I’ve got one foot out the door and I’m not looking back. I’m one hundred and twenty days out from graduation, and one hundred and twenty days out from the beginning of my next chapter. Most stories run beginning to end, but mine is going to run the opposite way.

I am a Forensic Science major with an aspiring, and almost within my reach, dream of a career as a Crime Scene Investigator. As most people ask me upon learning my career choice, yes I do have a strong stomach, no it won’t freak me out, and yes I’ve already been exposed to the work. I have been employed by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Banks County Sheriff’s Office, and Piedmont’s very own Campus Police. I have enjoyed every minute I have spent with all of these different departments and have made lifelong friends, mentors, and hopefully future employers. In order to achieve the success I hope to have in my line of work, I am currently awaiting my admission status from Marshall University where I will get my Master’s in Forensic Science with an emphasis on Crime Scene Investigation.

Now, I’m sure you’re confused by the method I choose to tell my story. I do not like to talk about myself, nor share information regarding myself with people I do not know. With that being said let’s dig a little deeper. I run cross country and track here at Piedmont. Running has made me who I am and has been everything I’ve been about for the last decade of my life. In four short months that chapter of “me” will close, and I’m sure I’ll be lost for a time after. I have made lifelong friends through this sport, discovered things about myself I never knew, and developed a strong mentality that will stick with me for the rest of my life. My running career began at Lambert High School in Forsyth County, Georgia. And before those of you who know about Lambert, no I am not like the stereotypes that are associated with that school. I grew up in a house full of boys, three brothers to be exact. I am not a fragile little girl like everyone assumes I am. Living with a bunch of brothers has toughened me up, and I am not afraid to get my hands dirty.

If there is anything you remember about me, it’s this: I love running and animals. I’ve already introduced you to my first love. So, let me tell you a little about my second love. Animals are truly the world’s most precious gift. I am not afraid of any animal, and that’s not because I haven’t experienced them all but more so because every animal has a soft side. I call every dog a puppy regardless of its age. I will always prefer to greet your pets over you (sorry I don’t make the rules, that’s just how it works). I have two godchildren and one child of my own. My godchildren are two pitbulls, and my child is a leopard gecko named Hermes. They are the loves of my life and I spoil them constantly.

That pretty much wraps up the important stuff you need to know about me. Oh, and my name is Haley Bolt (and no I’m not related to Usain).