BAM, BAM, BAM, I woke to the sounds of my front door being kicked in and a police officer pointing a gun in my face. I watched as my then very small children (11, 10, and 5) were escorted out of my home and into child protective services. I was arrested for possession and the attempt to sell one ounce of cocaine. I was facing 8 -12 years in prison and was placed on house arrest. I quickly violated and knew I was headed straight to prison. My last attempt at dodging my Probation Officer led me to a 30-day rehab and no desire to get clean. But God... Something miraculous happened to me inside those walls. I was beginning to feel human again after years of abusing my body with pills, cocaine, meth, and stabbing a needle into my neck full of heroin. I knew I needed more than 30 days if I was going to succeed at sobriety. I was given permission from the courts to transfer to a 15-month residential Christian program for adult women called Teen Challenge, located in Illinois. Little did I know that I would be entering bible boot camp. Teen Challenge was the hardest thing I have ever gone through and by far the most rewarding. We spent all day studying the bible. If we weren't studying we were cleaning. We could not watch tv, received two phone calls a week, chocolate and soda were only allowed on Friday nights, and we attended church twice on Sunday and every Wednesday night. rediscovered my love for writing and my passion for art. Most importantly, Ioved God, and I was beginning to love myself again. My oldest 2 children were in contact with me and our relationship was beginning to heal. My daughter, the youngest, was adopted and I was not allowed to speak to her. But God... After I completed the program I stayed on as the Executive Assistant to the director of Teen Challenge. Illinois became my new home. “We know we’re coming full circle with God when we stand at a very similar crossroad where we made such a mess of life before, but this time we take a different road” (Moore, 192). My life had come full circle. Days later, I was back to the place this story began…BAM, BAM, BAM, but this time a gavel. The Judge looked at me and smiled. He began to speak of stories much like mine, with very sad endings and families destroyed, but not mine. He went on to say how proud of me he was and what I had overcome, and that I had shown his court that with God all things are possible. My charges were gone. I was free. The following few hours were spent catching up with my daughter for the first time in 3 years. It was the beginning of a new life with my children and God. Today, we are all as close as we can be. All three of my children moved to Illinois after they turned 18 and I had my fourth child, Izzy. I prayed, and God provided; now it was my turn to give back what I was so gracefully given, a life of purpose. After 30 years, I decided to enroll in college. My goal is to open a center for kids with special needs with a focus on the arts, called 3-2-1-ART. Izzy is my inspiration as she has Down syndrome. I believe she is my gift from God to keep me focused and grounded on the important things in life.

My passion for art began long ago during kindergarten in 1980. Unfortunately, the teacher I had came close to extinguishing that passion. Our assignment was to draw a picture of our family. The teacher picked my drawing to show to the class. She was cruel and laughed at my stick-figured drawings. I cried on the walk home and swore off drawing after that. So many years ago, yet it truly impacted my life. Over the following 40 years I would doodle from time to time, and while I thought they were "ok", I feared sharing with others for fear of rejection again. That was soon all about to change. When covid-19 struck our community I was left jobless while trying to raise my 8-year-old daughter that has Down syndrome. I made the decision to go to college after a 30-year hiatus and selected intro to art as an elective. The class was 3 hours long, twice a week. Quickly I rediscovered my love of drawing and was shocked at how good I was becoming. Our class final was to draw two images unrelated within one composition. I knew automatically I wanted my daughter to be part of the project. Later that evening I was studying and she asked for a drink of water. I asked her to try really hard to get it by herself so that I could study. She returned, only this time with a frown. She tried but spilled the water all over the floor. I just stood there looking at her sweet little sad face and the spilled water, then glanced back towards my studies. I began to question if the time spent on my studies was worth the missed time with her. I started to cry. She quickly shifted her eyes back to my direction and said "no, no mommy, pretty girls hold their heads up high; it is only water mommy". It was much more than just water to me. Her comment took me back to that moment in kindergarten, and every other moment in my life that made me feel as if I was not good enough. Her compassion inspired me and reminded me to hold my head high and be proud of what I'm doing and why I am doing it... all for her. From that the idea for my final exam was born. I needed a reminder to not allow the thoughts of others to define my worth. Which brings me to your question…. this is why. I have since began working on a short term goal I call "Almond Eyes", a compilation of drawings of individuals with Down syndrome. In hopes that I will be able to show the world the beauty I see in each of their eyes. After graduation I plan to open a non-profit organization for those with different abilities called T-2-1....Draw!, a day center that focuses on the arts. I also plan to display the "Almond Eyes" collection throughout the center.

