A relationship that has helped shape me in the person I am today is my relationship with my boyfriend, Tino. The first time I saw him, I knew something was special about him, and I was right. We have been together for over a year now, and he has seen me at some of my lowest moments and has stood strong with me through them all. I don’t get along with my family, and he and his family have become a safe space for me. I have depression and severe anxiety, and he always listens to my worries and fears and comforts me, which calms me. We went to rival high schools and met at a dance; that very night he asked me on a date. We were official 12 days later. He later told me that even he was going through a tough time and almost didn’t even go to the dance but is forever grateful that he did. He says I am the reason he has changed his life around; he knew he didn’t want to go to college, so he joined the military. He told me that I am the reason he got through boot camp and that he’s doing his best in life. He claims I saved him, but I think the opposite is true. He has saved me more than he realizes. He has always told me to be true to myself and that I am enough, which are things I have struggled with my whole life. In the media you see girls who are perfect in every way, and I would compare myself and hate the things that made me different. He has changed my mindset and every day assures me that I am enough, worthy of love, beautiful, and that I am loved. I grew up being the only adopted child and was told that I wasn’t wanted and that I should be lucky that I am in a permanent home. And I am very thankful that I have a home. My boyfriend’s family has shown me what real love and care in a family look like. I’m invited to family dinners, they pray for me and the success of our relationship, and I am treated like a daughter. He hasn’t just helped me shape my image of myself but my image of others as well. Before I met him I was more shy; now I am carefree and will talk to anyone and everyone. He’s also helping me be more optimistic and kind to those around me. I always tried to be kind, and he says it comes naturally, but I think he has helped as well. I love life more; I love the people around me. I have chosen better friends because he has shown me my worth. I have always wanted to be a special education teacher because I love helping people, but my family always told me it was useless and wouldn’t make enough money. Tino makes sure that I am following my passion and supports me through everything even when he is thousands of miles away. I genuinely think it is true that the right person will bring out the best parts of you. To put it quite simply, I love him, and I will forever be grateful for the impact he has made on me and my life.

I’m a fan of Sabrina Carpenter because she has done it all, from Disney star to pop star. She is such an inspiration, especially for little girls and boys. Her voice is unlike other pop icons'; she has made a name for herself and is a ray of sunshine. She has explained to herself that she is more than just a pretty face, which shows her fans that they are enough just the way they are. Her songs are catchy as well but also vulnerable; "Because I Liked a Boy" shows how people bashed her all because of the fact that she had a crush. She has been open to her fans about her life, which is very admirable because many pop stars keep their private lives private. She is a storyteller, creating vivid images in each lyric. Most importantly, she has evolved so much since she started her career; she went from being a pop star with catchy tunes to creating art that shows her fans that she understands hard times and that if she has gotten through it, then anyone can get through their hard times. Personally, she has shown me that I can do whatever I put my mind to. That woman is brilliant, and that we are show stoppers, even without a stage and bright lights. She also shows me that it’s okay to be comfortable in my sexuality; before I would wear baggy clothes and hate my body, but now on occasion I'll wear a crop top with jean shorts and love what I see in the mirror. Thank you, Sabrina, for showing me that and for giving me more confidence in myself.

I’m working to address the stigma and misunderstanding that people have regarding people with special needs. My name is Addison Hill. I am a student at California State University Monterey Bay, and I am a liberal studies major in an integrated program for special needs education. To put it simpler, I’m going to be a special needs teacher. Knowing I wanted to be a teacher led to my involvement in volunteer work; the local soccer club in my town created a special needs team for ages 4 to 18, called TOPSoccer. This team would be once a week every Friday for one hour, which created stability and routine for the players without too much overstimulation. I worked with all ranges of the special needs spectrum, from autism and Down syndrome to cerebral palsy and many more. There were many times when people told me I was a saint and that they could never handle “taking care of” people with special needs because it was “too much work” and that they weren’t “capable of learning how to play soccer." I never saw it at work or taking care of them. I saw it as coaching soccer, a sport that I had loved since I was young, to people who wanted to learn how to play it. It was never ”too much work” either; my players were happy, excited, and eager to learn. They would even play scrimmages; they understood what to do just as well as any neurotypical or able-bodied person, in fact, probably better in some cases. People warned me that my players would “throw tantrums” or “be aggressive." The only “tantrums” that were thrown were when someone would get upset that somebody else scored, which even happens with the grown men who are in Major League Soccer. They were never aggressive; if anything, the opposite, completely gentle. They would pat each other on the head when they scored and give me hugs when they arrived to practice. Maybe I was just lucky and had an amazing team, but I think that stigma and misunderstandings are what make people feel this way. I think that people need to widen their horizons and outlooks on others. There’s no need to assume someone will act a certain way based on how they look, and that applies to anyone, not just people with special needs. I want to be able to be an advocate and stand up for people who can’t always stand up for themselves. I want to create change in the way we view those people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, or others not listed. I want to make my voice heard because I truly believe if people were more knowledgeable and kind, the world would be different.

