My first year in college was rough. I failed my fall semester and came dangerously close to losing the scholarship that was helping me stay in school. Everything I had been carrying for years had finally piled up, and I realized I could not keep pushing through on my own. High school had not been easy either. There were days when everything felt like it was falling apart, but nobody seemed to notice. Even so, I graduated with honors. While that was an accomplishment I am proud of, it did not solve the struggles I was dealing with behind the scenes. When I finally reached out for support, things started to change. My grades improved, I had more energy for everyday tasks, and I began to feel more in control of my life. I still struggled with anxiety and often felt like I was falling behind my peers, but I learned that growth is not a race. Getting help did not make my problems disappear overnight, but it gave me the tools to manage them and continue moving forward. Now, I work as a daycare teacher. The children I work with are young, but their feelings are real, and I make a conscious effort not to dismiss them. We talk about emotions such as sadness, frustration, fear, and excitement, and I remind them that it is okay to feel those things. I want my classroom to be a place where mistakes do not define a person and where children feel safe expressing themselves. Working with them has helped me understand that life is full of setbacks, successes, and lessons. Everyone is learning for the first time, and many of the lessons we learn come from either our own mistakes or the experiences of others. Realizing this gave me the confidence to set goals that once felt impossible. My experiences have also shaped my future career goals. I plan to continue working at my daycare for another year and then become a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) next summer to gain additional experience working with children and families. My long-term goal is to earn my doctorate in occupational therapy and specialize in early intervention, particularly with young children on the autism spectrum. Eventually, I hope to open my own private practice and create a supportive environment where children and families can receive the care they need. This goal is especially meaningful because it is something I never would have imagined for myself before receiving the help I needed. At one point, I was simply trying to stay in school and get through each day. Mental health support allowed me to see a future beyond my struggles. It gave me the confidence to dream bigger, pursue higher education, and believe that I could make a difference in the lives of others. My journey taught me that asking for help is not something to hide or be ashamed of. Mental health awareness creates opportunities for people to pursue goals they may have once believed were impossible. By encouraging emotional growth in my students today and working toward a career helping children and families tomorrow, I hope to give others the same support that helped change my life.

I plan to improve the lives of others through healthcare by providing compassionate, patient centered support as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. My goal is to help children build the skills they need to participate fully in daily life, while also supporting their families through moments of uncertainty and stress. Healthcare is not only about treating conditions. It is also about offering encouragement, understanding, and hope. I want to bring all of those qualities into the work I do. Helping children with developmental delays and physical challenges has already shown me how meaningful thoughtful care can be. However, I also know that many children and families face medical conditions that require more specialized support. This includes children with lung diseases, chronic respiratory challenges, or rare medical conditions that affect their energy, strength, and ability to engage in everyday activities. These children often experience fatigue, difficulty with endurance, or limitations that make tasks like eating, dressing, writing, or playing more challenging. My role in occupational therapy would be to help these children learn strategies that allow them to conserve energy, maintain independence, and still enjoy their daily routines. For children with lung disease or respiratory conditions, therapy may involve gentle strengthening exercises, breathing coordination activities, motor planning tasks, and emotional support to help them stay confident even when their bodies feel limited. I would also help families adjust the environment at home so that activities feel supportive instead of overwhelming. This might include offering adaptive tools, recommending routines that reduce physical strain, or showing caregivers ways to assist their children without taking away their independence. Every small adjustment can make daily life more comfortable and empowering. When working with children who have rare medical conditions, I know that compassion and patience are essential. Families facing rare conditions often feel alone or unseen, especially when information is limited or when others do not fully understand what they are going through. My goal is to collaborate closely with medical teams, specialists, physical therapists, and educators so that each child receives consistent, unified care. I also plan to listen deeply to families, because they are the ones who know their children best. I want to create therapy plans that honor the child’s personality, interests, and emotional needs, not just the medical diagnosis. Another important part of improving the lives of others is education. I want to help caregivers, teachers, and community members understand how to support children with chronic or rare medical conditions in everyday settings. When communities are educated, children are more included, more understood, and more confident. Inclusion can change a child’s entire sense of self. My goal is to make healthcare feel compassionate, accessible, and genuinely supportive. Whether a child is facing a common developmental challenge or a complex medical condition, I want them to feel capable, strong, and valued. By approaching my work with patience, cultural awareness, and a deep love for helping children grow, I hope to make a lasting impact on every family I have the privilege to serve.

