Assisted Technology Solutions for Children with Special Needs “… and that’s how photosynthesis works”. The mom’s eyes were wide and her jaw a few inches lower than usual. Pride, amazement, disbelief? I began to realize in the silence that it was a combination of them all. She was in shock that her 8-year-old autistic son Zach understood and was able to effectively communicate the photosynthesis water cycle accurately, per the teacher’s assignment. I am the founder of a much-needed small business for the families of all children. I’ve developed a childcare program that includes agendas for each job; educational, age-appropriate games, and activities aligned to the special needs of the child, sibling(s), and environment. I know I have an intrinsic connection to children with special needs, and they to me, proven by the way they respond and make strides in their development right in front of my eyes, often to the astonishment of their parents, like Zach’s mom. I want to dedicate my academics and career to helping these children and families, over and above what their educators do- in a unique way that can truly support their needs. I have made the academic decision to pursue a degree in Information Technology, specifically aimed at a career dedicated to developing Assistive Technology (AT) that can be used by children with special needs to support their education and development. In developing my childcare agenda for Zach that day, I focused on his homework, as this is an expectation of parents for after-school childcare hours. Zach has trouble making connections between themes and seeing the big picture of the story. He tends to hyperfocus on certain details instead. This is normal for children like Zach. It does pose challenges when trying to learn topics that include step-by-step processes like photosynthesis. As part of planning my childcare sessions with Zach, I researched AT solutions and found several including Lucidchart, which is used to make connections among different ideas and turn those connections into usable outlines. It allowed Zach to take in all the smaller steps and details and see the big picture on the screen and the image he developed himself. AT for autism includes a wide range of tools that can help a child learn, communicate, and carry out daily functions. These tools can range from simple to sophisticated software, apps, and robots. Women are natural educators and are inclined to help children develop. As an entrepreneur with a passion for IT and special needs education, I plan to develop new solutions for children to enhance their abilities. One idea I am currently working on is video modeling software. Video modeling is a tried-and-true technique for teaching social skills and can teach and allow practice for everything from polite greetings to joining a conversation, to asking someone out on a date. I plan to use my academics and career in STEM to positively impact the world for these children. Thank you so much for your consideration of this scholarship! To learn more about me, my entrepreneurial spirit, my volunteer work in a school built for autistic children, and my childcare business, please visit my website; www.adriannarelay.com

Assisted Technology Solutions for Children with Special Needs “… and that’s how photosynthesis works”. The mom’s eyes were wide and her jaw a few inches lower than usual. Pride, amazement, disbelief? I began to realize in the silence that it was a combination of them all. She was in shock that her 8-year-old autistic son Zach understood and was able to effectively communicate the photosynthesis water cycle accurately, per the teacher’s assignment. I am the founder of a much-needed small business for the families of all children. I’ve developed a childcare program that includes agendas for each job; educational, age-appropriate games, and activities aligned to the special needs of the child, sibling(s), and environment. I know I have an intrinsic connection to children with special needs, and they to me, proven by the way they respond and make strides in their development right in front of my eyes, often to the astonishment of their parents, like Zach’s mom. I have made the academic decision to pursue a degree in Information Technology, specifically aimed at a career dedicated to developing Assistive Technology (AT) that can be used by children with special needs to support their education and development. In developing my childcare agenda for Zach that day, I focused on his homework, as this is an expectation of parents for after-school childcare hours. Zach has trouble making connections between themes and seeing the big picture of the story. He tends to hyperfocus on certain details instead. This is normal for children like Zach. It does pose challenges when trying to learn topics that include step-by-step processes like photosynthesis. As part of planning my childcare sessions with Zach, I researched AT solutions and found several including Lucidchart, which is used to make connections among different ideas and turn those connections into usable outlines. It allowed Zach to take in all the smaller steps and details and see the big picture on the screen and the image he developed himself. AT for autism includes a wide range of tools that can help a child learn, communicate, and carry out daily functions. These tools can range from simple to sophisticated software, apps, and robots. Women are natural educators and are inclined to help children develop. As an entrepreneur with a passion for IT and special needs education, I plan to develop new solutions for children to enhance their abilities.

