I am resilient. I was born with autism spectrum disorder, yet I am graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.57 GPA. I am tenacious. Even though navigating an education system not designed to support people like me was difficult, I persisted and prevailed. I am compassionate. Although the world has not always been kind to me, I found joy in spreading kindness to others. Throughout my school experience, I discovered that I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best when I can use my hands and through physical activities. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other art forms have been essential to my healing. Used in therapy, it encourages creative energy while ending loneliness at the same time. My art therapist would prompt me to use figurines and other objects to create scenes in the sand, which she would analyze to translate and communicate my thoughts. This time with her was life-changing for me, as it showed that art therapy helps people cope and discover new ways to heal trauma. Living with autism has not been an easy experience. There is a negative mental perception of people with autism. Most do not understand that it is a disorder on a spectrum. Upon hearing the word autistic, a particular expression reflexively develops not only on their face but in the mindset of most people. I do not look autistic, and I love to interact with others. Unfortunately, others do not always want to interact with me. I have been called names such as strange, weird, retarded, and many more. I have tried to socialize with the other students, but they often get up and leave as soon as I approach them. During a whole-class performance, my classmates moved away from me and left me alone on the bleachers. I had dirt and leaves thrown at me during recess. A person would think that I would find relief in the staff at my school, but most only joined in my torment. These interactions have often left me feeling like a pariah, which can be an emotionally damaging experience for any child. One would expect that experiences such as these would distort my view of the world, but they have not. On the contrary, it has further inspired me to continue to be a light that lights up dark places. I am choosing to turn my pain into purpose. I not only want to become an art therapist, but I need to. The journey of navigating the academic environment has been challenging, but my will to continue learning and growing is stronger because of it. I consider it an honor to receive this scholarship. Because I am autistic, learning sometimes requires extra effort and assistance. I do not anticipate getting a job in college because I have to focus on my studies. An additional challenge is that my mother, as a single parent, always has and will be there for me but cannot help me pay for college. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burdens of continuing my education and help me get one step closer to becoming an art therapist. Because I have consistently and repeatedly shown my resilience, tenacity, and compassion, I am confident that your generous gift will help me realize who I want to be, a person that leads children out of their darkness of trauma.

I want to make a difference in people’s lives by becoming an art therapist. One of the reasons I want to pursue this career is that being an art therapist helped change my life. People have difficulty ascertaining I have autism. Though highly functional, I struggled in school, a fact made apparent by how many years it took me to graduate. Along the way, I faced academic and social challenges. As a kinesthetic learner, I learn best using my hands in physical experiences. Unfortunately, most education is usually designed for auditory and visual learners. So, the school district put special provisions in my Individualized Education Plan (IEP). However, the high school staff did not always follow my IEP until I got a case manager who put me into an out-of-district, special needs school that helps with my learning disabilities. Despite these challenges and others, I persevered. I’m like the tortoise who beat the hare – slow but steady. By finding ways to overcome obstacles, I earned a 3.57 GPA and was invited to join the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars. Other children saw me as different and called me “weird” and “retarded.” Once, when I sat down with a group at the library, they all got up and left. Earlier, students threw dirt and leaves in my face. No one would play with me. I was always alone, an outcast and pariah. These acts of unkindness often left me depressed and anxious. I found it hard to communicate. Then, an art therapist taught me to share my thoughts and feelings with sand art. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, or doing anything with art helps me express my thoughts and cope with my emotions. Career assessment tools point me toward art therapy. So does my empathetic nature. When I see people in emotional pain caused by depression, anxiety, PTSD, or Tourette’s, my instinct is to help. Art therapy can be, for them, as for me, part of the coping and healing processes. It encourages creativity and ends isolation by opening communication. Art therapy helped me turn pain into purpose. Now it is my turn to help others as an art therapist. For these reasons, I must become an art therapist. The road to get there will not be short or easy, as my place on the spectrum will always present challenges. I will explore fine arts, psychology, social work, and counseling during my undergraduate studies. I will also gain invaluable experience from the social opportunities college life offers as I meet new people and get involved in a new community. Finally, as a graduate student, I will work hard to achieve a master’s degree in art therapy and, in the process, help advance our understanding of the therapeutic process. As I wrote, the road ahead will not be easy, and there will be more tears and bumps. However, these challenges have yet to stop me. Though I am confident of my ultimate success, I will continue to need help. My mother, who dedicated her life and her resources to getting me to where I am today, will remain at my side, but I need more than that. As a single mother who has depleted her financial resources, she cannot fund my vision. So, I need your help. Please help me make a difference in the lives of children who suffer from emotional trauma and must overcome physical and intellectual obstacles by granting me this scholarship.