I graduated high school in 1993. I did not consider college much back then, instead, I was loaded up and headed to basic training at Fort Jackson, in beautiful South Carolina. The Army taught me how to overcome obstacles and replace them with opportunities. I then chose family over furthering my education and 30 years later, I now have four children, 2 boys, and 2 girls. The boys are now men; my oldest daughter is a first-year student at Millikin University. That leaves my 4th and final, miss Isabella Grace. Her sparkling almond-shaped eyes and crooked smile will warm the coldest of hearts. She is also the driving force that motivated me to enroll at Richland Community College in the Spring of 2022. You see, Izzy has a little something extra, something most of us do not, she has what we like to call l the “love gene,” an extra chromosome. Isabella was born with Down syndrome. Izzy is a happy, yet feisty, and healthy third grader. However, this was not always the case. From the moment she was born, she had to fight to stay alive. She would conquer one illness only to be followed by another. Her tiny little body endured open heart surgery at 2 months old, followed by 14 other surgeries, and admissions to the ICU for months at a time. I recall countless nights of wondering it would be her last. Yet every morning, I would look over and see her mesmerizing smile and I knew we had been blessed another day not promised. She showed the doctors she too was an overcomer, much like her momma. Suddenly, with no explanation, the illnesses stopped at age 3. When covid-19 knocked our nation on its knickers, it left Izzy without the resources she needed, and I was jobless. Being a single parent since her birth, this was not a good situation, but with God all things are possible. Daily, I watched my child regress. I was called daily to pick her up due to staff shortages. There was no childcare available for her and still, there is none. Returning to work was not an option. I was not alone; numerous other families were going through similar situations with childcare and teacher shortages. Frustrated with the school system I decided college was my solution. I am passionate about 4 things, my children, art, writing, and advocating for my daughter. I knew college at my age would not be an easy task, let alone raising Izzy at the same time. My biggest challenge has been time management. My older children have been a great help with keeping her occupied while I study, but the extra time studying meant less time with my daughter. The guilt of being less present is a heavy load to carry. Thankfully, my future goals keep me optimistic that in the end, it will all be worth it. I hope one day she will understand that as well. What are my long-term goals? I asked myself, What did my big picture look like? I envisioned a bright, cheerful location filled with laughter from kids enjoying themselves in a space created just for them. My goal is to open a local branch of the non-profit organization called Gigi’s Playhouse: A Down syndrome Achievement Center. A center like this in Macon County would do wonders for our Down syndrome community in Central Illinois and give parents and caregivers the chance to turn their obstacles into opportunities. I believe an English degree will help me accomplish this goal. A scholarship would not only help me to reach my educational and career goal but also relieve some of the financial strain of being a single parent with an 8-year-old, disabled child, on a $914 a month income, yet maintaining my 3.5 GPA. I can assure you I will continue to hold my grades a top priority while remembering that I can overcome any obstacle.

I graduated high school in 1993. I did not consider college much back then, instead, I was loaded up and headed to basic training at Fort Jackson, in beautiful South Carolina. The Army taught me how to overcome obstacles and replace them with opportunities. I then chose family over furthering my education and 30 years later, I now have four children, 2 boys, and 2 girls. The boys are now men; my oldest daughter is a first-year student at Millikin University. That leaves my 4th and final, miss Isabella Grace. Her sparkling almond-shaped eyes and crooked smile will warm the coldest of hearts. She is also the driving force that motivated me to enroll at Richland Community College in the Spring of 2022. You see, Izzy has a little something extra, something most of us do not, she has what we like to call l the “love gene,” an extra chromosome. Isabella was born with Down syndrome. Izzy is a happy, yet feisty, and healthy third grader. However, this was not always the case. From the moment she was born, she had to fight to stay alive. She would conquer one illness only to be followed by another. Her tiny little body endured open heart surgery at 2 months old, followed by 14 other surgeries, and admissions to the ICU for months at a time. I recall countless nights of wondering it would be her last. Yet every morning, I would look over and see her mesmerizing smile and I knew we had been blessed another day not promised. She showed the doctors she too was an overcomer, much like her momma. Suddenly, with no explanation, the illnesses stopped at age 3. When covid-19 knocked our nation on its knickers, it left Izzy without the resources she needed, and I was jobless. Being a single parent since her birth, this was not a good situation, but with God all things are possible. Daily, I watched my child regress. I was called daily to pick her up due to staff shortages. There was no childcare available for her and still, there is none. Returning to work was not an option. I was not alone; numerous other families were going through similar situations with childcare and teacher shortages. Frustrated with the school system I decided college was my solution. Originally, I thought I would work towards a teaching degree in special education, but deep down I knew I would be doing myself a disservice as it was not a passion of mine. I am passionate about 4 things, my children, art, writing, and advocating for my daughter. Which is why I am now pursuing an English degree. I asked myself, What did my big picture look like? I envisioned a bright, cheerful location filled with laughter from kids enjoying themselves in a space created just for them. My goal is to open a local branch of the non-profit organization called Gigi’s Playhouse: A Down syndrome Achievement Center. A center like this in Macon County would do wonders for our Down syndrome community in Central Illinois and give parents and caregivers the chance to turn their obstacles into opportunities. I believe an English degree will help me accomplish this goal. A scholarship would not only help me to reach my educational and career goal but also relieve some of the financial strain of being a single parent with an 8-year-old and only $914 a month while yet maintaining my 3.5 GPA. I can assure you I will continue to hold my grades a top priority while remembering that I can overcome any obstacle.