Assisted Technology Solutions for Children with Special Needs “… and that’s how photosynthesis works”. The mom’s eyes were wide and her jaw a few inches lower than usual. Pride, amazement, disbelief? I began to realize in the silence that it was a combination of them all. She was in shock that her 8-year-old autistic son Zach understood and was able to effectively communicate the photosynthesis water cycle accurately, per the teacher’s assignment. I am the founder of a much-needed small business for the families of all children. I’ve developed a childcare program that includes agendas for each job; educational, age-appropriate games, and activities aligned to the special needs of the child, sibling(s), and environment. I know I have an intrinsic connection to children with special needs, and they to me, proven by the way they respond and make strides in their development right in front of my eyes, often to the astonishment of their parents, like Zach’s mom. I want to dedicate my academics and career to helping these children and families, over and above what their educators do- in a unique way that can truly support their needs. I have made the academic decision to pursue a degree in Information Technology, specifically aimed at a career dedicated to developing Assistive Technology (AT) that can be used by children with special needs to support their education and development. In developing my childcare agenda for Zach that day, I focused on his homework, as this is an expectation of parents for after-school childcare hours. Zach has trouble making connections between themes and seeing the big picture of the story. He tends to hyperfocus on certain details instead. This is normal for children like Zach. It does pose challenges when trying to learn topics that include step-by-step processes like photosynthesis. As part of planning my childcare sessions with Zach, I researched AT solutions and found several including Lucidchart, which is used to make connections among different ideas and turn those connections into usable outlines. It allowed Zach to take in all the smaller steps and details and see the big picture on the screen and the image he developed himself. AT for autism includes a wide range of tools that can help a child learn, communicate, and carry out daily functions. These tools can range from simple to sophisticated software, apps, and robots. Women are natural educators and are inclined to help children develop. As an entrepreneur with a passion for IT and special needs education, I plan to develop new solutions for children to enhance their abilities. One idea I am currently working on is video modeling software. Video modeling is a tried-and-true technique for teaching social skills and can teach and allow practice for everything from polite greetings to joining a conversation, to asking someone out on a date. I plan to use my academics and career in STEM to positively impact the world for these children. Thank you so much for your consideration of this scholarship! To learn more about me, my entrepreneurial spirit, my volunteer work in a school built for autistic children, and my childcare business, please visit my website; www.adriannarelay.com

Assisted Technology Solutions for Children with Special Needs “… and that’s how photosynthesis works”. The mom’s eyes were wide and her jaw a few inches lower than usual. Pride, amazement, disbelief? I began to realize in the silence that it was a combination of them all. She was in shock that her 8-year-old autistic son Zach understood and was able to effectively communicate the photosynthesis water cycle accurately, per the teacher’s assignment. I am the founder of a much-needed small business for the families of all children. I’ve developed a childcare program that includes agendas for each job; educational, age-appropriate games, and activities aligned to the special needs of the child, sibling(s), and environment. I know I have an intrinsic connection to children with special needs, and they to me, proven by the way they respond and make strides in their development right in front of my eyes, often to the astonishment of their parents, like Zach’s mom. I want to dedicate my academics and career to helping these children and families, over and above what their educators do- in a unique way that can truly support their needs. I have made the academic decision to pursue a degree in Information Technology, specifically aimed at a career dedicated to developing Assistive Technology (AT) that can be used by children with special needs to support their education and development. In developing my childcare agenda for Zach that day, I focused on his homework, as this is an expectation of parents for after-school childcare hours. Zach has trouble making connections between themes and seeing the big picture of the story. He tends to hyperfocus on certain details instead. This is normal for children like Zach. It does pose challenges when trying to learn topics that include step-by-step processes like photosynthesis. As part of planning my childcare sessions with Zach, I researched AT solutions and found several including Lucidchart, which is used to make connections among different ideas and turn those connections into usable outlines. It allowed Zach to take in all the smaller steps and details and see the big picture on the screen and the image he developed himself. AT for autism includes a wide range of tools that can help a child learn, communicate, and carry out daily functions. These tools can range from simple to sophisticated software, apps, and robots. Women are natural educators and are inclined to help children develop. As an entrepreneur with a passion for IT and special needs education, I plan to develop new solutions for children to enhance their abilities. One idea I am currently working on is video modeling software. Video modeling is a tried-and-true technique for teaching social skills and can teach and allow practice for everything from polite greetings to joining a conversation, to asking someone out on a date. I plan to use my academics and career in STEM to positively impact the world for these children. Thank you so much for your consideration of this scholarship! To learn more about me, my entrepreneurial spirit, my volunteer work in a school built for autistic children, and my childcare business, please visit my website; www.adriannarelay.com