I almost gave up on my dreams because of ALS. My dad’s diagnosis with slow-progressing ALS came nearly 13 years ago, and I’ve felt its crushing weight every single day since. The stress of his condition has severely impacted my mom, fracturing the relationships between her and all of her children, myself included. No amount of effort seems to be able to change this, and as such, I feel as though I’m losing both of my parents to the disease in different ways. When I was 17 and facing the decision to go away to college, the idea of leaving my father behind and losing precious time with him sent me into a state of profound depression. I was paralyzed with indecision and convinced the guilt would follow me forever if I went, but knew choosing to stay would mean giving up on the next steps in my education that I had worked so hard for. During this time, it was my incredible teachers who went above and beyond to support and care for me. They refused to give up on me, even when I had given up on myself, reminding me of who I was and how much I loved learning. Eventually, I realized that a path forward that prioritized my personal growth was not only what would be best for me, but was also what my father truly wanted. He didn’t want ALS to hold back his daughter any more than it already had. So as afraid as I was to leave him, I decided to be brave, and one week before the start of classes, I chose to give my dreams a chance. Now, three years later, as I enter my senior year, ALS continues to wreak havoc at every turn; my dad had a feeding tube installed a week and a half ago, and I continue to battle with my mother to advocate for more comprehensive home care for him. However, I have grown and changed in so many ways throughout my time at college, and through tutoring and mentoring low-income and first-generation students at my local high-and-middle schools, I’ve discovered my passion for teaching. I currently major in Hispanic Studies and French with an Education Studies Concentration at Oberlin College in the hopes of becoming a language teacher. I want to give back to the next generation of students—not just sharing my love of language-learning and intercultural understanding, but also being a resource for students like me who are dealing with extraordinary life circumstances and who need additional support. Receiving the Sandra West ALS Foundation Scholarship would relieve a good portion of the financial burden that college brings and allow me to more securely pursue a teaching degree. Though my family falls in the most high-need category according to the FAFSA, my scholarship does not cover all of my school’s costs. I was a previous recipient of the Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship, which made my first few semesters at college possible, but that scholarship was suddenly shut down last year, leaving me with higher expenses than anticipated. In addition, I recently used a good deal of my savings to purchase a car, as the vehicle I was sharing with my brother was totaled when a reckless driver hit me and my father, whose sternum was fractured in the crash. I plan to participate in the next Walk for ALS in my hometown this October. Advocating for my father currently takes up much of my time and emotional energy; in the future, I would love to share our story and fundraise for the ALS Association.

When I was in high school, my father was diagnosed with slow-progressing ALS: a terminal neurodegenerative disease that destroys all of the muscles in the body until no movement is possible. My world was shattered. I became very depressed, and no amount of therapy or medication seemed to help. I had no concrete career goals at this point, but I had always been a top student; but during my senior year, I struggled to even attend a few classes a week. It was my teachers who kept me going. I was a teenage girl with no hope for the future who could see no path forward, and my teachers rallied around me. A math teacher let me lie on the floor of her room during my free periods. A French teacher helped distract me by letting me help her grade worksheets. A science teacher skipped one of her own classes to talk with me when I was at my lowest. And everyone gave me grace when it came to assignments, supporting me when I was able to show up and encouraging me to keep going. These were all people I looked up to and respected, and they took the time to show me that I mattered and that they believed in me. It's a rare thing to find a community that cares as much as a really good group of teachers, and I was so lucky to have been touched in that way. Though I was incredibly unsure, I made the step to apply and attend college following my graduation. So many teachers had guided me through the process, writing recommendation letters, helping me research schools that weren't too far from my father, and talking with me about my fears. And it's at college that I was finally able to blossom. I quickly found my footing in a new environment, discovering the joys of life beyond high school that I had once thought impossible. I continued my studies in French and also decided to try something new by learning Spanish, too (which I had been inspired to try by, you guessed it: another teacher!). After my first year, I joined a community outreach program aimed at promoting college readiness in low-income and first-generation students by pairing up middle and high school students with college students for one-on-one tutoring. This sparked my love of teaching immediately. I quickly signed up for the Education Studies concentration at my college, and I've been pursuing every opportunity I get to be a teaching assistant, tutor, and summer program instructor with enthusiasm and drive. So, why do I want to be a teacher? I know what it's like to have life circumstances that get in the way of education. I know what it's like to struggle with mental health, family, health problems, financial struggles, and so much more. Today's students deserve to have educators who are not only passionate about the subjects they teach (and trust me, I will talk your ear off about French!) but who care deep down about the people their students are growing up to be. Gone are the days of discipline without understanding; I want to bring compassion, curiosity, and kindness into the classroom to help each student know that they matter: because they do. We all do. And we can all achieve great things if we know we are supported by those around us.