I graduated high school in 1993. I did not consider college much back then, instead, I was loaded up and headed to basic training at Fort Jackson, in beautiful South Carolina. The Army taught me how to overcome obstacles and replace them with opportunities. I then chose family over furthering my education and 30 years later, I now have four children, 2 boys, and 2 girls. The boys are now men; my oldest daughter is a first-year student at Millikin University. That leaves my 4th and final, miss Isabella Grace. Her sparkling almond-shaped eyes and crooked smile will warm the coldest of hearts. She is also the driving force that motivated me to enroll at Richland Community College in the Spring of 2022. You see, Izzy has a little something extra, something most of us do not, she has what we like to call l the “love gene,” an extra chromosome. Isabella was born with Down syndrome. Izzy is a happy, yet feisty, and healthy third grader. However, this was not always the case. From the moment she was born, she had to fight to stay alive. She would conquer one illness only to be followed by another. Her tiny little body endured open heart surgery at 2 months old, followed by 14 other surgeries, and admissions to the ICU for months at a time. I recall countless nights of wondering it would be her last. Yet every morning, I would look over and see her mesmerizing smile and I knew we had been blessed another day not promised. She showed the doctors she too was an overcomer, much like her momma. Suddenly, with no explanation, the illnesses stopped at age 3. When covid-19 knocked our nation on its knickers, it left Izzy without the resources she needed, and I was jobless. Being a single parent since her birth, this was not a good situation, but with God all things are possible. Daily, I watched my child regress. I was called daily to pick her up due to staff shortages. There was no childcare available for her and still, there is none. Returning to work was not an option. I was not alone; numerous other families were going through similar situations with childcare and teacher shortages. Frustrated with the school system I decided college was my solution. Originally, I thought I would work towards a teaching degree in special education, but deep down I knew I would be doing myself a disservice as it was not a passion of mine. I am passionate about 4 things, my children, art, writing, and advocating for my daughter. Which is why I am now pursuing an English degree. I asked myself, What did my big picture look like? I envisioned a bright, cheerful location filled with laughter from kids enjoying themselves in a space created just for them. My goal is to open a local branch of the non-profit organization called Gigi’s Playhouse: A Down syndrome Achievement Center. A center like this in Macon County would do wonders for our Down syndrome community in Central Illinois and give parents and caregivers the chance to turn their obstacles into opportunities. I believe an English degree will help me accomplish this goal. A scholarship would not only help me to reach my educational and career goal but also relieve some of the financial strain of being a single parent with an 8-year-old and only $914 a month while yet maintaining my 3.5 GPA. I can assure you I will continue to hold my grades a top priority while remembering that I can overcome any obstacle.

I am a 46 years old, single parent to a little girl named Izzy. She was born with Down syndrome. Since her birth, we have faced many obstacles, first being her health. She had 14 surgeries before the age of 2 and one of which was open heart surgery at the age of 2 months. There were many times that I didn't know whether she would survive, but God had other plans. Izzy tackled her health conditions like a champion and proved to many that she was a force to be reckoned with and would not let anything stop her. After conquering all her medical issues, next up was education. She began attending Pershing PreK in 2017 and Parsons Elementary in the Fall of 2019. Kindergarten went well, until March of 2020 when Covid-19 struck our community, and our children were forced to attend virtually. At that time, I had no option but to quit working to be home with her. To say it was a nightmare, would be an understatement. However, we pushed on and thankfully she returned to in-person learning this year. Second grade was a huge jump for her (considering first grade seemed as if it never happened). Izzy struggled terribly the beginning of the term. The school was understaffed, and the teachers were unable to provide her with the accommodations she rightfully deserved. I was at a loss. I knew she desperately needed more attention brought to her educational needs but finding the help she needed was next to impossible. On the verge of taking legal action, I contacted State Representative, Sue Scherer. We had a great conversation and during that call it hit me! I told the Senator "I have a half a mind to just go back to school and pursue a career as a Special Education teacher; to be part of the solution vs complaining about the problems." Although I have no job, no savings, and no experience in teaching, I do have heart! My heart is full for our special needs community. I may not be able to help my daughters’ current educational concerns, but I will be able to help future parents with similar challenges. My long-term career goal is to open a day center in Decatur for the special needs community to attend, allowing their caregivers the ability to work. I have a long journey ahead of me and I am ready for this adventure. My main obstacle now is the funding to be able to attend school without the worries of providing for my child while attending college. I believe Loa Tzu said it best: "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu Lao Tzu Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_398196