I want to make a difference in people’s lives by becoming an art therapist. One of the reasons I want to pursue this career is that being an art therapist helped change my life. People have difficulty ascertaining I have autism. Though highly functional, I struggled in school, a fact made apparent by how many years it took me to graduate. Along the way, I faced academic and social challenges. As a kinesthetic learner, I learn best using my hands in physical experiences. Unfortunately, most education is usually designed for auditory and visual learners. So, the school district put special provisions in my Individualized Education Plan (IEP). However, the high school staff did not always follow my IEP until I got a case manager who put me into an out-of-district, special needs school that helps with my learning disabilities. Despite these challenges and others, I persevered. I’m like the tortoise who beat the hare – slow but steady. By finding ways to overcome obstacles, I earned a 3.57 GPA and was invited to join the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars. Other children saw me as different and called me “weird” and “retarded.” Once, when I sat down with a group at the library, they all got up and left. Earlier, students threw dirt and leaves in my face. No one would play with me. I was always alone, an outcast and pariah. These acts of unkindness often left me depressed and anxious. I found it hard to communicate. Then, an art therapist taught me to share my thoughts and feelings with sand art. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, or doing anything with art helps me express my thoughts and cope with my emotions. Career assessment tools point me toward art therapy. So does my empathetic nature. When I see people in emotional pain caused by depression, anxiety, PTSD, or Tourette’s, my instinct is to help. Art therapy can be, for them, as for me, part of the coping and healing processes. It encourages creativity and ends isolation by opening communication. Art therapy helped me turn pain into purpose. Now it is my turn to help others as an art therapist. For these reasons, I must become an art therapist. The road to get there will not be short or easy, as my place on the spectrum will always present challenges. I will explore fine arts, psychology, social work, and counseling during my undergraduate studies. I will also gain invaluable experience from the social opportunities college life offers as I meet new people and get involved in a new community. Finally, as a graduate student, I will work hard to achieve a master’s degree in art therapy and, in the process, help advance our understanding of the therapeutic process. As I wrote, the road ahead will not be easy, and there will be more tears and bumps. However, these challenges have yet to stop me. Though I am confident of my ultimate success, I will continue to need help. My mother, who dedicated her life and her resources to getting me to where I am today, will remain at my side, but I need more than that. As a single mother who has depleted her financial resources, she cannot fund my vision. So, I need your help. Please help me make a difference in the lives of children who suffer from emotional trauma and must overcome physical and intellectual obstacles by granting me this scholarship.

I want to make a difference in people’s lives by becoming an art therapist. One of the reasons I want to pursue this career is that being an art therapist helped change my life. People have difficulty telling that I have autism. Though highly functional, I struggled in school, a fact made apparent by how many years it took me to graduate. Along the way, I faced academic and social challenges. As a kinesthetic learner, I learn best using my hands in physical experiences. Unfortunately, most education is usually designed for auditory and visual learners. So, the school district put special provisions in my Individualized Education Plan (IEP). However, the high school staff did not always follow my IEP until I got a case manager who put me into an out-of-district, special needs school that helps with my learning disabilities. Despite these challenges and others, I persevered. I’m like the tortoise who beat the hare – slow but steady. By finding ways to overcome obstacles, I earned a 3.57 GPA and was invited to join the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars. Other children saw me as different and called me “weird” and “retarded.” Once, when I sat down with a group at the library, they all got up and left. Once, students threw dirt and leaves in my face. No one would play with me. I was always alone, an outcast and pariah. These acts of unkindness often left me depressed and anxious. I found it hard to communicate. Then, an art therapist taught me to share my thoughts and feelings with sand art. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, or doing anything with art helps me express my thoughts and cope with my emotions. Career assessment tools point me toward art therapy. So does one of my empathetic nature. When I see people in emotional pain caused by depression, anxiety, PTSD, or Tourette’s, my instinct is to help. Art therapy can be, for them, as for me, part of the coping and healing processes. It encourages creativity and ends isolation by opening communication. Art therapy helped me turn pain into purpose. Now it is my turn to help others as an art therapist. For these reasons, I must become an art therapist. The road to get there will not be short or easy, as my place on the spectrum will always present challenges. I will explore fine arts, psychology, social work, and counseling during my undergraduate studies. I will also gain invaluable experience from the social opportunities college life offers as I meet new people and get involved in a new community. Finally, as a graduate student, I will work hard to achieve a master’s degree in art therapy and, in the process, help advance our understanding of the therapeutic process. As I wrote, the road ahead will not be easy, and there will be more tears and bumps. However, these challenges have yet to stop me. Though I am confident of my ultimate success, I will continue to need help. My mother, who dedicated her life and her resources to get me to where I am today, will remain at my side, but I need more than that. As a single mother who has depleted her financial resources, she cannot fund my vision. Therefore, I will need your help. Please help me make a difference in the lives of children who suffer from emotional trauma and must overcome physical and intellectual obstacles by granting me this scholarship.

