As a kid, the only words I would use to describe reading were hate, disdain, and boredom. I struggled with comprehending what I was reading and felt like everyone else was smarter than me. I felt alone, stuck on the simplest sentences. My parents did not know how to help me, and became frustrated when I didn’t understand them. Snapping a pencil between my fingers and crumpling assignments were the only ways I knew how to express my frustration. I felt lonely and frustrated with my own brain. In sixth grade, I was tested by a neuropsychologist and found out I have severe dyslexia. At first, I didn’t understand what that meant. I was relieved there was a name for what I experienced. However, it still felt daunting. Would I always be different in school? Soon after this discovery, I began tutoring with a dyslexia specialist named Andrea, which helped me learn new ways to develop my comprehension and writing abilities. It didn’t feel like I had to fight against it anymore, seeing it instead as an unsolved puzzle waiting for me. Andrea pushed me to read and write when it felt impossible. Slowly over time, I started to understand. I felt motivated to learn as much as I could. Becoming fluent in reading and writing made me more independent. I used the ideas I found in books to help me grow. Not only did I grow intellectually, but I also grew in confidence. I learned to ask for help, manage my emotions, and work twice as hard as my peers. Breaking down words, reading thoroughly, and spending late nights working ensured I comprehended everything. Eventually, my hard work showed in my academic life. My grades improved, and I challenged myself with harder classes. Throughout this time, my dyslexia began to feel like an obstacle I could overcome. My dyslexia has allowed me to grow, changing how I perceive the world around me. As I move into the social work field, I hope to help as many lives as I can, meaningfully and compassionately. My goal is to help those who are not fortunate enough to have the support they need. Along with the strong literacy skills that I’ve gained from my dyslexia and reading, my emotional intelligence has grown tremendously. This allows me to build trusting and meaningful connections. My resilience enables me to reflect on others' perspectives openly. My persistence helps me when assisting others in difficult situations. I have always loved working with kids and currently work at two different daycare centers. I want to give back to the world and help children in need. I want to give kids the same loving family that I had growing up. I hope to make a difference in kids' lives and help them achieve their goals. I want to do something that will improve others' lives and encourage them to continue learning and growing. After taking Child Development and Psychology in high school, I was fascinated by how the brain develops and how environments affect growth and development. I learned about terrible situations kids have been in, and I want to be the person who helps them. To be someone they can rely on to find a safe and loving place in the world. I want to be the person who listens to these kids and helps them feel seen by others. I plan to get a master's degree in Social work, using the skills I learn in college to help me achieve my goals and become the best version of myself for these families.

When I was younger, I talked about having twenty kids someday. Today, one of my biggest passions is kids. Growing up, my favorite game was family. Every time I wanted to play the mom, while everyone else fought to be a kid. I liked the role of taking care of everyone else and helping them. It made me happy and feel needed. Now at seventeen, I work at two different daycare centers and help in preschool for my Child Development class. Kids surround my life. My job is the best part of my day because I get big hugs and see smiling kids' faces. Toddlers are my favorite age group. They are so curious about everything, and it makes me rethink how I see the world. They will look up at a bird as if it were a dragon. This look is fascinating to me. I love showing toddlers things they haven’t seen before because to them, it is amazing. The look of awe on kids' faces whenever they experience something new makes me feel like a child again. Kids have an optimistic view of everything. Seeing the world through a kid's lens allows us to appreciate the world we live in. Not only that, but being the one to show a kid something new is an indescribable feeling. Kids view the world so positively, and I think we could all learn a little bit from them. Positivity is needed in our world to get through challenges. It is important to look on the bright side. Thinking about the good and what I am grateful for helps me maintain a positive mindset as I go through life. Working with kids has shaped my perspective of the world and also helped me shape my future. I didn’t know what I wanted to do before working with kids. But once I saw the look of pure happiness on a child, I knew I wanted to bring that to as many kids as I could. I want to encourage every kid to see the positive even in a hard situation. My passion has guided me toward my career goals of working in social work. I want to have an impact on kids' lives and help those who need me. I hope to make a positive difference in kids' lives and help them see the good in themselves. Everyone should feel a sense of happiness, and I want to help kids find their light.