In fourth grade I was diagnosed with ADHD. This diagnosis had a significant impact on me. I am incredibly fortunate to have had amazing teachers who saw my potential, despite my challenges. They treated me as an individual, invested their time and modified their approach to meet my needs. With their help, I developed a skill set that enabled me to thrive. In particular, I learned to proactively seek out favorable study environments and become an impactful advocate for myself in a way that ensured I set myself up for success. When I was struggling with organization, I was proactive in seeking out support. Through persistence and practice, and with the help of these awesome teachers, I achieved continuous improvement. Before fifth grade, I had little understood of neurodivergence. I didn’t even know my school had a Special Education classroom. One day, my friend told me she would be eating lunch with Special Education students, so I decided to join her. That experience sparked something in me: a deep admiration for the teachers and students in that classroom. The teachers were tirelessly working to help students reach their milestones and overcome challenges, which inspired me to volunteer. I began assisting in the classroom, and the experience planted the seed for my future career. Now I am now a college honors student with a 3.9 GPA majoring in Special Education with a concentration in severe disabilities. I’m involved in Best Buddies, where I interact with both neurodivergent and neurotypical peers. Additionally, I serve as President of my college’s American Sign Language club, promoting inclusion for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. In this role, I run meetings and events, which has helped me develop leadership and organizational skills. Outside of school, I am employed at my local YMCA as an Integration Co-Instructor, supporting neurodivergent children in both specialized and mainstream classes. I also serve as an assistant teacher for my town’s extended school year program. I teach academic and life skills to help students become more independent. These experiences have shown me the immense value of support, encouragement, and building personal connections. In 2024, I received the Best Buddies Award of Community Excellence, the Foxborough Commission on Disability’s Above & Beyond Individual of the Year Award and citations from the Massachusetts State Legislature for "Exceptional Volunteering Efforts." While these honors are a reminder of the impact I’ve made, the real reward comes from the growth I’ve experienced through these connections. My work with neurodivergent individuals has been both fulfilling and impactful, providing me with invaluable lessons that continue to shape my journey. If I am fortunate enough to be the scholarship recipient, it will help me pursue my dream of becoming a Special Education teacher and continue to advocate for inclusivity and accessibility. Being an empathic person, I have always found a reason to root for the underdog and cheer for those who seem different in the eyes of society. Earning a degree in Special Education means that I will get to do this. Helping others and being my authentic self is exactly how I want to spend the rest of my life. It is incredibly exciting to think that one day I will get to be the teacher who I have looked up to for years; the one who works hard to help my future students reach each milestone, and hopefully I will be doing what those teachers did for me, and I will be inspiring future generations to volunteer and become educators.

Before fifth grade, I had little understanding of neurodivergence. I didn’t even know my school had a Special Education classroom. One day, my friend told me she would be eating lunch with Special Education students, so I decided to join her. That experience sparked something in me: a deep admiration for the teachers and students in that classroom. The teachers were tirelessly working to help students reach their milestones and overcome challenges, which inspired me to volunteer. I began assisting in the classroom, and the experience planted the seed for my future career. Now eight years later, and I am now a college honors student majoring in Special Education with a concentration in severe disabilities. I’m involved in Best Buddies, where I interact with both neurodivergent and neurotypical peers. Additionally, I serve as President of my college’s American Sign Language (ASL) club, promoting inclusion for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. In this role, I assist with meetings and events, which has helped me develop leadership and organizational skills. Outside of school, I am employed at my local YMCA as an Integration Co-Instructor, supporting neurodivergent children in both specialized and mainstream classes. I work on their social, motor, and safety skills while fostering a safe and fun environment. I also serve as an assistant teacher for my town’s extended school year program. I teach academic and life skills to help students become more independent. These experiences have shown me the immense value of support, encouragement, and building personal connections. In 2024, I received the Best Buddies Award of Community Excellence, the Foxborough Commission on Disability’s Above & Beyond Individual of the Year Award and citations from the Massachusetts State Legislature for "Exceptional Volunteering Efforts." While these honors are a reminder of the impact I’ve made, the real reward comes from the growth I’ve experienced through these connections. My work with neurodivergent individuals has been both fulfilling and impactful, providing me with invaluable lessons that continue to shape my journey. As I continue my studies in Special Education, my goal is to advocate for inclusion within my community. I strongly believe in the power of inclusive education, which allows neurodivergent and neurotypical students to learn from one another. This model breaks challenges the stigma and fosters a deeper understanding of diversity. Earning a degree in Special Education will enable me to create a more inclusive, empathetic world for future generations. If I am fortunate enough to be the scholarship recipient, it will help me pursue my dream of becoming a Special Education teacher. Being an empathic person, I have always found a reason to root for the underdog and cheer for those who seem different in the eyes of society. Earning a degree in Special Education means that I will get to do this. Helping others and being my authentic self is exactly how I want to spend the rest of my life. It is incredibly exciting to think that one day I will get to be the teacher who I have looked up to for years; the one who works hard to help my future students reach each milestone, and hopefully I will be doing what those teachers did for me, and I will be inspiring future generations to volunteer and become special educators.

