarship to SUU where she plans to continue in the medical field. She loves to hunt, camp, hang out with family and friends, tumble, play piano, sing, and rodeo! She says that she likes to stay

Corbin Ellis

Corbin Ellis is a shy and polite young man who is 11-years-old and a student at Kanesville Elementary. He likes math and aspires to become a veterinarian someday. Corbin likes to show goats, play soccer, baseball and tumbling. He likes to do backflips and front flips, but if you ask him his favorite sport, he will boldly tell you rodeo. This young man comes from a rodeo family where all the members practice and team rope together. He can rope either end but prefers heeling. He is a member of the Utah Youth Rodeo Association and the Idaho Junior High School Rodeo Association where he competes in team roping, breakaway and calf tying for District 9. He rides a buckskin horse named Spirit and told me that hard work pays off and that losing makes you stronger. This humble young man wouldn’t brag about himself, but his mom told me that he won the team roping at his first junior high school rodeo. Corbin has also won his first saddle as an All-Around Champion. He is currently sitting in third place for the All-Around and in first place for the Rookie of the Year award. He is working hard to qualify for the State Finals and the National Finals this summer. I asked him if there was something unique about him that most folks wouldn’t know. He was excited to share that his grandfather is the famous rodeo photographer, Jim Fain. busy. Jenna said that she is grateful to live the western lifestyle. She took part in 4H where she showed hogs, which she loved; however, she loves rodeo too. When she started high school it was just too much, and she had to pick one to focus on and rodeo was it. She loves to make friends and works hard to stay positive in the face of adversity. After losing her rope horse to blindness she has worked hard this year to prevail with a new equine partner. She said that they are connecting now after lots of practice and that they rodeo for District 9 in Idaho where she competes in breakaway roping. Her goal this year is to qualify for the State Finals.