Checking box after box, the Veterinary Medicine CDE team competes in multiple competitions in the Spring semester to work towards a career in the veterinary science field. 

The vet med team placed third out of 26 teams in their most recent invitational on Feb. 25, 2025. One portion of the competition students love is the Animal ID contest, which focuses on different animal breeds. 

“My favorite part about the vet med team is the Animal ID,” sophomore Lillyanna Velazquez said. “That part is my favorite because ever since I was little, I would buy the animal breed books whether it was dog, cat, horses and more. It would always be something about animal breeds.” 

Participants are tested on their ability to identify different types of animals. 

“The animal ID section is my favorite because at most competitions, we get to see actual live animals. We see everything from birds to dogs to pigs to cows, so it’s fun to be surrounded by a bunch of different animals. It’s cool to see all of the different colors and varieties of each breed too,” senior Carisa Waters said. 

When in competition, for Animal ID specifically, they may be asked to identify a dog breed, meaning studying must come before the competition. 

“Animal breeds and characteristics have always been what has caught my interest and is one of my strongest features. I never knew that doing something that I just saw as a fun thing would benefit me so well in the future,” Velazquez said. 

However, not everyone has a passion for the Animal ID section of the competition. Senior Kayla Harris finds that the Practicum portion of the test better suits her interest.

“This is my favorite part because I get to practice the things that I would be doing as a vet,” Harris said. 

Some other competitive activities include Instrument ID, Organs/Parasites ID, Math and Test. 

“My favorite section of the contest is the Instrument ID because it is what I am most confident with,” senior Maria Sandoval said. “I have always understood and been able to pick out what the minimal differences in each instrument are.”

Agricultural science teacher Jamie Philen prepares them inside the classroom for these competitions and makes sure they are ready before they go. 

“They get to see the breeds, organs, parasites, and tools that are used daily in the job that they are all working towards. Also, being able to see the kids put what they have learned in and outside of the classroom into the contest is truly what it is about,” Philen said. 

Starting and ending on a good note is a key part of the Vet Med team’s routine. 

“The kids are all assigned a letter for the group that they will be in. For each letter, I come up with a word that starts with that letter as I pass them out. Example – Someone will be in the “A” group, so as I hand that letter to the student I say, “A is for Amazing”. I do this for all the letters we have for each student,” Philen said. “Also, they never walk into a competition without a high five first!”