My story starts and will forever continue with members from the LGBTQIA+ community. I was adopted by my lesbian mother at only 3 days old. She has been the strongest pillar in my life ever since.  she’s now married to a woman who I also consider a mother. I cannot imagine my life without these two women. they’ve always taught me to be authentically myself.  They’ve shown me what it means to be strong, independent, worthy of anything I put my mind to.  they were the first people to ever show me love and without them, I would be a shell of the human I am today.  My mother has told me all about her struggles. About the people who kicked on her, about not being accepted by her own family, about the lowest lows in the highest highs. She is genuine, authentic, and the biggest advocate for all things that are right. She got her degree in social service, she now works for the insurance commissioner of California and helps create laws for transgender youth, protection of queer rights, and so much more that I can’t even name. Her brilliant wife is a doctor of physical therapy and works every day to help people make their lives easier. They both have so much care and compassion in their hearts. As I’ve already stated, they have inspired me to be who I am today. A girl with the biggest heart and nothing but love to offer to those around me. I’m currently studying to be a special education teacher at California State University Monterey Bay. I know that my future is bright because of the support I have from my amazing family, even though my little brother can be annoying at times.  I want to be able to stand up for people like my mom does, I want to be able to make a difference. This upcoming school year I got a Residential Advisor, or RA, position on campus and I volunteered to be the RA in a themed community called“Lavender Living”. Which is the residence hall specifically for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I volunteered to be in this themed community because my parents have always shown me love and compassion and I want to make sure my residents feel safe especially in their first year at college which for many people is a big step. I know that I will be an amazing RA in this hall and that I will be able to give my residents all of the help, support, and encouragement they may need. My parents have taught me so much in my 19 years of life but the biggest thing they have taught me is to always be kind and to fight for what I think is right. I will forever stand with the LGBTQIA+ community and help, protest, and support them in all aspects. We are all people, it doesn’t matter who loves who and what part of the gender spectrum we do or don’t identify with. Every person is more than enough and I will do everything I can to make sure they know that they are brilliant, beautiful, and amazing.

In my opinion, Taylor’s performance of “Eldest Daughter” is the most moving. The lyrics of this song explain the difficulties and pressures of being the eldest child. As the eldest daughter in my family, I definitely understand how it feels to need to be perfect as well as feel like you need to grow up faster than they are. I’ve never seen myself in a song as much as I have in this one. The lyrics “Every eldest daughter, they were raised up in the wild” hit a chord; I remember being young and needing to cook for myself and going grocery shopping by myself to get the needs of my family. I do not hate my family by any means; I have an amazing family. I just know how it feels to be so alone even when your family is there. To this day, I do wish I had more of a childhood, more sunny days, and jumping in puddles. But I am the eldest daughter, so I didn’t receive that luxury. I have lived an amazing life nonetheless, and I love my little brother more than anything. This song is a true portrayal of how it feels to be the eldest daughter, so thank you Taylor for releasing it for everyone to hear and understand.

