Brittany Santillana Memorial Scholarship

Throughout life, I have always been told to take care of my brother and watch him when my mother was busy, and I always understood why; it was because my brother is different from others. My brother is currently 17 years old, and I have been told to take care of him and help him all my life. My brother has Down syndrome, but when you take a look at him, he looks "normal," not someone who still is unable to read, write, or be able to have an entire conversation. However, it is important to know that just because someone has a disability does not mean that they have limits; they are very capable of doing many things, but it might just take longer for them. Now that I am older, I understand that every special needs child is different. During COVID, I set up my brother's computer to join his classes while doing my own schoolwork. When my class finished, I would sit next to him and watch how the class functioned. I would learn more about the students each day, along with the teachers and how they would communicate with the students in a way that was custom to them. How they would communicate with everyone made them a safe environment. Since my brother never participated or turned on his camera because he was shy, the teachers and I started to communicate and found a way to help him. He would get a stack of worksheets through the mail that would be used throughout the year, and I would have to help him complete them all, which was really difficult because I had to come up with a way to teach him something in a way that he could understand and could break it down for him. Even though I am still learning, an important method of teaching special education is understanding that each child is different and capable of many things that a child who isn't in special education can do too. Along with my brother, who is special needs, I also have a cousin who also has Down syndrome but is different from my brother in her learning levels and communication, which are much lower. I always talk to her at family gatherings, where I notice that I have to use a lower vocabulary and include hand signals to help her understand. Throughout all of these special education people that I have come across, I have noticed that everyone is different and can't teach them a certain way because it may not work for them, but it may work for others. One thing may work for them, but we need to be patient enough because it could take them longer to understand sometimes, and they could also forget what they have already been taught the next day, which is why we just have to be very patient with them and reteach it to them again. This is what is currently happening with my brother where I'm currently teaching him how to count money, and when he understands something one day, the next day, he forgets it completely, and I have to reteach it again, which is frustrating but I know that's when he is able to count money I'm going to be really proud of him, and I know that all the work will pay off. I want to teach special education because I love people with special needs like my brother, and I want to give him all the resources to teach. Since I was able to see how a classroom teaching special ed was managed, I wanted to learn more. Now, I'm in a community college, hoping to transfer to a university and wanting to teach special education in elementary for kids just like my brother.