My name is Alicia, and I am 20 years old. I have always known that I wanted to work with children, but I did not always know in what way. I originally began my studies in Elementary Education because I loved the idea of helping children learn and build confidence. However, during my time working as a daycare teacher with younger toddlers through VPK, I saw how differently each child develops and expresses themselves. Some children needed extra emotional support, some needed guidance with fine motor skills, and others needed help with sensory processing. I realized that what I loved most was helping children overcome challenges so they could experience joy and independence. That realization led me to shift my career path and pursue Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Working in a daycare has taught me how powerful patience, encouragement, and understanding can be. I have seen how a gentle tone, a structured routine, or a moment of reassurance can change the way a child experiences their day. I have watched children who were once unsure of themselves begin to grow in confidence simply because someone believed in them. These experiences continue to remind me that every child deserves a supportive environment where they feel capable and valued. As a future Pediatric Occupational Therapist, I want to help children strengthen the skills they need to navigate daily life and build emotional resilience. I want to work with children who face developmental delays, sensory challenges, emotional regulation struggles, or physical limitations. My goal is not only to help them achieve milestones, but to help them feel proud of who they are and what they can do. I also want to make therapy more comfortable and accessible to all families. Many parents feel unsure about how to seek support, or they may not feel understood in clinical spaces. Being a Black woman with understanding and appreciation for many different cultures allows me to connect with families in a meaningful way. I take pride in creating environments where both children and parents feel welcomed, respected, and safe. Cultural understanding helps build trust, and trust is at the heart of healing and growth. Families often express relief and happiness when they feel truly seen, and I want to carry that feeling into every space I work in. I plan to offer support beyond the therapy room by providing community education, guidance, and encouragement. I want families to feel empowered rather than overwhelmed. I want children to feel that their identity is celebrated, not something they have to work against. My goal is to use compassion, cultural awareness, and professional skill to uplift children and families. Through this career, I hope to make a lasting difference by helping children grow into confident individuals who know they are valued, capable, and deeply supported.

I believe mental health care should be accessible to every child and family, regardless of income or background. As a future Pediatric Occupational Therapist, my goal is to help make support more affordable, more understood, and more welcoming. Many families do not seek help because they are unsure where to start or because services feel out of reach. I want to bridge that gap by providing education in familiar environments such as daycares, schools, churches, and community centers. By offering free or low-cost workshops, I can teach families how to recognize stress, sensory needs, and emotional challenges early, and provide simple strategies they can use at home. I also plan to offer sliding scale services and collaborate with community organizations so that families feel supported in multiple areas of life. As a Black woman in this field, I understand the importance of representation. I want children to see someone who understands their culture and experiences, because trust plays a major role in healing. Through play based therapy, family support, and community involvement, I hope to make mental health care feel more natural and less intimidating. My contribution will be compassion, education, and access for everyone who needs support.

There was a period in my life when I struggled with feeling unsure of my direction and purpose. I had always believed that God had a plan for my life, but there was a moment when I felt overwhelmed and uncertain about the path ahead. I had goals that I cared about deeply, including my desire to work with children and eventually become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, but there were moments when the weight of responsibilities, financial concerns, and self doubt made everything feel heavy. During this time, I relied on my faith in a very real and personal way. There was one specific moment when I felt close to giving up. I was working long hours, attending school, and trying to be present for the children I cared for at the daycare. Even though I loved the work, I felt drained and unsure of whether I was actually moving forward. One night, I sat in my room and prayed. I told God that I felt lost and that I did not know how to continue. I asked Him to guide my steps, to strengthen me, and to remind me of my purpose. I remember sitting there in silence for a while, letting the quiet surround me. In that stillness, I felt a sense of peace. Not a loud sign or a sudden answer, but a gentle reassurance that I was not alone. I kept thinking of Proverbs 3:5, which says to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. I realized that I had been trying to carry everything on my own. I had been relying only on my strength and not allowing God to guide me. That moment helped me release the pressure I had been placing on myself. I reminded myself that God does not call us to perfection. He calls us to faithfulness. After that night, I made a shift. Instead of trying to control every outcome, I prayed before making decisions. I asked God to open the doors that were meant for me and to close the ones that were not. I trusted Him with my schedule, my finances, and my future. I also made a point to spend more time in His word, even if it was only a few verses before bed. Slowly, the stress that once felt unmanageable became something I could handle one day at a time. God did not remove the challenges from my life, but He reminded me that I did not have to face them alone. My faith gave me the strength to keep going, to stay committed to my purpose, and to continue serving children with patience and compassion. That season taught me that faith is not just something we speak about. It is something we rely on, especially when we feel uncertain. Through that experience, I learned to trust God with my path and to believe that He equips me for every step I take.