ALS has impacted my life because one of my best friends, Amare, had it. She was the most bubbly person and always lit up the room. She unfortunately was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 18. She was a beloved soccer player, friend, and scholar who always did everything she could for those around her. She passed away right before going off to college. She fought hard and battled for as long as she could, to the point where she was bedridden and couldn’t talk. Her ALS diagnosis was quick and severe. She decided that she didn’t want to continue living on life support, a decision no 18-year-old should have had to make. At her celebration of life, we were given a card with her life story and a packet of wildflower seeds. We were told to plant the seeds at an important place to keep her memory alive; a group of friends and I planted them at our high school, where she is forever loved and cherished. She was also given her own forever spot on our soccer team’s “hall of fame." She was so many things to so many people, but to me, she will always be the minion-loving, soccer superstar, and kindest human. I will continue to miss her every day. I was a year younger than her in school. I was determined to do everything I could in order to make a difference for those who are impacted by ALS. I was in a program called Public Safety at my high school, and an event that they were hosting was a police versus sheriff basketball game. All proceeds were split between my school and a fundraiser of our choice. Everyone in my program had amazing ideas for which fundraiser to give the other half of proceeds to, but I knew which one it had to be: a fundraiser in Amare’s name in which all proceeds go to those who are affected by ASL and to help find a cure. We voted and Amare’s fundraiser won by a landslide. We had a speaker talk at the intermission of the game, and Amare’s parents were there as well. Being able to help out and make such a difference meant so much to not just me but my program, many of whom knew Amare as well. Now whenever I see anything about ALS, I am reminded of Amare and all of the other strong people affected as well, and I hope and pray that one day a cure is found so that may others can be helped and live long impactful lives, making memories with those they love most.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone who knows me calls me Addy. Cancer has taken some of the closest people to me. When I was 9, a form of cancer called melanoma took my grandmother, whose name was Peggy Hill, my favorite person. She loved the beach; her favorite animal was a mermaid, and she lived in a beach town called Bodega Bay with her husband, who was her high school sweetheart. My best friend, Sawyer, was also 9 and whose favorite animal was a sea turtle, loved the beach as well and was taken that same year by leukemia. These two losses happened within 6 months of each other. This caused me to have the worst 4th-grade experience and, honestly, the worst schooling experience of my life. I cried every night for months; I felt as if I had done something wrong or was being punished by the universe. These losses created so much pain, and as a child I didn’t understand the complexity of people dying. My mom would tell me that they “left the Earth," and I just assumed they were in space on vacation, which, if I’m being honest, made 9-year-old Addy very jealous. I wrote letters to Sawyer with my favorite crayon colors telling him that when he came back from his trip we would read books together. Cancer continued to affect me as I got older as well; my grandfather, husband to my deceased grandmother, developed prostate cancer. This affected my high school education because I was so worried about losing another person who is so close to me. He is luckily doing much better now, in complete remission, and I am beyond appreciative to all of his doctors and care specialists. These events have taught me to never take anything for granted, to live life fully, to always wear sunscreen, and to “not dwell on pebbles in your shoes," which was a saying my grandmother used. I never understood it when I was younger, but I do now; little things may bother you at first, but they won’t ruin your day. Cancer, unfortunately, is not a pebble in your shoe but a boulder making it impossible to walk. I still miss my best friend and grandmother every day, but that was 10 years ago now, and I have healed, not completely, but I doubt I ever will. I’ve learned that it’s okay if I never completely heal; I will keep smiling and making memories for all of the time I have but never forget what has gotten me here. Now I go to California State University Monterey Bay because it is near the beach and whenever I go to the aquarium I look at the turtles.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone calls me Addy. I was raised in a family that taught me that everyone has a role to play in creating a safer, more inclusive society. The importance of helping others was a constant theme throughout my childhood and continues to be in my life now. I was a foster child; my mother adopted me when I was young, which in itself increased my quality of life. I was also born deaf but was lucky enough to receive a surgery that makes me able to hear with minimal hearing loss. Knowing my background has also contributed to my deep desire to contribute positively to my community. This led to my involvement in volunteer work. I joined the Public Safety pathway at my high school, they offer opportunities to assist with food drives as well as monitoring marathons and public events. I was even able to raise awareness as well as fundraise for Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS. Through these experiences, I developed a strong sense of empathy, understanding, and commitment to improving the lives of those around me. This desire to serve my community and make a difference in people's lives has driven me to pursue a career in education. My personal experiences have helped me realize the transformative power that people can have on others and the importance of providing support to those who are most vulnerable. By choosing this path, I hope to contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. I want a job that can help me connect with people, adults and children, regardless of their situations or circumstances; I want to be able to help them. I firmly believe that children are our future and that they deserve all the help and education possible. By working closely with children and residents, I aim to create open conversation and offer space for concerns. I want to develop strategies to improve quality of understanding for those around me. In the future, I aspire to become a leader within the community, implementing a positive environment for all of those around me. I would like to pursue a teaching role, more specifically a special education teaching role. By achieving this, I will be able to help children, especially children who feel given up on and unimportant. I want to be able to make these kids feel confident, capable, and authentically themselves without fear, that’s what they deserve.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone calls me Addy. I have lived an interesting life; I was born deaf and premature, weighing four pounds. Three days after I was born, my biological mother gave me up. After that, I lived with two other families before finally being adopted by two women. Now you may be thinking, "How is this relevant to the essay prompt?” and honestly, it’s quite simple: my mom is the person who inspires me. My mom has always followed her dreams and challenged opposition. She has her degree in social service and has been an advocate for students, especially those from adoptive families. She is the strongest woman I know, and I want to make a difference in people’s lives just like she has. My mother is not a teacher, but her father, my grandfather, is a college professor of criminal justice as well as an author of a criminal justice textbook. He is also a great inspiration for me and has always told me that I can do whatever I put my mind to. The reason why I want to be a teacher, specifically a special education teacher, is because of a program called TOPSoccer. This was a program where I was able to coach soccer to people with special needs ages from ages 4 to 21. While I coached these kids, I realized how much they taught me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and how to comfort them. I have been able to calm these kids down when they throw tantrums and make them feel better when they are sad. Eventually, whenever they saw me, they were excited, and some would even embrace me. It makes me feel good to know that I positively impacted the lives of those kids. The only reason I stopped coaching was because the soccer club cut funding to the TOPSoccer Program. This didn’t stop me from then working as a babysitter for many of the kids on my team after the program ended. This experience has made me learn that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day, people with special needs are still people; they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness.

I’m Addison Hill, and I was born deaf. I was a safe surrender baby that was put into the foster care system. Luckily, I was adopted early, but no one knew I was deaf. My mom eventually took me to the doctor, and they ran tests, and they realized I had next to no hearing capabilities. I was lucky enough to get a surgery that has helped me gain the majority of the hearing that I was lacking; however, I still have hearing loss. I used to think that this disadvantage would make basic everyday things more difficult, but I’ve learned that just because I am different, I am still unique and capable of many things. This is the message I want to spread in the world, that differences make us special. Now I am 19, an honor student attending California State University Monterey Bay, and I am in many leadership positions on campus. Now, why is my history important to why I want to be a special education teacher? Well, in high school I had an amazing job for 3 years. I played soccer for years and have always gravitated towards helping people. The local soccer club created a special needs team for ages 4 to 18, called TOPSoccer, and I knew I had to be a part of it. At first, I was a coach helper, helping kick around soccer balls and setting up goals and cones for drills and games, but I knew I wanted more. I showed up every Friday, rain or shine, cool or sweltering, wanting to help in any way I could.  Until one day, I was told that the coach was quitting, and the club's executive director contacted me asking if I wanted to become the head coach. I said yes and eagerly waited for the season to start. Of course it isn’t always easy, but that’s with anything in life. Luckily I have immense patience and respect for all people, so having this job was the perfect fit for me. As I coached these kids, I realized how much they taught me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and how to comfort them. I have been able to calm these kids down when they throw tantrums and make them feel better when they are sad. Eventually, whenever they saw me, they were excited, and some would even embrace me. It makes me feel good to know that I positively impacted the lives of those kids. The only reason I stopped coaching was because the soccer club cut funding to the TOPSoccer Program. This didn’t stop me from then working as a babysitter for many of the kids on my team after the program ended. This experience has led me to my future career aspiration, a special education teacher. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day, people with special needs are still people; they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness.