I am resilient. I was born with autism spectrum disorder, yet I am graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.57 GPA. I am tenacious. Even though navigating an education system not designed to support people like me was difficult, I persisted and prevailed. I am compassionate. Although the world has not always been kind to me, I found joy in spreading kindness to others. My name is Klaire Clifford, and I want to become an art therapist. Throughout my school experience, I discovered that I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best when I can use my hands and through physical activities. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other art forms have been important to my healing. Used in therapy, it encourages creative energy while ending loneliness at the same time. My art therapist would prompt me to use figurines and other objects to create scenes in the sand, which she would analyze to translate and communicate my thoughts. This time with her was life-changing for me, as it showed that art therapy helps people cope and discover new ways to heal trauma. Living with autism has not been an easy experience. There is a mental negative perception of people with autism. Most do not understand that it is a disorder on a spectrum. Upon hearing the word autistic, a particular expression reflexively develops not only on their face but in the mindset of most people. I do not look autistic, and I love to interact with others. Unfortunately, others do not always want to interact with me. I have been called names such as strange, weird, retarded, and many more. I have tried to socialize with the other students, but they often get up and leave as soon as I approach them. During a whole-class performance, my classmates moved away from me and left me alone on the bleachers. I had dirt and leaves thrown at me during recess. A person would think that I would find relief in the staff at my school, but most only joined in my torment. These interactions have often left me feeling like a pariah, which for any child can be an emotionally damaging experience. One would expect that experiences such as these would distort my view of the world, but it has not. It has further inspired me to continue to be a light that lights up the dark places. I am choosing to turn my pain into purpose. I not only want to become an art therapist, but I need to. The journey of navigating the academic environment has not been easy, but my will to continue learning and growing is stronger because of it. I would consider it an honor to receive this scholarship. Because I am autistic, learning sometimes requires extra effort and assistance. I do not anticipate getting a job in college because I have to focus on my studies. An additional challenge is that my mother, as a single parent, always has and will be there for me but cannot help me pay for college. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burdens of continuing my education and help me get one step closer to becoming an art therapist. Because I have consistently and repeatedly shown my resilience, tenacity, and compassion, I am confident that your generous gift will help me realize who I want to be, a person that leads children out of their darkness of trauma.

I am resilient. I was born with autism spectrum disorder, yet I am graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.57 GPA. I am tenacious. Even though navigating an education system not designed to support people like me was difficult, I persisted and prevailed. I am compassionate. Although the world has not always been kind to me, I found joy in spreading kindness to others. My name is Klaire Clifford, and I want to become an art therapist. Throughout my school experience, I discovered that I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best when I can use my hands and through physical activities. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other art forms have been important to my healing. Used in therapy, it encourages creative energy while ending loneliness at the same time. My art therapist would prompt me to use figurines and other objects to create scenes in the sand, which she would analyze to translate and communicate my thoughts. This time with her was life-changing for me, as it showed that art therapy helps people cope and discover new ways to heal trauma. Living with autism has not been an easy experience. There is a mental negative perception of people with autism. Most do not understand that it is a disorder on a spectrum. Upon hearing the word autistic, a particular expression reflexively develops not only on their face but in the mindset of most people. I do not look autistic, and I love to interact with others. Unfortunately, others do not always want to interact with me. I have been called names such as strange, weird, retarded, and many more. I have tried to socialize with the other students, but they often get up and leave as soon as I approach them. During a whole-class performance, my classmates moved away from me and left me alone on the bleachers. I had dirt and leaves thrown at me during recess. A person would think that I would find relief in the staff at my school, but most only joined in my torment. These interactions have often left me feeling like a pariah, which for any child can be an emotionally damaging experience. One would expect that experiences such as these would distort my view of the world, but it has not. It has further inspired me to continue to be a light that lights up dark places. I am choosing to turn my pain into purpose. I not only want to become an art therapist, but I need to. The journey of navigating the academic environment has not been easy, but my will to continue learning and growing is stronger because of it. I would consider it an honor to receive this scholarship. Because I am autistic, learning sometimes requires extra effort and assistance. I do not anticipate getting a job in college because I have to focus on my studies. An additional challenge is that my mother, as a single parent, always has and will be there for me but cannot help me pay for college. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burdens of continuing my education and help me get one step closer to becoming an art therapist. Because I have consistently and repeatedly shown my resilience, tenacity, and compassion, I am confident that your generous gift will help me realize who I want to be, a person that leads children out of their darkness of trauma.