I am a 46 years old, single parent to a little girl named Izzy. She was born with Down syndrome. Since her birth, we have faced many obstacles, first being her health. She had 14 surgeries before the age of 2 and one of which was open heart surgery at the age of 2 months. There were many times that I didn't know whether she would survive, but God had other plans. Izzy tackled her health conditions like a champion and proved to many that she was a force to be reckoned with and would not let anything stop her. After conquering all her medical issues, next up was education. She began attending Pershing PreK in 2017 and Parsons Elementary in the Fall of 2019. Kindergarten went well, until March of 2020 when Covid-19 struck our community, and our children were forced to attend virtually. At that time, I had no option but to quit working to be home with her. To say it was a nightmare, would be an understatement. However, we pushed on and thankfully she returned to in-person learning this year. Second grade was a huge jump for her (considering first grade seemed as if it never happened). Izzy struggled terribly the beginning of the term. The school was understaffed, and the teachers were unable to provide her with the accommodations she rightfully deserved. I was at a loss. I knew she desperately needed more attention brought to her educational needs but finding the help she needed was next to impossible. On the verge of taking legal action, I contacted State Representative, Sue Scherer. We had a great conversation and during that call it hit me! I told the Senator "I have a half a mind to just go back to school and pursue a career as a Special Education teacher; to be part of the solution vs complaining about the problems." Although I have no job, no savings, and no experience in teaching, I do have heart! My heart is full for our special needs community. I may not be able to help my daughters’ current educational concerns, but I will be able to help future parents with similar challenges. My long-term career goal is to open a day center in Decatur for the special needs community to attend, allowing their caregivers the ability to work. I have a long journey ahead of me and I am ready for this adventure. My main obstacle now is the funding to be able to attend school without the worries of providing for my child while attending college. I believe Loa Tzu said it best: "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu Lao Tzu Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_398196

I am a 46 years old, single parent to a little girl named Izzy. She was born with Down syndrome. Since her birth, we have faced many obstacles, the first being her health. She had 14 surgeries before the age of 2, one of which was open-heart surgery at the age of 2 months. There were many times that I didn't know whether she would survive, but God had other plans. Izzy tackled her health conditions like a champion and proved to many that she was a force to be reckoned with and would not let anything stop her. After conquering all her medical issues, next up was education. She began attending Pershing PreK in 2017 and Parsons Elementary in the Fall of 2019. Kindergarten went well, until March of 2020 when Covid-19 struck our community, and our children were forced to attend virtually. At that time, I had no option but to quit working to be home with her. To say it was a nightmare, would be an understatement. However, we pushed on and thankfully she returned to in-person learning this year. Second grade was a huge jump for her (considering first grade seemed as if it never happened). Izzy struggled terribly at the beginning of the term. The school was understaffed, and the teachers were unable to provide her with the accommodations she rightfully deserved. I was at a loss. I knew she desperately needed more attention brought to her educational needs but finding the help she needed was next to impossible. On the verge of taking legal action, I contacted State Representative, Sue Scherer. We had a great conversation and during that call it hit me! I told the Senator "I have a half a mind to just go back to school and pursue a career as a Special Education teacher; to be part of the solution vs complaining about the problems." Although I have no job, no savings, and no experience in teaching, I do have heart! My heart is full for our special needs community. I may not be able to help my daughters’ current educational concerns, but I will be able to help future parents with similar challenges. My long-term career goal is to open a day center in Decatur for the special needs community to attend, allowing their caregivers the ability to work. I have a long journey ahead of me and I am ready for this adventure. My main obstacle now is the funding to be able to attend school without the worries of providing for my child while attending college. I believe Loa Tzu said it best: "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu Lao Tzu Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_398196