Cancer has taken some of the closest people to me. When I was 9 a form of cancer called melanoma took my grandmother who was my favorite person. My best friend was also taken that same year from leukemia. These two losses happened within 6 months of each other. This caused me to have the worst 4 grade experience of my life. I felt as If i had done something wrong or was being punished by the universe. These losses created do much pain, and as a child I didn’t understand the complexity of people leaving the earth. Cancer continued to affect me as I got older as well, my grandfather, husband to my deceased grandmother, also developed prostate cancer. This affected my high school education because I was so worried about losing another person who is so close to me. He is luckily doing much better now and I am beyond appreciative to all of his doctors and care specialists. My passion for my future career comes from when my local soccer club created a special needs team for ages 4 to 18 and made me the coach. I got to do this job for 3 amazing years before they cut the team funding. As I coached these kids, I realize how much they are teaching me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and comfort them. I have been able to calm these kids down when they throw tantrums and make them feel better when they are sad. Eventually, whenever they saw me they were excited and would even embrace me. It makes me feel good to know that I have positively impacted the lives of these kids. That incredible experience led me to my future career aspiration, a special education teacher. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. After coaching, I even became a special education babysitter and caretaker. Overall, I want to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day people with special needs are still people, they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone that knows me calls me Addy. I am a Liberal Studies major in the special education integrated program at California State University, Monterey Bay. I’ve always been very active in my community, especially in community service during high school, I was the special education soccer coach in my community for 5 years. My biggest dream in life is to help people, especially those who others look beyond. I am going to be a special education teacher; it has been the job I’ve wanted since I was young. Being a special education soccer coach definitely solidified this dream of mine. Being around the children and young adults on my soccer team had made me so much happier and made me start enjoying the littler things in life. Unfortunately, the soccer team that I coached lost funding right before I moved away to college which broke my heart because the owner of the club that the team was a part of decided that they cared more about the competitive teams. I wasn’t sad that I was out of a job that I absolutely loved, although that was a factor, I was sad that the club didn’t care enough about this team that just genuinely loved coming together and playing the sport. I was sad that these kids and young adults were given up on, and since then I have promised to never give up on them. I want to be able to give these kids what they have given me for so many years, a place where they can be themselves free of judgement and negativity. As someone who was made fun of, I understand being treated as different and I understand the hurt it can cause. I want everyone to know that they are important, and they do matter regardless of what others think. I want these kids to love school and be able to find sanctuary in education like I have, or at the very least, enjoy the environment that surrounds them in my classroom. I want them to feel safe, seen, cared for, and respected. I am a big believer that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world. At the end of the day they are people, just like you and I, and they should be treated as such, with respect. I will give them that, my goal in life is to make a difference, spread awareness, and be the change.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone that knows me calls me Addy. I am a Liberal Studies major in the special education integrated program at California State University, Monterey Bay. I have a great love for learning and have been determined enough to keep high standings in my education regardless of any difficulties that I had faced during my education thus far. I was given up as a safe surrender baby because my biological mother could not properly care for me. I was adopted at a young age and my family has made my life so amazing. I was born deaf and that has definitely affected my learning. Luckily I was able to receive a surgery when I was still young which helped tremendously. Now I do have hearing loss but I can hear which is a gift. Although I have been made fun of for “sounding funny” or because I couldn’t hear properly. In order to hear my teacher in elementary school, my teacher had to wear a microphone, and I had to sit next to a speaker that the microphone was connected to. This was also a big factor in the bullying that I faced. In middle school I decided that I didn’t want the microphone anymore because I didn’t want to get made fun of at my new school. Instead, I sat close to the teacher and focused really hard on what they were saying so that I didn’t miss anything. I adapted, and it worked. I have also struggled with severe anxiety and have overcome many obstacles with that as well. I used to think that these disadvantages made basic day to day life more difficult, and honestly, they do. However, I have learned that just because I am different and unique that I am still capable of just as much as anyone else. Regardless of these difficulties, I have excelled in school and have always done my best and tried as hard as I could, a mindset which I will continue to have. In high school I was a part of clubs, sports, and honors classes. My freshman year, I joined the wrestling team at my high school, Inderkum high school. I got an award for having one of the highest GPAs in the region among all wrestlers. Unfortunately, I suffered a concussion which cut my season short and my parents would not let me go back to wrestling, they deemed it as “too dangerous”. Regardless of this, I still won the award of Girl’s Wrestling MVP for that season. I joined the drama club in my sophomore year so that I could make more connections on campus. That same year, I ended up playing the role of Sam Carmicheal in the productions “Mamma Mia!” that fall and Emmett Forrest in “Legally Blonde” in the spring. In my junior year I took a break from the drama of the drama club to focus again on sports, this time playing girls flag football on campus where I had the center position. This opened my circle of friends and my team felt like a family. In my senior year I stopped playing flag football due to a heart issue, of which I have healed, and focused on my honors classes before going back to drama club to be in one last show, “The Little Mermaid Jr.” in which I played Grimsby. I am very thankful that I was a part of so many activities in high school, they shaped who I am today. I also made honor roll and high honors as well as receiving my school's “Principal’s Award” which is given to someone who has positively impacted the school community both academically and socially. I’ve always been very active in my community, especially in community service during high school, I was the special education soccer coach in my community for 5 years. In high school, I was a part of the Public Safety law pathway. By being in this program, I was able to connect with the people in my community and engage in community and public service. I would work security at my high school’s football games, close off roads during marathons for the runners safety, help out at local food banks by organizing and passing out food to families in need, and be a part of outreach programs at local festivals and community events. On top of these, in my senior year I was the president of Link Crew, a program that teaches upper classmen, junior and senior high school students, how to welcome freshmen to high school and make sure that they feel safe, comfortable, and ready. Being the president of Link Crew helped me grow as a leader. I had to come up with activities for link events, teach all of the Link Crew members how to explain activities to their links, freshmen, as well as make sure everyone, links and Crew members, were doing what they were supposed to be doing. This not only gave me a leadership role but also made me someone others depended on, prioritized my communication skills, and increased my organization. Being a part of my community has always been important to me, and I plan on continuing to be a part of my new community here in Monterey Bay. As a college freshman, I have the honor of already being a part of my college’s leadership fellows' program. A program that teaches students how to be the best leaders possible. I am very grateful for this opportunity and have already learned so much. I also plan on joining clubs and being a part of activities on campus as well. My biggest dream in life is to help people, especially those who others look beyond. I am going to be a special education teacher; it has been the job I’ve wanted since I was young. Being a special education soccer coach definitely solidified this dream of mine. Being around the children and young adults on my soccer team had made me so much happier and made me start enjoying the littler things in life. Unfortunately, the soccer team that I coached lost funding right before I moved away to college which broke my heart because the owner of the club that the team was a part of decided that they cared more about the competitive teams. I wasn’t sad that I was out of a job that I absolutely loved, although that was a factor, I was sad that the club didn’t care enough about this team that just genuinely loved coming together and playing the sport. I was sad that these kids and young adults were given up on, and since then I have promised to never give up on them. I want to be able to give these kids what they have given me for so many years, a place where they can be themselves free of judgement and negativity. As someone who was made fun of, I understand being treated as different and I understand the hurt it can cause. I want everyone to know that they are important, and they do matter regardless of what others think. I want these kids to love school and be able to find sanctuary in education like I have, or at the very least, enjoy the environment that surrounds them in my classroom. I want them to feel safe, seen, cared for, and respected. I am a big believer that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world. At the end of the day they are people, just like you and I, and they should be treated as such, with respect. I will give them that, my goal in life is to make a difference, spread awareness, and be the change.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone that knows me calls me Addy. I am a Liberal Studies major in the special education integrated program at California State University, Monterey Bay. I’ve always been very active in my community, especially in community service during high school, I was the special education soccer coach in my community for 5 years. Which has led me to my future career aspiration, a special education teacher. In high school, I was a part of the Public Safety law pathway. By being in this program, I was able to connect with the people in my community and engage in community and public service. I would work security at my high school’s football games, close off roads during marathons for the runner's safety, help out at local food banks by organizing and passing out food to families in need, and be a part of outreach programs at local festivals and community events. a specific event that I helped organize while being a part of this program was the Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento Sherrif's Department fundraising basketball game. I got to help choose who we were fundraising for, we decided to fundraise to help find a cure for ALS. A classmate of ours passed away the year prior due to this disease and we wanted to give money raised to her memorial fundraiser to try to make a difference and find a cure for this heartbreaking disease. On top of these, in my senior year I was the president of Link Crew, a program that teaches upper classmen, junior and senior high school students, how to welcome freshmen to high school and make sure that they feel safe, comfortable, and ready. Being the president of Link Crew helped me grow as a leader. I had to come up with activities for link events, teach all of the Link Crew members how to explain activities to their links, freshmen, as well as make sure everyone, links and Crew members, were doing what they were supposed to be doing. This not only gave me a leadership role but also made me someone others depended on, prioritized my communication skills, and increased my organization. Being a part of my community has always been important to me, and I plan on continuing to be a part of my new community here in Monterey Bay. As a college freshman, I have the honor of already being a part of my college’s leadership fellows' program. A program that teaches students how to be the best leaders possible. I am very grateful for this opportunity and have already learned so much. I also plan on joining clubs and being a part of activities on campus as well.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone that knows me calls me Addy. I am a Liberal Studies major in the special education integrated program at California State University, Monterey Bay. I have a great love for learning and have been determined enough to keep high standings in my education regardless of any difficulties that I had faced during my education thus far. My biggest dream in life is to help people, especially those who others look beyond. I am going to be a special education teacher; it has been the job I’ve wanted since I was young. Being a special education soccer coach definitely solidified this dream of mine. Being around the children and young adults on my soccer team had made me so much happier and made me start enjoying the littler things in life. Unfortunately, the soccer team that I coached lost funding right before I moved away to college which broke my heart because the owner of the club that the team was a part of decided that they cared more about the competitive teams. I wasn’t sad that I was out of a job that I absolutely loved, although that was a factor, I was sad that the club didn’t care enough about this team that just genuinely loved coming together and playing the sport. I was sad that these kids and young adults were given up on, and since then I have promised to never give up on them. I want to be able to give these kids what they have given me for so many years, a place where they can be themselves free of judgement and negativity. As someone who was made fun of, I understand being treated as different and I understand the hurt it can cause. I want everyone to know that they are important, and they do matter regardless of what others think. I want these kids to love school and be able to find sanctuary in education like I have, or at the very least, enjoy the environment that surrounds them in my classroom. I want them to feel safe, seen, cared for, and respected. I am a big believer that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world. At the end of the day they are people, just like you and I, and they should be treated as such, with respect. I will give them that, my goal in life is to make a difference, spread awareness, and be the change. I had many teachers in high school who have also guided me towards my goal. A specific example of this is I took a ceramics class that was integrated with the special needs class, and my teacher sat me at their table because I was so calm and worked so well with them. Whenever one of them was frustrated, I would offer to help as well as let them talk my ear off about all of their hobbies. I am very grateful that I was able to be in that class because it gave me a glimpse of what day-to-day life will be like when I do become a special education teacher. That teacher definitely did help change my life by seating me where she did, and I could not be more thankful.