Before fifth grade, I had little understanding of neurodivergence. I didn’t even know my school had a Special Education classroom. One day, my friend told me she would be eating lunch with Special Education students, so I decided to join her. That experience sparked something in me: a deep admiration for the teachers and students in that classroom. The teachers were tirelessly working to help students reach their milestones and overcome challenges, which inspired me to volunteer. I began assisting in the classroom, and the experience planted the seed for my future career. Now eight years later, and I am now a college honors student majoring in Special Education with a concentration in severe disabilities. I’m involved in Best Buddies, where I interact with both neurodivergent and neurotypical peers. Additionally, I serve as President of my college’s American Sign Language (ASL) club, promoting inclusion for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. In this role, I assist with meetings and events, which has helped me develop leadership and organizational skills. Outside of school, I am employed at my local YMCA as an Integration Co-Instructor, supporting neurodivergent children in both specialized and mainstream classes. I work on their social, motor, and safety skills while fostering a safe and fun environment. I also serve as an assistant teacher for my town’s extended school year program. I teach academic and life skills to help students become more independent. These experiences have shown me the immense value of support, encouragement, and building personal connections. In 2024, I received the Best Buddies Award of Community Excellence, the Foxborough Commission on Disability’s Above & Beyond Individual of the Year Award and citations from the Massachusetts State Legislature for "Exceptional Volunteering Efforts." While these honors are a reminder of the impact I’ve made, the real reward comes from the growth I’ve experienced through these connections. My work with neurodivergent individuals has been both fulfilling and impactful, providing me with invaluable lessons that continue to shape my journey. As I continue my studies in Special Education, my goal is to advocate for inclusion within my community. I strongly believe in the power of inclusive education, which allows neurodivergent and neurotypical students to learn from one another. This model breaks challenges the stigma and fosters a deeper understanding of diversity. Earning a degree in Special Education will enable me to create a more inclusive, empathetic world for future generations. If I am fortunate enough to be the scholarship recipient, it will help me pursue my dream of becoming a Special Education teacher. Being an empathic person, I have always found a reason to root for the underdog and cheer for those who seem different in the eyes of society. Earning a degree in Special Education means that I will get to do this. Helping others and being my authentic self is exactly how I want to spend the rest of my life. It is incredibly exciting to think that one day I will get to be the teacher who I have looked up to for years; the one who works hard to help my future students reach each milestone, and hopefully I will be doing what those teachers did for me, and I will be inspiring future generations to volunteer and become special educators.