I want to make a difference in people’s lives by becoming an art therapist. One of the reasons I want to pursue this career is that being an art therapist helped change my life. People have difficulty telling I have autism. Though highly functional, I struggled in school, a fact made apparent by how many years it took me to graduate. Along the way, I faced academic and social challenges. As a kinesthetic learner, I learn best using my hands in physical experiences. Unfortunately, most education is usually designed for auditory and visual learners. So, the school district put special provisions in my Individualized Education Plan (IEP). However, the high school staff did not always follow my IEP until I got a case manager who put me into an out-of-district, special needs school that helps with my learning disabilities. Despite these challenges and others, I persevered. I’m like the tortoise who beat the hare – slow but steady. By finding ways to overcome obstacles, I earned a 3.57 GPA and was invited to join the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars. Other children saw me as different and called me “weird” and “retarded.” Once, when I sat down with a group at the library, they all got up and left. Once, students threw dirt and leaves in my face. No one would play with me. I was always alone, an outcast and pariah. These acts of unkindness often left me depressed and anxious. I found it hard to communicate. Then, an art therapist taught me to share my thoughts and feelings with sand art. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, or doing anything with art helps me express my thoughts and cope with my emotions. Career assessment tools point me toward art therapy. So does one of my empathetic nature. When I see people in emotional pain caused by depression, anxiety, PTSD, or Tourette’s, my instinct is to help. Art therapy can be, for them, as for me, part of the coping and healing processes. It encourages creativity and ends isolation by opening communication. Art therapy helped me turn pain into purpose. Now it is my turn to help others as an art therapist. For these reasons, I must become an art therapist. The road to get there will not be short or easy, as my place on the spectrum will always present challenges. I will explore fine arts, psychology, social work, and counseling during my undergraduate studies. I will also gain invaluable experience from the social opportunities college life offers as I meet new people and get involved in a new community. Finally, as a graduate student, I will work hard to achieve a master’s degree in art therapy and, in the process, help advance our understanding of the therapeutic process. As I wrote, the road ahead will not be easy, and there will be more tears and bumps. However, these challenges have yet to stop me. Though I am confident of my ultimate success, I will continue to need help. My mother, who dedicated her life and her resources to get me to where I am today, will remain at my side, but I need more than that. As a single mother who has depleted her financial resources, she cannot fund my vision. Therefore, I will need your help. Please help me make a difference in the lives of children who suffer from emotional trauma and must overcome physical and intellectual obstacles by granting me this scholarship.

I am resilient. I was born with autism spectrum disorder, yet I am graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.57 GPA. I am tenacious. Even though navigating an education system not designed to support people like me was difficult, I persisted and prevailed. I am compassionate. Although the world has not always been kind to me, I found joy in spreading kindness to others. My name is Klaire Clifford, and I want to become an art therapist. Throughout my school experience, I discovered that I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best when I can use my hands and through physical activities. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other art forms have been important to my healing. Used in therapy, it encourages creative energy while ending loneliness at the same time. My art therapist would prompt me to use figurines and other objects to create scenes in the sand, which she would analyze to translate and communicate my thoughts. This time with her was life-changing for me, as it showed that art therapy helps people cope and discover new ways to heal trauma. Living with autism has not been an easy experience. There is a mental negative perception of people with autism. Most do not understand that it is a disorder on a spectrum. Upon hearing the word autistic, a particular expression reflexively develops not only on their face but in the mindset of most people. I do not look autistic, and I love to interact with others. Unfortunately, others do not always want to interact with me. I have been called names such as strange, weird, retarded, and many more. I have tried to socialize with the other students, but they often get up and leave as soon as I approach them. During a whole-class performance, my classmates moved away from me and left me alone on the bleachers. I had dirt and leaves thrown at me during recess. A person would think that I would find relief in the staff at my school, but most only joined in my torment. These interactions have often left me feeling like a pariah, which for any child can be an emotionally damaging experience. One would expect that experiences such as these would distort my view of the world, but it has not. It has further inspired me to continue to be a light that lights up dark places. I am choosing to turn my pain into purpose. I not only want to become an art therapist, but I need to. The journey of navigating the academic environment has not been easy, but my will to continue learning and growing is stronger because of it. I would consider it an honor to receive this scholarship. Because I am autistic, learning sometimes requires extra effort and assistance. I do not anticipate getting a job in college because I have to focus on my studies. An additional challenge is that my mother, as a single parent, always has and will be there for me but cannot help me pay for college. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burdens of continuing my education and help me get one step closer to becoming an art therapist. Because I have consistently and repeatedly shown my resilience, tenacity, and compassion, I am confident that your generous gift will help me realize who I want to be, a person that leads children out of their darkness of trauma.

