When I was six, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Since then, my dyslexia has been essential to my identity. My dyslexic experiences made me the persistent, advocating, neurodiverse proud person I am today. Overcoming the obstacles of a learning difference has made me tenacious. Even with text-to-speech software accommodations, assignments, and homework take twice as long to finish simply because silently reading is faster than my software. This makes school a marathon for me. Hour tests become two-hour endeavors; my SAT took two days simply because the extended time wouldn't fit in a school day. However, these dyslexic obstacles have cultivated my endurance to become a part of me. My dyslexic experiences developed my advocacy, making me a supportive leader. As a learning different student, I constantly advocate for my accommodations, even when other teachers don't. There have been instances where teachers labeled me as lazy and dismissed my accommodation. I've stood up for myself each time, asserting my need for accommodations. I advocate for others, too. In high school, I stood up for a student who was denied proper testing accommodations. These experiences led me to a position on the Superintendent's Student Advisory, where I've become a leader in learning difference advocacy. My dyslexic experiences have also brought unexpected opportunities to celebrate my differences. Learning to read a second language would reverse years of work to improve my English reading proficiency. In this dilemma, I discovered American Sign Language (ASL), a language without written form. Through ASL, I learned of the deaf community's unapologetic pride in deafness. Deaf culture openly celebrates their differences as unique perspectives. This experience inspired me to be proud of and open about my neurodiverse differences. This pride and celebration of neurodiversity has become a significant part of my identity. For me, college is a chance to prove that my learning difference doesn't define what I can accomplish. After persevering through my dyslexic hurdles in high school, I'm ready to take on new challenges. College is my opportunity to use the strengths I acquired from dyslexic obstacles to graduate with a degree. College is also where I hope to support neurodiverse induviduals. With a college degree in neuroscience, I want to create awareness for, celebrate the unique differences of, and support accommodations for the neurodiverse community. In college, I want to use visual simulations to research and highlight the unique cognitive advantages of neurodiversity. Using this neuroscience research to create awareness of diverse abilities and benefits, I aim to assist communities in celebrating these neurodiverse differences. I also hope to support and improve accommodations. Applying neuroscience research, I could enhance neurodiversity testing and fine-tune technology accommodations to neurodiverse needs. As soon as I saw Dylan's story, I felt an instant connection. Dylan fought all his life to prove that a disability isn't a limitation but an opportunity to shine under struggle. Like him, I've fought against my disability's obstacles to reach my goals. Like Dylan, I want to create awareness for different abilities, showing others that my disability's challenges don't prevent me from succeeding. However, like Dylan, I need a way to support my education through accommodations. I currently manage and advocate for my IEP (Individualized Educational Program). Supporting my accommodations is a full-time job. They require extra time to prepare and use. For instance, it takes time to schedule and take extended testing time. Many students use this additional time to work and pay for some college expenses. If I were to have financial support from scholarships, I wouldn't have to worry about finding time to support my accommodations.

I will always be dyslexic. This part of my brain will not change, but that may be good. Dyslexia has inspired me to study the aspects of my brain. By studying neuroscience through an undergraduate and graduate program, I aim to create awareness for the neurodiverse community, celebrate the unique advantages of neurodiversity, and support neurodivergent education through accommodations. Society often focuses on a disability's detriments rather than its unique strengths. Majoring in neuroscience would be my way to build my understanding of dyslexia's advantages and disadvantages. By researching cognitive functions through visual simulations, I would have the opportunity to highlight diverse neurological functions. I could use this knowledge to discover the unique advantages of neurological conditions like dyslexia, creating awareness of the capabilities of individuals considered "disadvantaged." By using neuroscience research to create awareness for diverse abilities, I aim to assist communities in celebrating these unique neurodiverse advantages. Neurodiverse individuals are often labeled as disabled because their cognition is not suited to neurotypical strengths. Cognitive functions are not common knowledge, so many people are unaware that neurodiverse cognition has strengths different from neurotypical cognition. As a neuroscientist, I could use my studies and research to spread awareness for diverse cognitive abilities after college. Striving to increase understanding of cognition's diverse ability would be my way to help neurodiverse individuals share and celebrate their unique brains. Through a neuroscience degree, I also aim to support and improve accommodations. In studying cognitive functions in neuroscience, I look forward to delving into atypical brain functions. Applying neuroscience research, I could enhance neurodiversity testing to help catch student cases early. I could further these applications of research to fine-tune technology accommodations to neurodiverse needs. For instance, I could do research to help further accommodations that make websites accessible or make assistive technology like text-to-speech web extensions (Kurzweil 3000) or scan Reader pens more adaptive to individual needs. Likewise, my research could also be used to create awareness and advocate for Using the awareness created by my research; I could influence education systems, social systems, or technology in ways that accommodate the neurodiverse community. In these ways, I can improve assistive technology in education and social systems. To further my career as a neuroscientist, I plan to engage in early neuroscience research in an undergraduate program and continue throughout a graduate program. I would study through undergrad research courses or in research organizations for STEM students that offer access to professor research and school labs. I would also connect with student organizations to access new ideas and provide internship and research opportunities. These features allow me to fully explore neuroscience and its larger applications, becoming a competitive neuroscientist. I am dyslexic but have decided to embrace my learning differences by exploring neuroscience. As a neuroscience student, I aspire to help others better understand their disabilities.