I used to “teach” my stuffed animals math. I would set all of them up on the floor of my bedroom and go through problems from my second-grade math textbook with them. They were there for me when others were not. They were there for me through the fourteen surgeries I have undergone, where other students and teachers could not understand. In those moments of teaching, I also opened up about my own background with cleft lips and palates, connecting my lessons to the adversities I have overcome. They listened to my anxious and uneasy rants about upcoming surgeries such as the ones to repair my lip, my palate, my nose, my jaw, and even my hearing. They were there for me through it all. As a kid who was born with a cleft lip and palate, I find solace in teaching others and hope to provide a safe space for kids with similar circumstances. It takes courage, strength, and adaptability to be different. I underwent facial reconstruction two years ago. I have had my mouth wired shut and been on liquid diets for months on end. I recovered from the tell-tale black eyes following the aftermath of a rhinoplasty and I have been swollen for months post-operation. I had to wear headgear to school. I have been in braces for ten years and I wear hearing aids. Throughout all of these obstacles, I have kept my head held high. I have conquered every hurdle that has been cast my way for seventeen years. My first day of speech was actually on my third birthday. I went to speech for seven years. I was able to open up to the speech teacher and the other speech students and learn that even though I needed a little more guidance than my classmates, I was worthy and that being different is not a bad thing, even though it has a negative connotation. It means that I am unique. I made friends and became more confident in speech. I felt as if I was truly being genuinely myself with the people around and felt that they welcomed me with open arms. I learned to love myself and love the things that made me “different.” I would love to have the opportunity to do that for other kids. Additionally, I have used my story to reach out to younger kids who are anxious about upcoming surgeries or the next treatment they have planned. I have a passion for helping others and educating them. I have helped prepare them for the future and comfort them as someone who knows what it is like for kids to make innocent comments that do not feel so innocent sometimes. I get excited to tell my story and educate others about kids who are less fortunate than me. Some kids are unable to have the necessary surgeries that I have been lucky enough to have. When I was eight years old and in Girl Scouts, I led the troop and discussed cleft lips and palates and we sewed cleft lip scars on stuffed animals and donated them to a children’s hospital. I want to be a speech pathologist so I can be there for students like my speech teachers were there for me. I hope to provide a haven for kids to be themselves and to flourish. To encourage the qualities that make them “different.” I hope to hold the hands of future students and lead them through their lives like I held the furry paws of my stuffed animal class all those years ago.

I used to “teach” my stuffed animals math. I would set all of them up on the floor of my bedroom and go through problems from my second-grade math textbook with them. They were there for me when others were not. They were there for me through the fourteen surgeries I have undergone, where other students and teachers could not understand. In those moments of teaching, I also opened up about my own background with cleft lips and palates, connecting my lessons to the adversities I have overcome. They listened to my anxious and uneasy rants about upcoming surgeries such as the ones to repair my lip, my palate, my nose, my jaw, and even my hearing. They were there for me through it all. As a kid who was born with a cleft lip and palate, I find solace in teaching others and hope to provide a safe space for kids with similar circumstances. It takes courage, strength, and adaptability to be different. I underwent facial reconstruction two years ago. I have had my mouth wired shut and been on liquid diets for months on end. I recovered from the tell-tale black eyes following the aftermath of a rhinoplasty and I have been swollen for months post-operation. I had to wear headgear to school. I have been in braces for ten years and I wear hearing aids. Throughout all of these obstacles, I have kept my head held high. I have conquered every hurdle that has been cast my way for seventeen years. My first day of speech was actually on my third birthday. I went to speech for seven years. I was able to open up to the speech teacher and the other speech students and learn that even though I needed a little more guidance than my classmates, I was worthy and that being different is not a bad thing, even though it has a negative connotation. It means that I am unique. I made friends and became more confident in speech. I felt as if I was truly being genuinely myself with the people around and felt that they welcomed me with open arms. I learned to love myself and love the things that made me “different.” I would love to have the opportunity to do that for other kids. Additionally, I have used my story to reach out to younger kids who are anxious about upcoming surgeries or the next treatment they have planned. I have a passion for helping others and educating them. I have helped prepare them for the future and comfort them as someone who knows what it is like for kids to make innocent comments that do not feel so innocent sometimes. I get excited to tell my story and educate others about kids who are less fortunate than me. Some kids are unable to have the necessary surgeries that I have been lucky enough to have. When I was eight years old and in Girl Scouts, I led the troop and discussed cleft lips and palates and we sewed cleft lip scars on stuffed animals and donated them to a children’s hospital. I want to be a speech pathologist so I can be there for students like my speech teachers were there for me. I hope to provide a haven for kids to be themselves and to flourish. To encourage the qualities that make them “different.” I hope to hold the hands of future students and lead them through their lives like I held the furry paws of my stuffed animal class all those years ago.

I used to “teach” my stuffed animals math. I would set all of them up on the floor of my bedroom and go through problems from my second-grade math textbook with them. They were there for me when others were not. They were there for me through the fourteen surgeries I have undergone, where other students and teachers could not understand. In those moments of teaching, I also opened up about my own background with cleft lips and palates, connecting my lessons to the adversities I have overcome. They listened to my anxious and uneasy rants about upcoming surgeries such as the ones to repair my lip, my palate, my nose, my jaw, and even my hearing. They were there for me through it all. As a kid who was born with a cleft lip and palate, I find solace in teaching others and hope to provide a safe space for kids with similar circumstances. It takes courage, strength, and adaptability to be different. I underwent facial reconstruction two years ago. I have had my mouth wired shut and been on liquid diets for months on end. I recovered from the tell-tale black eyes following the aftermath of a rhinoplasty and I have been swollen for months post-operation. I had to wear headgear to school. I have been in braces for ten years and I wear hearing aids. Throughout all of these obstacles, I have kept my head held high. I have conquered every hurdle that has been cast my way for seventeen years. My first day of speech was actually on my third birthday. I went to speech for seven years. I was able to open up to the speech teacher and the other speech students and learn that even though I needed a little more guidance than my classmates, I was worthy and that being different is not a bad thing, even though it has a negative connotation. It means that I am unique. I made friends and became more confident in speech. I felt as if I was truly being genuinely myself with the people around and felt that they welcomed me with open arms. I learned to love myself and love the things that made me “different.” I would love to have the opportunity to do that for other kids. Additionally, I have used my story to reach out to younger kids who are anxious about upcoming surgeries or the next treatment they have planned. I have a passion for helping others and educating them. I have helped prepare them for the future and comfort them as someone who knows what it is like for kids to make innocent comments that do not feel so innocent sometimes. I get excited to tell my story and educate others about kids who are less fortunate than me. Some kids are unable to have the necessary surgeries that I have been lucky enough to have. When I was eight years old and in Girl Scouts, I led the troop and discussed cleft lips and palates and we sewed cleft lip scars on stuffed animals and donated them to a children’s hospital. I want to be a speech pathologist so I can be there for students like my speech teachers were there for me. I hope to provide a haven for kids to be themselves and to flourish. To encourage the qualities that make them “different.” I hope to hold the hands of future students and lead them through their lives like I held the furry paws of my stuffed animal class all those years ago.