One of the most important things a person can do in their life is to find their passion. Some people spend years experimenting and seeking out their passion, while a lucky few find what they are passionate about at a young age. One's passion can range from painting to riding bikes to stargazing or, in Carlton resident Abbie Valine's case, bird watching.

A homeschooled student, Valine discovered her interest in birds while fulfilling her second-grade science curriculum, which touched on insects and birds and critters in the world around us. She began to observe the birds that flew and lived...