I am resilient. I was born with autism spectrum disorder, yet I am graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.57 GPA. I am tenacious. Even though navigating an education system not designed to support people like me was difficult, I persisted and prevailed. I am compassionate. Although the world has not always been kind to me, I found joy in spreading kindness to others. My name is Klaire Clifford, and I want to become an art therapist. Throughout my school experience, I discovered that I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best when I can use my hands and through physical activities. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other art forms have been important to my healing. Used in therapy, it encourages creative energy while ending loneliness at the same time. My art therapist would prompt me to use figurines and other objects to create scenes in the sand, which she would analyze to translate and communicate my thoughts. This time with her was life-changing for me, as it showed that art therapy helps people cope and discover new ways to heal trauma. Living with autism has not been an easy experience. There is a mental negative perception of people with autism. Most do not understand that it is a disorder on a spectrum. Upon hearing the word autistic, a particular expression reflexively develops not only on their face but in the mindset of most people. I do not look autistic, and I love to interact with others. Unfortunately, others do not always want to interact with me. I have been called names such as strange, weird, retarded, and many more. I have tried to socialize with the other students, but they often get up and leave as soon as I approach them. During a whole-class performance, my classmates moved away from me and left me alone on the bleachers. I had dirt and leaves thrown at me during recess. A person would think that I would find relief in the staff at my school, but most only joined in my torment. These interactions have often left me feeling like a pariah, which for any child can be an emotionally damaging experience. One would expect that experiences such as these would distort my view of the world, but it has not. It has further inspired me to continue to be a light that lights up dark places. I am choosing to turn my pain into purpose. I not only want to become an art therapist, but I need to. The journey of navigating the academic environment has not been easy, but my will to continue learning and growing is stronger because of it. I would consider it an honor to receive this scholarship. Because I am autistic, learning sometimes requires extra effort and assistance. I do not anticipate getting a job in college because I have to focus on my studies. An additional challenge is that my mother, as a single parent, always has and will be there for me but cannot help me pay for college. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burdens of continuing my education and help me get one step closer to becoming an art therapist. Because I have consistently and repeatedly shown my resilience, tenacity, and compassion, I am confident that your generous gift will help me realize who I want to be, a person that leads children out of their darkness of trauma.

I am resilient. I was born with autism spectrum disorder, yet I am graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.57 GPA. I am tenacious. Even though navigating an education system not designed to support people like me was difficult, I persisted and prevailed. I am compassionate. Although the world has not always been kind to me, I found joy in spreading kindness to others. My name is Klaire Clifford, and I want to become an art therapist. Throughout my school experience, I discovered that I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best when I can use my hands and through physical activities. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other art forms have been important to my healing. Used in therapy, it encourages creative energy while ending loneliness at the same time. My art therapist would prompt me to use figurines and other objects to create scenes in the sand, which she would analyze to translate and communicate my thoughts. This time with her was life-changing for me, as it showed that art therapy helps people cope and discover new ways to heal trauma. Living with autism has not been an easy experience. There is a mental negative perception of people with autism. Most do not understand that it is a disorder on a spectrum. Upon hearing the word autistic, a particular expression reflexively develops not only on their face but in the mindset of most people. I do not look autistic, and I love to interact with others. Unfortunately, others do not always want to interact with me. I have been called names such as strange, weird, retarded, and many more. I have tried to socialize with the other students, but they often get up and leave as soon as I approach them. During a whole-class performance, my classmates moved away from me and left me alone on the bleachers. I had dirt and leaves thrown at me during recess. A person would think that I would find relief in the staff at my school, but most only joined in my torment. These interactions have often left me feeling like a pariah, which for any child can be an emotionally damaging experience. One would expect that experiences such as these would distort my view of the world, but it has not. It has further inspired me to continue to be a light that lights up the dark places. I am choosing to turn my pain into purpose. I not only want to become an art therapist, but I need to. The journey of navigating the academic environment has not been easy, but my will to continue learning and growing is stronger because of it. I would consider it an honor to receive this scholarship. Because I am autistic, learning sometimes requires extra effort and assistance. I do not anticipate getting a job in college because I have to focus on my studies. An additional challenge is that my mother, as a single parent, always has and will be there for me but cannot help me pay for college. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burdens of continuing my education and help me get one step closer to becoming an art therapist. Because I have consistently and repeatedly shown my resilience, tenacity, and compassion, I am confident that your generous gift will help me realize who I want to be, a person that leads children out of their darkness of trauma.