As someone who has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I can say that it is incredibly rewarding. Maybe work with these individuals has made a great impact on not just myself but with my community. I was a special needs soccer coach and special needs babysitter. I am truly inspired by each and every individual and know that everyone is different and have unique strengths and challenges. They encourage me to want to create an environment where they can thrive with similar if not the same opportunities as their neurotypical peers. My greatest motivation is wanting to make these individuals feel empowered and capable because they are capable. By contributing to the lives of these people and showing them their worth I believe it will change the views that the people around me have. If the people’s views change then it will become a domino effect and even more people’s views will change and maybe eventually there will be more compassion in the world. My biggest dream in life is to help people, especially those who others look beyond. I am going to be a special education teacher; it has been the job I’ve wanted since I was young. Being a special education soccer coach definitely solidified this dream of mine. Being around the children and young adults on my soccer team had made me so much happier and made me start enjoying the littler things in life. Unfortunately, the soccer team that I coached lost funding right before I moved away to college which broke my heart because the owner of the club that the team was a part of decided that they cared more about the competitive teams. I wasn’t sad that I was out of a job that I absolutely loved, although that was a factor, I was sad that the club didn’t care enough about this team that just genuinely loved coming together and playing the sport. I was sad that these kids and young adults were given up on, and since then I have promised to never give up on them. I want to be able to give these kids what they have given me for so many years, a place where they can be themselves free of judgement and negativity. As someone who was made fun of, I understand being treated as different and I understand the hurt it can cause. I want everyone to know that they are important, and they do matter regardless of what others think. I want these kids to love school and be able to find sanctuary in education like I have, or at the very least, enjoy the environment that surrounds them in my classroom. I want them to feel safe, seen, cared for, and respected. I am a big believer that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world. At the end of the day they are people, just like you and I, and they should be treated as such, with respect. I will give them that, my goal in life is to make a difference, spread awareness, and be the change.