Any teacher can stand in front of a board and explain math formulas or the theme of a book. But the best teachers are the ones who recognize each student’s individual challenges and potential. These teachers then adapt their teaching to meet the needs of each individual student. In doing so they help them learn how to mitigate these challenges, as well as visualize and realize their potential. I believe this is the essence of the Dr. Harold Bloom quote. My personal experience and educational journey have given me firsthand experience of the impact teachers can have on their students. In fourth grade I was diagnosed with ADHD. This diagnosis had a significant and positive impact on me. I am incredibly fortunate to have had amazing teachers who saw my potential, despite my challenges with my ADHD. They treated me as an individual, invested their time and modified their approach to meet my needs. With their help, I developed a skill set that enabled me to thrive. In particular, I learned to proactively seek out favorable study environments and become an impactful advocate for myself in a way that ensured I set myself up for success. When I was struggling with organization, I was proactive in seeking out support. My evolving and improving tool kit included use of a planner, a system to organize papers so that they did not get lost, the color coding of studying materials to highlight important topics, creating routines, setting realistic goals, avoiding procrastination by doing assignments in smaller chunks, and wearing noise blocking earbuds. Through persistence and practice, and with the help of these awesome teachers, I achieved continuous improvement. The outcome was that my high school GPA improved every year, and I just completed my first year at college as an honors student with a 3.9 GPA. None of this would have been achieved without the help and dedication of my teachers. I am incredibly fortunate that they saw my potential, despite my challenges with my ADHD, and were so invested in helping me realize this. Before the start of fifth grade, I had little understanding of what it meant when someone was neurodivergent or on the spectrum. That type of thing was simply not taught in school. I did not even realize that my school had a Special Education classroom. One day my friend told me she was going to eat with the Special Education students. Not wanting to be left alone and being naturally curious, I accompanied her. While I went in to eat lunch with a friend, I left with so much more. Again, I saw the impact that a teacher can have when they are invested in the individual. Observing teachers meeting the students’ needs at all different levels, working tirelessly to help each student reach their next milestone and overcome challenges in a world often not made for them inspired a desire to go back and start volunteering. I found it unbelievably rewarding to help teach life and social skills, for example folding laundry, utilizing an iPad for communication, and helping students participate in activities with the rest of the class. Some of my favorite moments were simply watching Elmo and doing puzzles with the students. The perseverance and positivity of both the teachers and students motivated me to be the best version of myself. Without realizing it, they helped me discover my passion for Special Education and empowered me with the inspiration and confidence to pursue this passion. I have now been volunteering for the last eight years. As a high school senior, I was the Co-President of Foxborough High School’s Best Buddies, where I dedicated my time within the school and community making matches between neurotypical students with neurodivergent students to create meaningful friendships that promoted inclusion. Weekly, I helped coordinate Best Buddies luncheons, bringing neurodivergent and neurotypical students together in an environment where they could learn from each other. Together with my fellow Best Buddies, I planned and organized school events, for example a collaborative field trip to help our buddies shop for the holidays, and a school dance which was attended by neurodivergent students from Foxborough High School and three other neighboring school districts. In June, at the Foxborough High School’s Awards Night, I was honored to receive the 2024 Best Buddies Massachusetts Certification of Community Excellence. I have also volunteered to help students at the Special Olympics and at Unified Basketball games, assisting students with disabilities to participate in team-based sports. My high school studies included three years of American Sign Language and Warrior Teammate (Physical Education), partnering with students from the Special Education classroom to work on sport/activity-based life skills, and general motor skills. Last school year, I completed both a 12th-grade elective and senior project assisting a Special Education teacher in an Elementary School classroom. I hold two jobs where I enjoy working with neurodivergent individuals. For the last three summers I have worked as an assistant teacher in Foxborough’s Extended School Year Special Education program where I teach life and social skills, for example teaching students how to stock shelfs so that they can hold jobs, fold laundry so that they can be slightly more independent, utilize a voice output device for communication, and helping individuals participate in activities with the rest of the class to build social skills. In my first year, I worked with a young lady who used a voice output device to communicate. She had been in the school system for years and rarely said a single word, never mind a full sentence. Each day when I went home, I used my computer to create activities designed to help her to make letter sounds. By the time the summer program ended five weeks later, she was successfully talking in complete sentences. I am also employed as an Integration Co-Instructor at the Foxboro YMCA, teaching classes designed for neurodivergent individuals and also supporting neurodivergent individuals in mainstream classes. In these classes I help students develop their social skills, safety awareness, fine and gross motor skills, all while having fun. I get truly excited to celebrate the highs and provide comfort during the lows, no matter how big or small. On my last performance evaluation, my supervisor complemented me for having “such a vast understanding and knowledge of how to meet the children’s needs – it is impressive.” I graduated from Foxborough High School of June 2024 and, in September of 2024, I began studying for my Severe Special Education Teaching degree at Bridgewater State University, in the honors program. I selected Bridgewater so that I could complete a concentration in Special Education for children with severe disabilities, and also so that I would be close enough to Foxborough to continue supporting and working with the town’s neurodivergent