The quality I value the most is my empathy, and I want to use it to make a difference in people’s lives by becoming an Art Therapist. People have difficulty being able to tell that I have autism. Though I am highly functioning, I struggled in school, a fact made apparent by the number of years it took me to graduate. Along the way, I faced academic and social challenges. As a kinesthetic learner, I learn best using my hands in physical experiences. However, most education is designed for auditory and visual learners. So, the school district put special provisions in my Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Unfortunately, the high school staff did not always follow my IEP until I got a case manager who put me into an out-of-district, special needs school that helps with my learning disabilities. Despite these challenges and others, I persevered. I am like the tortoise who beats the hare – slow but steady. By finding ways to overcome obstacles, I earned a 3.57 GPA. As a result, The National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars invited me to join, and now I am a member of both. Other children saw me as different and called me “weird” and “retarded.” Sometimes I sat down with a group at the library, and they would all get up and leave. Once, students threw dirt and leaves in my face. Moreover, I was always alone, an outcast and a pariah, which often left me depressed and anxious, and I found it hard to communicate. Then, an art therapist taught me to use sand art to communicate my thoughts and feelings. Painting, drawing, making jewelry, or doing anything with art helps me express my thoughts and cope with my feelings. Career assessment tools pointed me toward art therapy. Because of my empathetic nature, when I see people in pain, my instinct is to help. Art therapy can be part of their coping and healing processes, as it was for me. In addition, it encourages creativity and helps end isolation by opening communication. Now, I have turned pain into purpose, and it is my turn to help others as an Art Therapist. For these reasons, I must become an Art Therapist. The road to get there will be long and arduous, as my place on the spectrum will always present challenges. I will explore fine arts, psychology, and counseling during my undergraduate studies. I will also gain invaluable experience from the social opportunities that college life offers as I meet new people and get involved in a new community. Finally, as a graduate student, I will work hard to achieve a master’s degree in art therapy and, in the process, help advance my understanding of the therapeutic process. As I wrote, the road ahead will not be easy, and there will be more tears and bumps. However, these challenges have yet to stop me. Though I am confident of my ultimate success, I will continue to need help. My mother has dedicated her life and resources to getting me to where I am today and will remain at my side, but I need more. As a single parent, who has depleted her financial resources, she cannot fund my vision. Therefore, I will need your support.

Growing up with autism and other learning disabilities was a challenging experience for me, particularly during my elementary and middle school years. I was often subjected to bullying and name-calling, with students referring to me as "strange," "weird," or "retarded." The pain of feeling like an outcast and unwanted was immense, and I struggled to fit in and make friends. Despite trying to socialize with other students in the library, I was often met with rejection, with entire groups of students getting up and leaving whenever I tried to sit down at a table with them. During school performances, I would be noticeably standing alone on the bleachers, away from my classmates who had moved away from me. And even during recess, I was often targeted and subjected to physical abuse, such as having dirt and leaves thrown in my face. In high school, the situation only became worse as the school staff joined in inflicting the abuse. The one-on-one aids who were supposed to help me ended up causing even more harm, failing to abide by my IEP, blaming me for my responses, and not providing adequate support. My case manager committed numerous IEP violations, causing significant problems for me and leading to the development of PTSD. However, my senior year at the public high school brought some hope. I was fortunate to get a new case manager who recognized the pain I was going through and took action to help me. She got me into an out-of-district placement that was a good fit for me, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my progress. I was eventually moved to another school that was better equipped to help with my learning disabilities. Despite all of the difficulties I faced, there was one thing that brought me joy and a sense of purpose: my passion for art. I discovered that I had a talent for painting, drawing, jewelry making, and other artistic pursuits. This was a source of happiness for me and even helped me to work through some of my emotional struggles. I even worked with a therapist who used sand tray art as a form of communication and therapy. The results of a Naviance inventory survey revealed that one of the most appropriate careers for me would be that of an art therapist. This made perfect sense, as I have always wanted to help others and never liked seeing anyone in pain. Because of that, I have decided to turn my pain into purpose and make it my life's work to help others through art therapy. I understand that earning a Master's degree in Art Therapy will take many years of college education and that I will need a lot of help. However, as a single-parent household, my mother does not have the financial resources to support me. I hope you will support my mission and become a part of the healing journey for children like me. With your support, I can significantly contribute to the recovery of our youth and turn my passion into a meaningful career.