My name is Addison Hill, but everyone that knows me calls me Addy. I am a Liberal Studies major in the special education integrated program at California State University, Monterey Bay. I have a great love for learning and have been determined enough to keep high standings in my education regardless of any difficulties that I had faced during my education thus far. I was given up as a safe surrender baby because my biological mother could not properly care for me. I was adopted at a young age, and my family has made my life so amazing. I was born deaf and that has definitely affected my learning. Luckily, I was able to receive a surgery when I was still young which helped tremendously. Now I do have hearing loss, but I can hear which is a gift. Although I have been made fun of for “sounding funny” or because I couldn’t hear properly. In order to hear my teacher in elementary school, my teacher had to wear a microphone, and I had to sit next to a speaker that the microphone was connected to. This was also a big factor in the bullying that I faced. I used to think that these disadvantages made basic day to day life more difficult, and honestly, they do. However, I have learned that just because I am different and unique that I am still capable of just as much as anyone else. I’ve always been very active in my community, especially in community service during high school, I was the special education soccer coach in my community for 5 years. Being a part of my community has always been important to me, and I plan on continuing to be a part of my new community here in Monterey Bay. As a college freshman, I have the honor of already being a part of my college’s leadership fellows' program. A program that teaches students how to be the best leaders possible. My biggest dream in life is to help people, especially those who others look beyond. I am going to be a special education teacher; it has been the job I’ve wanted since I was young. Being a special education soccer coach definitely solidified this dream of mine. Being around the children and young adults on my soccer team had made me so much happier and made me start enjoying the littler things in life. Unfortunately, the soccer team that I coached lost funding right before I moved away to college which broke my heart because the owner of the club decided that they cared more about the competitive teams. I was sad that these kids and young adults were given up on, and since then I have promised to never give up on them. I want to be able to give these kids what they have given me for so many years, a place where they can be themselves free of judgement and negativity. I want these kids to love school and be able to find sanctuary in education like I have, or at the very least, enjoy the environment that surrounds them in my classroom. I want them to feel safe, seen, cared for, and respected. I am a big believer that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world. At the end of the day they are people, just like you and I, and they should be treated as such, with respect. I will give them that, my goal in life is to make a difference, spread awareness, and be the change.

