SANDPOINT — Not everyone knows what they want to do when they grow up.

Some, however, know from a very young age exactly what they will do, never wavering from their ultimate goals.

"I have wanted to be a veterinarian since I was 3," said Sandpoint High School senior Sierra Speakman. "I had a bunch of pets, and I realized when they got hurt I had no way to help them because I didn't know how. Then I got my first dog and I really wanted to know how to keep him safe and healthy."

Speakman was applying to several colleges on Monday as it is Idaho College Application Week. While students are encouraged to apply at Idaho schools, they can apply to any college, trade school or postsecondary institution they choose. Speakman applied to Washington State University, University of Idaho and Brigham Young University, which were her top choices in looking at schools for veterinary medicine.

SHS seniors Destiny Tam and Kailili Nieman applied to colleges on Monday as well, and both will be the first in their families to go to college. Tam said going to college is important to her because she will be able to support her father.

"Because my dad supported me throughout my life, I kind of wanted to support him by getting a higher education," Tam said, adding that she has a younger sister who is disabled as well.

Tam plans to major in math or computer science and wants to stay fairly close, so she applied to Idaho schools including Boise State University and North Idaho College.

As the first in her family to go to college as well, Nieman also said she wants to help her family out in the future.

"I love education and learning," Nieman said. "My mom wanted to go to college but it just didn't end up working out. I feel like if I go to college and I can become successful, then I can ultimately work around and help them. So I really want to go to college to be able to get a good job and make money, and help them like they have so immensely helped me."

For Idaho colleges, Nieman applied to UI and BSU. She has also applied to several other colleges in Maine and New York City, and has been looking at colleges in Scotland as well, she said. Nieman plans to major in creative writing or English, because she said she loves to express herself wholly through art and writing. While she enjoys both art and writing, she said writing is an artform in itself that allows her to say exactly what she is thinking.

College Application Week is a statewide initiative in conjunction with direct admissions, which is where all of Idaho's public high school seniors are accepted to colleges or universities across the state, said SHS postsecondary counselor Jeralyn Mire. Students are automatically accepted to one of the two tiers of postsecondary institutions based on their GPA. They recieve a letter stating that they have been accepted, and then College Application Week is about claiming that spot for those who choose to do so, she said.

"We also use it as a time to really pick up issues that they have," Mire said, adding that the students can use the time for things like scholarships, financial aid and transcripts if they finish their applications. "It's a whole class period devoted to them and their life after high school. And I think they look forward to it. I think they like working together and doing it as a unit, because it can be a confusing process."

SHS was a pilot school for the College Application Week in 2013 and the first school to work with North Idaho College, which waved its application fee for the seniors applying throughout the week. The State Board of Education has since launched Apply Idaho, which is an online application that allows Idaho students to apply to one or more of Idaho’s public colleges and universities through a single application. Two private schools, the College of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University, joined this year as well.

Kendall Lang, SHS college and career mentor, said College Application Week is important for a couple of reasons. First, she said, it sets aside a time where students can come in and have support from teachers, counselors, an NIC representative and C.A.R.E. parents.

"Along with that, it's really good for the students to know that they have that support," Lang said. "And it's really a time of celebrating them ... no matter what they are doing after graduation, whether they are going to a four-year or a two-year or joining a certificated program, anything like that, it's a way to celebrate them becoming adults and trying to help them figure out what options they are moving toward."

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @Mary DailyBee.