Bob Deats Memorial Scholarship for Education

Brendan stood in front of six orange cones, a soccer ball at his feet as he urged on, going in and out swiftly without skipping a beat. He looked back at me, proudly, and gave me a thumbs-up when he was done. Although this may seem like an easy task for most people, Brendan is a person with special needs. I couldn’t help but flash back to my younger self while celebrating his accomplishment. I had been in the special education program for as long as I can remember. After having difficulty with speech when I was five, it always occurred as a norm to me. That was until I got into middle school and high school. I was constantly hiding my face from my peers in the hallway when entering my special education classes. These classes always made school a bit more difficult for me. I felt alienated from the rest of the grade. As if I lived a whole separate life inside the same school. After many years of hiding and rushing to classes so that nobody would see me walk into them, It was over. I completed the special education program at Manhasset High School. I felt free from all the stares, free from all the anxiety of being seen walking into a special education classroom, free from being separated from the rest of my grade. Most importantly, I had accomplished my goal of gaining enough tools to no longer need the additional support offered to me by the special education program. This sudden flip of a switch to where I was able to move forward was in my junior year. Junior year, conversations about our future plans and endeavors became a more regular occurrence. It was finally time to seriously think about how I wanted to spend my future. Given my love of working with children, I began to think more seriously about pursuing education as a college major. With this in mind, I began babysitting for several families in the neighborhood, which solidified my passion for teaching. Shortly thereafter, I began helping out at camps over the summer for community service, which led to me having many different opportunities at other camps to help kids with varying needs and abilities. Coming from similar beginnings, giving back by helping those who are struggling in the special education system, will allow me to be the type of teacher who makes a difference. Having a teacher in mind, Mr. Ryan Gray, a special education teacher, would actively take the time to make sure students are engaged and understanding the subject. I consciously took note of how effective of an educator he was to the students around him. Mr. Ryan Gray solidified my desire and purpose to become a teacher. I want to be an advocate and a helping hand to students who struggle. As an educator, I want to make it a mission to grant opportunities to students with special needs, while providing them with an immense amount of accommodation, modifications, and support to secure inclusivity within their education. I am extremely passionate about becoming a special education teacher because it defines who I am. I want to help support students with intellectual disabilities in and outside the classroom to make sure that they can transition into a higher education or any workplace that they desire. After being mentored by brilliant educators who work with students with special needs, pursuing a career as a special education teacher is second nature for me. I want to be like Mr. Ryan Gray, I want to teach students with special needs.