I have always been a fun-loving, carefree, and happy individual. I have loads of friends and an amazing family that cares about me and yet something always seemed to be missing. During the Covid-19 shut down reality hit me like a freight train. I realized that my whole life I had been masking my feeling in order to make others like me and see me as someone who was “normal”. But now I realize that being “normal” is impossible, because the idea of “normal” is a far fetched concept, not something that is obtainable, which is completely alright. I have severe anxiety and depression, my “fear of missing out”, or FOMO, is a strong factor and yet, now more than ever I feel “normal”. I am comfortable in my skin now, it took a while, but I am at the end of that path and now with the help of my doctors I have medication that helps me in ways I didn’t think were possible. I learned that nobody is perfect, everyone is fighting some sort of demons, and that it’s okay to be yourself. The girl who once had panic attacks while standing in line for roller coasters, thought the world might be better off if she wasn’t there, and deleted all social media because she always felt left out, has now found peace. I am going to be a special education teacher, I am going to help kids who need guidance, and I am going to do my best to ensure that they know they are enough just as they are. To me, my mental illnesses aren’t illnesses at all but tools that have made me who I am today, and if I am being honest, I really love the person I am today. Now when I think about my future, I’m not nervous or scared but excited about all of the possibilities and opportunities I will have. Yes, there will be days where I don’t feel happy or excited, days when I’m down and want to hide away. But I know that these days will only be temporary and that I will be able to get up, achieve my goals, and make all of my dreams come true. I used to think I was a fun-loving, carefree, and happy individual, but there are times when I’m not. There are times when I am sad, feel alone, and riddled with anxiety. But that’s only part of me, and I am not afraid of that part of me anymore.

My whole life I’ve grown up around people who have helped others. When I was younger I had no idea what I would be, but I knew I wanted to be able to help others also. I was bullied growing up because I sounded different. I had a teacher in elementary school who stuck up for me and told me that I was very special and that one day I would do amazing things. I want to be able to do that for other kids. Kids who have been hurt and mistreated. I also want to be able to be a safe space if kids are struggling. Yes I want to be a teacher but more specifically, I want to be an elementary aged level special education teacher. I have chosen this specific path because a lot of child development starts in the early years of elementary school and depending on the treatment you receive, it can mold you into the person you become. I’ve been able to work for the local soccer club that created a special needs team for ages 4 through 18. As I coached these kids, I realize how much they were teaching me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and comfort them. I was able to calm these kids down when they throw tantrums and make them feel better when they were sad. It got to the point where whenever they saw me they were excited and even gave me hugs. It makes me feel good to know that I have positively impacted the lives of these kids, just like the teacher I had who believed in me. I want to be able to continue to help these kids who are often seen as less than. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day people with special needs are still people, they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness. I will continue to strive for my goal until I can achieve it. I am determined to make a difference. I want to be the teacher that kids can talk to and are safe with. I want to be the teacher who encourages learning but in a fun way. I want to do good in the world, and with this career, I will be able to do good everyday, even if it’s a small amount.

I wasn’t given the luckiest hand when I was born, for starters I was born deaf to a mother who wasn’t ready for the responsibilities of having a child which led to me being put into foster care. However, I now have an amazing adoptive family who has taught me the importance of kindness and compassion. They were able to catch my hearing issues and now I only have minimal impairment as opposed to complete deafness. Since then, my whole life has been spent around people who have helped others, and now I am 18 years old and held a special job for the past 3 years. The local soccer club created a special needs team for ages 4 to 18, and I was the head coach. Unfortunately the funding for this team was revoked so that they could focus on their competitive teams. As I coached these kids, I realized how much they have taught me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and comfort them, and overall provide a space and routine that is much needed for many of these kids. I was able to calm these kids down when they threw tantrums and make them feel better when they were sad. It even got to the point where whenever they saw me they got excited and even embraced me. It makes me feel good to know that I have positively impacted the lives of these kids. Although the funding for the club fell through, this experience has led me to my future career aspiration, a special education teacher, specifically at the elementary education level because of the importance that the early years have on all students. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected, as well as confident in the abilities that they do have. At the end of the day people with special needs are still people, they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community as well as any other community that I am apart of and spread awareness.

My whole life I’ve grown up around people who have helped others. When I was younger I had no idea what I would be, but I knew I wanted to be able to help others also. I was bullied growing up because I sounded different. I had a teacher in elementary school who stuck up for me and told me that I was very special and that one day I would do amazing things. I want to be able to do that for other kids. Kids who have been hurt and mistreated. I also want to be able to be a safe space if kids are struggling. Yes I want to be a teacher but more specifically, I want to be a special education teacher. For the last 3 years I’ve had a very special job. I’ve worked for the local soccer club that created a special needs team for ages 4 through 18. As I coach these kids, I realize how much they are teaching me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and comfort them. I have been able to calm these kids down when they throw tantrums and make them feel better when they are sad. Now, whenever they see me they are excited and even embrace me. It makes me feel good to know that I have positively impacted the lives of these kids. I want to be able to continue to help these kids who are often seen as less than. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day people with special needs are still people, they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness. I will continue to strive for my goal until I can achieve it. I am determined to make a difference. I want to be the teacher that kids can talk to and are safe with. I want to be the teacher who encourages learning but in a fun way. I want to do good in the world, and with this career, I will be able to do good everyday, even if it’s a small amount.