I identify as a member of an underrepresented minority population, and this identity has shaped my experiences in powerful ways. Growing up, I was one of the few Black children in my school. My neighborhood was filled with families who looked like me, but the schools and programs I attended often were not. From a young age, I noticed small differences in how students were treated. Some of my peers were encouraged to try new activities or leadership roles, while I often had to insist that I was capable and deserving of those same opportunities. These early experiences taught me to speak up for myself, but they also taught me something even more important. I learned the importance of advocating for others whose voices are overlooked. At home, my family always reminded me of the strength that comes from community. My grandmother would tell me stories of her experiences growing up during a time when opportunities were even more limited. She reminded me that progress is not just about personal success. Progress is about lifting others who will come after. Her stories helped me see that I was part of something larger than myself. I began to understand that every achievement I worked for could create space for someone else. As I got older, I became more aware of how cultural identity influences the way people are understood or misunderstood. I also saw how children can internalize messages about what they believe they can or cannot do. During my time working in daycare settings, I met children who reminded me of myself at their age. Some of them were shy, quiet, or unsure of their abilities. Some came from families who had faced hardships or who lacked access to resources that other families took for granted. I noticed that their challenges were not always about ability. Sometimes, they simply needed someone who believed in them. These experiences are a large part of why I want to become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. I plan to create supportive environments for children who may not always see themselves represented in professional spaces. When children see someone who looks like them in a role of guidance and care, it can shift how they see their own potential. It sends a message that they belong. I want to help children develop confidence, independence, and joy in their growth, especially those who might face obstacles because of circumstances beyond their control. My identity helps me approach my future career with empathy and cultural awareness. I understand what it feels like to navigate spaces where you must prove yourself. I understand the power of patience and encouragement when working with children and families. I also understand that healing and progress look different for everyone. As I move forward in this field, I hope to inspire change by showing children and families that their stories are valued. I want to be a professional who listens, supports, and empowers. My identity has shaped my purpose, and my purpose is to lift others as I continue to grow.

My name is Alicia, and I am pursuing a career in Pediatric Occupational Therapy. I have always felt a strong connection to children and a desire to support their growth. Throughout my life, I have been drawn to environments where I can nurture, guide, and encourage young minds. This has led me to my current role as a daycare teacher, where I work with children ranging from younger toddlers to VPK. Each day, I have the privilege of witnessing the small steps children take as they learn, adapt, and discover the world. These experiences have shaped not only my goals, but also my understanding of the importance of patience, compassion, and positive guidance during early childhood development. Working in a daycare has shown me that every child learns differently. Some children communicate easily, while others are still finding their voice. Some learn physical skills quickly, while others need more time and support. I have learned how to adjust my approach based on each child’s needs, and I have seen how consistent support can change how a child views themselves and their abilities. I believe that every child deserves to feel capable and valued, and I work each day to create an environment where they can grow with confidence. Whether I am encouraging a toddler to try a new task or helping a VPK student practice emotional regulation, I try to meet each child with patience, understanding, and encouragement. My work with young children has confirmed my desire to continue supporting them through Pediatric Occupational Therapy. I want to help children overcome developmental challenges that may make everyday activities feel difficult. These challenges can influence how a child sees themselves and how they interact with the world. By working with children and their families, I hope to give them the tools and strategies they need to build essential skills and feel confident in their abilities. My goal is not just to help children complete tasks, but to help them experience happiness, independence, and pride in their accomplishments. Through my career, I plan to make a positive impact on the world by creating inclusive and supportive spaces where children feel safe to grow. I want to advocate for children who may not always have a strong voice. I want to remind families that progress does not have to be fast to be meaningful. I want to help children experience the joy of being a child, even when life presents challenges. I also hope to contribute to communities where access to therapy services may be limited. Many families face barriers that make it difficult to get the support their child needs. I plan to work in ways that help break down those barriers, whether through community outreach, education, or direct family support. In everything I do, my purpose is to meet children where they are and walk with them as they grow. I want my work to inspire confidence, encourage resilience, and make childhood a little brighter for every child I have the chance to serve.

Currently, I give back to my community through my work as a daycare teacher, where I care for and teach children from younger toddlers to VPK. In this role, I support children during some of the most important stages of early development. I work closely with them on language, motor skills, emotional expression, and social interactions. I create lessons and activities that encourage curiosity, confidence, and independence. Some days involve guiding a child through their first steps of learning to share. Other days involve helping a shy child find their voice during circle time. Even though these moments may seem small, they shape the foundation of who these children will become. Being able to play a role in their growth has shown me how powerful early support can be. I also give back by forming trusting relationships with families. I communicate with parents about developmental strengths and areas that may need extra support, always with compassion and respect. This teamwork allows me to make a lasting impact on the children I teach. I also try to give back by being someone who listens. Children are learning how to understand and handle feelings that they have never experienced before. I make it a priority to create a space where every child feels safe to express themselves. Whether I am comforting a child who is overwhelmed or encouraging one who is trying something new, I try to show them that they matter. Every child deserves to feel heard and supported. This belief guides the way I teach and interact every day. In the future, I plan to give back to the world as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. My goal is to support children who may face developmental, physical, or emotional challenges. Many children experience setbacks that can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming. I want to help them build confidence, improve fine and gross motor skills, develop self-regulation skills, and learn strategies that allow them to participate fully in daily life. I want them to know that they are capable, strong, and deserving of joy. I hope to create environments where children and families feel empowered rather than discouraged. I plan to work closely with families, caregivers, teachers, and healthcare teams to create individualized plans that support each child’s unique needs. I also want to support families emotionally, since it can be difficult to watch a child struggle. I believe that when families feel supported, children thrive even more. I want to help parents understand that progress is not always quick, but every step forward matters. Lastly, I hope to advocate for more awareness and access to pediatric therapy services, especially in communities where resources may be limited. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and play, regardless of their challenges or background. Through my work, I hope to help children experience childhood in its fullest sense. The ability to help even one child feel seen, capable, and confident would be a meaningful way to positively impact the world.