Having a disability shapes your entire educational world. After moving across the country in 2023, I joined 8th grade public school for the first time. During my prior homeschool years, I was able to tailor my learning to my unique needs. However, when I reached public school, I quickly discovered that learning was a “one size fits all” experience. After weeks of pushing for a 504 plan, I was finally granted one. Once my accommodations were in place, my grades—especially on tests—jumped from a D+ or C to an A or A+. However, this was not the end of my challenges. From being singled out by teachers and peers to struggling to keep up with classwork and being denied accommodations at times, I faced continual hardships in my educational journey. Yet, these experiences strengthened my determination to continue my education and pursue a career as a child psychologist, so that I can help others understand themselves and how they can succeed. After my first year in public school, I realized that many teachers either did not want to or were not equipped to help me succeed. Some failed to meet my accommodations, and others actively singled me out. A vivid example occurred during the first week of class, when I was called to my teacher’s desk in front of the entire class to explain my accommodations, justify why I needed them, and argue for permission to take a test using them. It was humiliating to navigate this conversation with a teacher who was supposed to support my education. Although my administrators apologized on the teacher’s behalf, it was a temporary fix, and I had to learn to take each lesson and reteach it to myself to actually retain the information. Throughout my three years in high school, I was often not given the support that other students received because of my 504 plan. Despite these obstacles, I remained determined to graduate early and move on to college. I maintained a part-time job at a private Montessori preschool from 8th grade through high school. Teaching young children physical, emotional, and cognitive skills inspired me to pursue a career in child psychology. The psychologists who assessed me and helped secure my 504 plan changed my life, and seeing the small impact I could make in my classroom gave me a glimpse of the difference I could make as a child psychologist. Facing these challenges has been a formative experience, teaching me determination, self-advocacy, and the power of support. My experience helping students develop new skills, combined with the guidance I received from a psychologist, motivates me to pursue my dream career and help others achieve their potential. I know that I will continue to encounter challenges in my future education because of my disabilities. However, the lessons I have learned—resilience, perseverance, and determination—will equip me to face each obstacle with confidence and continue striving toward my goals, ready to support and empower others along the way.

Hardship isn’t just a word—it’s a test of whether you push forward or give up. My family had just moved across the country when I joined 8th grade public school in 2023. Despite coming from a low-income background, I was quickly recognized as a high-achieving student because of my grades and participation in the classroom. My determination to succeed set me apart from others. I chose to graduate early in high school because I knew my true calling was to pursue a career in child psychology and make a meaningful impact on the world. During high school, I interned as a teacher at preschool, middle, and elementary schools, helping students work through challenges in the classroom. Some days I simply read to the children, and on others I actively taught them skills, such as conflict resolution when two students argued over who would be line leader. Another unforgettable moment during my internship for me was teaching a student the alphabet in ASL so he could communicate better with his grandfather. These experiences inspired me to pursue a career in child psychology despite financial hardships of my low-income clergy family. A scholarship would allow me to continue my education without the distraction of financial burdens such as books, supplies and tuition, providing me with the support I need to make a meaningful impact on my community. Having personally experienced economic challenges, I have always been taught that hard work is not optional. Graduating early in high school has not been easy. The peer pressure to be “normal” and not stand out as a determined student has been a constant struggle. In addition to my internship, I have maintained a part-time job since 8th grade, working at a private Montessori preschool. There, I have helped students through hands-on teaching develop emotionally and cognitively. It warms my heart when one of my students learns something new and cannot wait to show me. Even though I know that coming from a disadvantaged family means I will face financial challenges in college, I am determined to pursue a career that will allow me to continue helping children develop both emotionally and cognitively. The challenges I have faced because I am a high achieving student have shaped my determination, empathy, and perseverance. With the support of a scholarship, I can continue turning my passion for child development and uplift my community, as well as prove that hardship is a test that shapes us into people who make the greatest impact.

I moved to Polson and started my first year of public school in 2023. The first kids to talk to me seemed nice, but when they offered for me to skip class and vape in the bathroom with them, I was taken off guard. The school environment I grew up in normalized drug abuse and greatly impacted my mental health. Many of my friends used vaping, drinking, or marijuana as a way to cope with stress and unaddressed mental health concerns. To make Polson a better place to live, I plan to study child psychology at the University of Montana and return to provide early mental health support, helping youth address substance use and cope with mental health struggles. During my first week of public school, I tried vaping with my new friends. The habit quickly affected my mental health, causing depression, severe anxiety, and a disconnect from my faith and family. After I quit vaping at the end of my first school year, I was able to see the effects substance abuse had on me and others. Many of my friends, because of their vaping habits, were struggling inside and outside of school, and I was able to see just how dangerous these substances can be. Seeing the impact drugs had on my school community, I was inspired to pursue child psychology so I can return to Polson to provide prevention programs and support for children and teens facing mental health and substance use challenges.

Keeping children safe means more than supervising them—it means noticing who is being excluded, who is struggling to speak up, and who just needs a friend in a time of hardship. My job experience as an after-school care teacher for a Montessori school and camp counselor has given me hands-on experience teaching the next generation what it means to stand up against bullying. From the tender age of three all the way to middle school, I work to equip my students with strategies to advocate for themselves and others. Whether I am in my classroom or in my camp cabin, my biggest rule is inclusion. Through my work in the community, I teach children inclusion and self-advocacy, and financial support will allow me to continue this work by studying child psychology and expanding my ability to equip youth with strategies to combat bullying, both online and in person. Coming from a low-income clergy family, I have always been taught that being a Christian means loving your neighbor. In my faith community, I promote respectful digital use in my school by advocating for my friends and following the online safety guidelines set up by my high school. Additionally, my work as a camp counselor guided me to my decision to study child psychology. Seeing how advocacy strategies helped my campers and preschool students reinforced my passion to embody inclusion. In my Montessori preschool classroom, I lead activities that teach inclusion. For example, when I noticed a special-needs student being bullied and excluded, I led an activity in which some children were given three crayons of the same color while others were given three different colors. This exercise helped students understand that differences are not an excuse for exclusion. After students had made their first drawing, I encouraged them to share their crayons while making their second drawing, reinforcing the lesson that inclusion and cooperation are essential to prosperity. My experience with children helping them learn what it means to be an empathetic person who knows how to regulate their emotions and advocate for themselves and others has taught me the importance of making a positive impact on my community. As I pursue higher education, my goal is to continue working with kids of all ages, eventually becoming a child psychologist and teaching children how they can thrive in this world. Financial support will enable me to pursue my dream. It is my firm belief that every child deserves to feel loved and valued, and with the support to continue my education, I am committed to using my experience and knowledge to positively impact my community by creating respectful, welcoming, and inclusive communities.