Growing up with autism and other learning disabilities was a challenging experience for me, particularly during my elementary and middle school years. I was often subjected to bullying and name-calling, with students referring to me as "strange," "weird," or "retarded." The pain of feeling like an outcast and unwanted was immense, and I struggled to fit in and make friends. Despite trying to socialize with other students in the library, I was often met with rejection, with entire groups of students getting up and leaving whenever I tried to sit down at a table with them. During school performances, I would be noticeably standing alone on the bleachers, away from my classmates who had moved away from me. And even during recess, I was often targeted and subjected to physical abuse, such as having dirt and leaves thrown in my face. In high school, the situation only became worse as the school staff joined in inflicting the abuse. The one-on-one aids who were supposed to help me ended up causing even more harm, failing to abide by my IEP, blaming me for my responses, and not providing adequate support. My case manager committed numerous IEP violations, causing significant problems for me and leading to the development of PTSD. However, my senior year at the public high school brought some hope. I was fortunate to get a new case manager who recognized the pain I was going through and took action to help me. She got me into an out-of-district placement that was a good fit for me, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my progress. I was eventually moved to another school that was better equipped to help with my learning disabilities. Despite all of the difficulties I faced, there was one thing that brought me joy and a sense of purpose: my passion for art. I discovered that I had a talent for painting, drawing, jewelry making, and other artistic pursuits. This was a source of happiness for me and even helped me to work through some of my emotional struggles. I even worked with a therapist who used sand tray art as a form of communication and therapy. The results of a Naviance inventory survey revealed that one of the most appropriate careers for me would be that of an art therapist. This made perfect sense, as I have always wanted to help others and never liked seeing anyone in pain. Because of that, I have decided to turn my pain into purpose and make it my life's work to help others through art therapy. I understand that earning a Master's degree in Art Therapy will take many years of college education and that I will need a lot of help. However, as a single-parent household, my mother does not have the financial resources to support me. I hope you will support my mission and become a part of the healing journey for children like me. With your support, I can significantly contribute to the recovery of our youth and turn my passion into a meaningful career.

Growing up with autism and other learning disabilities was a challenging experience for me, particularly during my elementary and middle school years. I was often subjected to bullying and name-calling, with students referring to me as "strange," "weird," or "retarded." The pain of feeling like an outcast and unwanted was immense, and I struggled to fit in and make friends. Despite trying to socialize with other students in the library, I was often met with rejection, with entire groups of students getting up and leaving whenever I tried to sit down at a table with them. During school performances, I would be noticeably standing alone on the bleachers, away from my classmates who had moved away from me. And even during recess, I was often targeted and subjected to physical abuse, such as having dirt and leaves thrown in my face. In high school, the situation only became worse as the school staff joined in inflicting the abuse. The one-on-one aids who were supposed to help me ended up causing even more harm, failing to abide by my IEP, blaming me for my responses, and not providing adequate support. My case manager committed numerous IEP violations, causing significant problems for me and leading to the development of PTSD. However, my senior year at the public high school brought some hope. I was fortunate to get a new case manager who recognized the pain I was going through and took action to help me. She got me into an out-of-district placement that was a good fit for me, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my progress. I was eventually moved to another school that was better equipped to help with my learning disabilities. Despite all of the difficulties I faced, there was one thing that brought me joy and a sense of purpose: my passion for art. I discovered that I had a talent for painting, drawing, jewelry making, and other artistic pursuits. This was a source of happiness for me and even helped me to work through some of my emotional struggles. I even worked with a therapist who used sand tray art as a form of communication and therapy. The results of a Naviance inventory survey revealed that one of the most appropriate careers for me would be that of an art therapist. This made perfect sense, as I have always wanted to help others and never liked seeing anyone in pain. Because of that, I have decided to turn my pain into purpose and make it my life's work to help others through art therapy. I understand that earning a Master's degree in Art Therapy will take many years of college education and that I will need a lot of help. However, as a single-parent household, my mother does not have the financial resources to support me. I hope you will support my mission and become a part of the healing journey for children like me. With your support, I can significantly contribute to the recovery of our youth and turn my passion into a meaningful career.

Growing up with autism and other learning disabilities was a challenging experience for me, particularly during my elementary and middle school years. I was often subjected to bullying and name-calling, with students referring to me as "strange," "weird," or "retarded." The pain of feeling like an outcast and unwanted was immense, and I struggled to fit in and make friends. Despite trying to socialize with other students in the library, I was often met with rejection, with entire groups of students getting up and leaving whenever I tried to sit down at a table with them. During school performances, I would be noticeably standing alone on the bleachers, away from my classmates who had moved away from me. And even during recess, I was often targeted and subjected to physical abuse, such as having dirt and leaves thrown in my face. In high school, the situation only became worse as the school staff joined in inflicting the abuse. The one-on-one aids who were supposed to help me ended up causing even more harm, failing to abide by my IEP, blaming me for my responses, and not providing adequate support. My case manager committed numerous IEP violations, causing significant problems for me and leading to the development of PTSD. However, my senior year at the public high school brought some hope. I was fortunate to get a new case manager who recognized the pain I was going through and took action to help me. She got me into an out-of-district placement that was a good fit for me, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my progress. I was eventually moved to another school that was better equipped to help with my learning disabilities. Despite all of the difficulties I faced, there was one thing that brought me joy and a sense of purpose: my passion for art. I discovered that I had a talent for painting, drawing, jewelry making, and other artistic pursuits. This was a source of happiness for me and even helped me to work through some of my emotional struggles. I even worked with a therapist who used sand tray art as a form of communication and therapy. The results of a Naviance inventory survey revealed that one of the most appropriate careers for me would be that of an art therapist. This made perfect sense, as I have always wanted to help others and never liked seeing anyone in pain. Because of that, I have decided to turn my pain into purpose and make it my life's work to help others through art therapy. I understand that earning a Master's degree in Art Therapy will take many years of college education and that I will need a lot of help. However, as a single-parent household, my mother does not have the financial resources to support me. I hope you will support my mission and become a part of the healing journey for children like me. With your support, I can significantly contribute to the recovery of our youth and turn my passion into a meaningful career.