To me empowerment is confidence and freedom. The ability to fight for yourself and others. To create a sense of belonging in this crazy world. To lift people up instead of let them fall and if they fall, fall with them. It is to teach others that they are enough. It is to be a leader. Empowerment is a big word to me and it means a lot. Empowerment is what I want to be able to accomplish in life. I want to help others when they need it. I want to show people that we are all different and unique but all human. That we deserve to be treated as such. Empowerment affects my life by giving purpose. I look up to so many figures, strong, independent, intelligent women who have helped shape the world into what it is now. It shows that unity is a possibility. I’ve been empowered by teachers, family members, and friends. They have made lasting impacts on me. I want to be able to give the same impact. Empowerment has increased my confidence and ability to impact positive choices. Empowerment encourages me to take charge and stand firm in my beliefs. Empowerment will be able to bring me to my goals. I want to be a special education teacher. With this job I will be able to empower my students and lift them up and make sure they feel safe and secure in their lives. I want to create a difference in my community, and by being able to effect change, I will make this difference. I want to stick up for my future students, spread awareness, and defend them. At the end of the day they are people just like you and I, and they deserve to be treated as such. I will show appreciation to all of the people who have empowered me when I am able to create a difference for others. My mom tells me everyday to be the best me that I can be, and it has shaped me into the person I am today. I am so proud of the person I am today and if it wasn’t for those who have lifted me when I was down I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Empowerment is power, it’s magic, it’s kindness, it’s respect, it’s the ability to be free from fear and pain, it’s the ability to be safe. It is one of the most influential and impactful things that a person can show.

I’m Addison Hill and I was born deaf. I was a safe surrender baby that was put into the foster care system. Luckily I was adopted early but no one knew I was deaf. My mom eventually took me to the doctor and they ran tests and they realized I had next to no hearing capabilities. I was lucky enough to get a surgery that has helped me gain majority of the hearing that I was lacking, however I still have hearing loss. I used to think that this disadvantage would make basic everyday things more difficult, but I’ve learned that just because I am different I am still unique and capable of many things. This is the message I want to spread in the world, that differences make us special. Now I am 18, an honor student, and heading to CSUMB this fall. For the last 3 years I’ve had a very special job. I played soccer for years and have always gravitated towards helping people. The local soccer club created a special needs team for ages 4 to 18, and I knew I had to be a part of it. At first, I was a coach helper, helping kick around soccer balls and setting up goals and cones for drills and games, but I knew I wanted more. I showed up every Friday, rain or shine, cool or sweltering, wanting to help in any way I could.  Until one day, I was told that the coach was quitting and the club's executive director contacted me asking if I wanted to become the head coach. I said yes and eagerly waited for the season to start. Of course it isn’t always easy, but that’s with anything in life. Luckily I have immense patience and respect for all people so having this job was the perfect fit for me. As I coach these kids, I realize how much they are teaching me. I’ve learned how to increase my patience level, how to read others, and comfort them. I have been able to calm these kids down when they throw tantrums and make them feel better when they are sad. Now, whenever they see me they are excited and even embrace me. It makes me feel good to know that I have positively impacted the lives of these kids. This experience has led me to my future career aspiration, a special education teacher. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day people with special needs are still people, they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness. Optional Story: Once upon a time, in a small village located outside of a large kingdom there was a girl named Addy who had a dream. Growing up she was taught the importance of kindness and respect towards all, regardless of their situations, appearances, or behaviors. She noticed some of the other kids in her village would be treated unfairly due to their unique needs and challenges. This inspired her to make a difference in her village she befriended these children and vowed to one day be able to teach young children who also experienced these differences. One day, Addy was invited to the big kingdom because they wanted to hear her story. So she embarked on her journey to the kingdom. This wasn’t just any kingdom it was a magical kingdom where everyone had special talents and abilities. In this kingdom everyone valued each other strengths and supported each other. Throughout her adventure, Addy faced challenges and hardships but because of her determination, she knew that anything was possible. When she made it to the kingdom she was greeted with smiles and kind words. She told her story about her small village and her hopes and dreams for the future. The kingdom was so impressed that they invited Addy to study to pursue her career choice in the kingdom, they also invited all of the children to join her in the kingdom where they could live happily and free and live and laugh and dance with all of the other children. Addy became the most well known teacher in the kingdom and all of her students learned that they were loved, cared about, and respected. And in the kingdom they all loved happily ever after. The End.

I’m Addison Hill and I was born deaf. I was a safe surrender baby that was put into the foster care system. Luckily I was adopted early but no one knew I was deaf. My mom eventually took me to the doctor and they ran tests and they realized I had next to no hearing capabilities. I was lucky enough to get a surgery that has helped me gain majority of the hearing that I was lacking, however I still have hearing loss. I used to think that this disadvantage would make basic everyday things more difficult, but I’ve learned that just because I am different I am still unique and capable of many things. This is the message I want to spread in the world, that differences make us special. My freshman year I was on the wrestling team at my high school and I won MVP as well as the highest GPA in the region among wrestlers. I also played flag football during my junior year of high school on the varsity team. Sports have made a crucial impact on my life and have helped mold me into the person I am today. I also do volunteer work at my high school in our Public Safety Pathway, it is similar to a jr. ROTC program. This program has helped me connect with my community and has even given me the opportunity to spread awareness about the importance of Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS. For the last 3 years I’ve had a very special job. I played soccer for years and have always gravitated towards helping people. The local soccer club created a special needs team for ages 4 to 18, and I knew I had to be a part of it. This experience has led me to my future career aspiration, a special education teacher. I have learned that by being around these children I have become a happier person and enjoyed more of the little things in life. I want to be able to give these kids a place where they can be authentically themselves without space for negativity. I want them to feel safe, cared for, and respected. At the end of the day people with special needs are still people, they deserve the same respect and kindness as the next person. Now I am 18, an honor student, and heading to CSUMB this fall. My goal in life is to make a difference in this community and spread awareness. This scholarship will be able to ensure I can continue to make a difference in my community and to those who need it.