students. In my first semester I have joined the university’s Best Buddies and become the Vice President of the university’s American Sign Language Club, where I promote inclusion for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community across campus. Since starting my sophomore year I have been made President which has allowed me to continue my mission to promote inclusion and accessibility on my campus. I was humbled to receive the 2024 Foxboro Commission on Disability’s Above & Beyond Individual of the Year Award, as well as citations from the State Senate and State House of Representatives for “Exceptional Volunteering Efforts with Various Disability Programs”. I am so fortunate that my activities at school and my jobs have brought me into contact with many amazing neurodivergent individuals. For the past eight years I have loved helping these students at school and work grow, but what I did not notice was how much I was growing at the same time. I started middle school as a shy fifth grader who did not understand what autism was and did not know that her school had a Special Education classroom. Now I am a college freshman who confidently leads classes and modifies activities for children with a variety of neurodivergence. Whatever I have been able to give, I have gained so much more in return. I am passionate about promoting and enhancing an inclusive environment. Neurodivergent students often become overlooked or viewed with stigma within school systems. While there are many factors contributing to this, a major one is the complete separation of neurodivergent students from the main student body. This causes them to be viewed as members of a group rather than actual students. It reinforces the idea that there is something wrong with them because they need to be separated. A lack of knowledge creates more stigma which creates further separation, and the cycle goes on. I am an advocate for Inclusive Education. This is the type of education model that allows both neurodivergent and neurotypical students to learn from each other. Earning a degree in Special Education teaching will enable me to have a greater impact promoting an inclusive environment in my community. As a future teacher I hope to help my future students find their passion in life similarly to how I found my passion for helping others. I will help students take initiative in their learning, and form self-awareness. I can do this by making sure each students are taught as an individual. This is important in any educational setting but especially in Special Education. Each student enters the class with their own unique knowledge and needs. In order to effectively teach and improve their quality of life one must modify and adapt the curriculum and lessons to help meet these individual needs. When preparing lessons, I will consider each student’s prior knowledge of the topic and goals. Then when it comes to teaching the material, I will be flexible even when students are learning in a group. Being able to connect with each student and adapt lessons so that they meet each student’s knowledge means that each of my students will be able to learn in a way that works for them and therefore find passion and purpose in their education. I will also do all that I can to create an inclusive and accessible school and community for them. These concepts are fundamental to getting students to find pride and passion in themselves therefore bring them to their own presence. Being an empathic person, I have always found a reason to root for the underdog and cheer for those who seem different in the eyes of society. Earning a degree in Special Education means that I will get to do this. Helping others and being my authentic self is exactly how I want to spend the rest of my life. It is incredibly exciting to think that one day I will get to be the teacher who I have looked up to for years; the one who works hard to help my future students reach each milestone, and hopefully I will be doing what those teachers did for me, and I will be inspiring future generations to volunteer and become special educators.

Before the start of fifth grade, I had little understanding of what it meant when someone was neurodivergent or on the spectrum. That type of thing was simply not taught in school. I did not even realize that my school had a Special Education classroom. One day my friend told me she was going to eat with the Special Education students. Not wanting to be left alone and being naturally curious, I accompanied her. While I went in to eat lunch with a friend, I left with so much more. Feelings of inspiration and admiration stimulated a desire to go back and start volunteering. Observing teachers meeting the students’ needs at all different levels, working tirelessly to help each student reach their next milestone and overcome challenges in a world often not made for them was so inspiring. Eight years later I am the Co-President of Foxborough High School’s Best Buddies and hold two jobs where I enjoy working with neurodivergent individuals. I am employed as an Integration Co-Instructor at the Foxboro YMCA, where I teach classes designed for neurodivergent individuals and also support neurodivergent individuals in mainstream classes. In these classes it is so fulfilling to help the students develop their social skills, safety awareness, fine and gross motor skills, all while having fun. For the last two summers I have worked as an assistant teacher in the Town of Foxborough’s Extended School Year Special Education program, helping teach academic and life skills. I am fortunate that my activities at school and these jobs have brought me into contact with many amazing neurodivergent individuals. I get truly excited to celebrate the highs and provide comfort during the lows, no matter how big or small. Each child's challenges are unique, and it is incredibly rewarding to work with them to overcome these. For the past eight years I have loved observing and helping these students at school and work grow, but what I did not notice was how much I was growing at the same time. I started middle school as a shy fifth grader who did not know that there was a Special Education class in her school, and now I am a senior who confidently leads classes and activities for children with a variety of neurodivergence. Whatever I have been able to give, I have gained so much more in return. School and work have given me the privilege to meet and befriend many neurodivergent individuals whom I have learned so much from. I consider them some of my biggest inspirations and motivations. Pursuing a Special Education degree is something I am incredibly excited to do because one day I will get to be the teacher who I have looked up to for years; the one who works hard to help my future students reach each milestone and maybe I will get to do what those teachers did for me, and I will inspire the future of Special Education.