Growing up with autism and other learning disabilities was a challenging experience for me, particularly during my elementary and middle school years. I was often subjected to bullying and name-calling, with students referring to me as "strange," "weird," or "retarded." The pain of feeling like an outcast and unwanted was immense, and I struggled to fit in and make friends. Despite trying to socialize with other students in the library, I was often met with rejection, with entire groups of students getting up and leaving whenever I tried to sit down at a table with them. During school performances, I would be noticeably standing alone on the bleachers, away from my classmates who had moved away from me. And even during recess, I was often targeted and subjected to physical abuse, such as having dirt and leaves thrown in my face. In high school, the situation only became worse as the school staff joined in inflicting the abuse. The one-on-one aids who were supposed to help me ended up causing even more harm, failing to abide by my IEP, blaming me for my responses, and not providing adequate support. My case manager committed numerous IEP violations, causing significant problems for me and leading to the development of PTSD. However, my senior year at the public high school brought some hope. I was fortunate to get a new case manager who recognized the pain I was going through and took action to help me. She got me into an out-of-district placement that was a good fit for me, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my progress. I was eventually moved to another school that was better equipped to help with my learning disabilities. Despite all of the difficulties I faced, there was one thing that brought me joy and a sense of purpose: my passion for art. I discovered that I had a talent for painting, drawing, jewelry making, and other artistic pursuits. This was a source of happiness for me and even helped me to work through some of my emotional struggles. I even worked with a therapist who used sand tray art as a form of communication and therapy. The results of a Naviance inventory survey revealed that one of the most appropriate careers for me would be that of an art therapist. This made perfect sense, as I have always wanted to help others and never liked seeing anyone in pain. Because of that, I have decided to turn my pain into purpose and make it my life's work to help others through art therapy. I understand that earning a Master's degree in Art Therapy will take many years of college education and that I will need a lot of help. However, as a single-parent household, my mother does not have the financial resources to support me. I hope you will support my mission and become a part of the healing journey for children like me. With your support, I can significantly contribute to the recovery of our youth and turn my passion into a meaningful career.

Education has always been important to me. However, it has not always been accessible. I am a kinesthetic learner, meaning that I learn best with my hands and with physical experiences. Most of the time, the education system is set up in a way that is meant for auditory and visual learners. I have had special provisions in my Individualized Education Plan (aka IEP) in my youth. One such was to be given a pencil and paper to draw whenever I was upset. During some of my time in my middle school years, I went to an office after school and created scenes from my head out of figurines into a sand tray. Communicating my thoughts into words is not a suit that I wear well yet. Nevertheless, I have improved as time has passed. Granted, it has been slow; but the tortoise always beats the hare. Over the years, I have taken a variety of career tests and one of the results that have remained constant is art therapy. At my current school, I attend art therapy on a regular basis. I have realized that it truly helps people cope, discover new mediums and heal trauma. I need to become an art therapist. I have to pursue this career; for me, it is a need! Why? Well, let me give you some perspective. When I see students in pain whether physically or emotionally, my initial instinct is to help them in any way that I can. Many of my friends live with a variety of things such as anxiety, PTSD, and Tourette’s. Art therapy can be part of the coping and/or healing process by encouraging creative energy while ending isolation. In order to fulfill my need to become an art therapist, which requires a Master's degree. Ramapo College of New Jersey is the institution that has the program that I need to achieve this objective. During my undergraduate years, though, I would like to explore fine arts, psychology, social work, and counseling. I am very excited about what I will learn while pursuing a college degree. Additionally, I look forward to the social opportunities that await me. College will enable me to meet new people and become more involved in the community. In conclusion, there have been many smiles and even more tears whilst overcoming many bumps and traffic cones. However, this has not stopped me yet and I am confident that there will be more with this new chapter in my story. I am hoping that you will stay tuned to see how it all plays out!