Overnight camp is a huge part of my life that has changed me for the better. Camp is my home away from home. It’s a community filled with love, acceptance, familiarity and warmth. Strangers become family and canvas tents become home. This past summer I had the privilege of being a Counselor in Training (CIT). The four week period that I spent there sparked personal growth and a new understanding of myself and others. I have learned a lo about myself and about acceptance at Camp Newman. I have realized that I do not have to pretend to be someone else and that I am perfect the way I am. I have struggled with friendships, anxiety and ADHD. However, at camp, a place where I can be myself, is a place where I have made a lot of friends from different backgrounds. Camp has shown me just how unique our big world is. Camp has given me perspective into who I want to be and who I am. I want to be inclusive and I want to work with children. I want to make children feel like I have been made to feel - accepted and welcomed. This is the impact that I hope to have through mentorship to others. I aspire to be a role model for future campers just as my counselors have been for me.

During my sophomore year of high school I had the privilege of being a Teacher’s Aid/Peer Mentor. That is how I met Mrs. Grayson. She is a Special Education teacher and the head of the ILC AKA Intensive Learning Center. She showed me that I do make a difference and that I am capable of so much more than I realize. She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. She accepted me for who I am and helped me build my confidence. She has inspired me to pursue a career in Special Education and to expand my knowledge in this field. My educational goals include obtaining a degree in Special Education with a minor in Spanish. I hope to study abroad as well and learn about other cultures. I hope that I can one day be a strong and compassionate educator like Mrs. Michelle Grayson. She naturally touches and changes lives daily, she is an inspiration to her students and to those that have the opportunity to know her. On days when I do not want to push myself, I think of those with special needs and they motivate me to continue moving forward so that one day I can have an impact on someone’s life as well.

During my sophomore year of high school I had the privilege of being a Teacher’s Aid/Peer Mentor. That is how I met Mrs. Grayson. She is a Special Education teacher and the head of the ILC AKA Intensive Learning Center. She showed me that I do make a difference and that I am capable of so much more than I realize. She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. She accepted me for who I am and helped me build my confidence. She has inspired me to pursue a career in Special Education and to expand my knowledge in this field. My educational goals include obtaining a degree in Special Education with a minor in Spanish. I hope to study abroad as well and learn about other cultures. I hope that I can one day be a strong and compassionate educator like Mrs. Michelle Grayson. She naturally touches and changes lives daily, she is an inspiration to her students and to those that have the opportunity to know her. On days when I do not want to push myself, I think of those with special needs and they motivate me to continue moving forward so that one day I can have an impact on someone’s life as well.

In March of 2020, a worldwide pandemic swept us off our feet. The world was stuck at home. We had no idea when it would end or the effects of this new disease. We watched through screens as the deaths went up, fear and worry went up as well. Then, a few months later, more and more research started to trickle out, and hopes started to go up. This pandemic has brought hardship to the world and staying optimistic has been tough. I have learned many lessons and I will carry these with me throughout my life. One thing I learned during this time is that family is something that I have taken for granted. Seeing death on the news daily made me realize how lucky I was to be safe and healthy and loved. Although this ongoing pandemic has been an international tragedy, I am very grateful for the lessons I have learned.

In March of 2020, a worldwide pandemic swept us off our feet. The world was stuck at home. We had no idea when it would end or the effects of this new disease. We watched through screens as the deaths went up, fear and worry went up as well. Then, a few months later, more and more research started to trickle out, and hopes started to go up. This pandemic has brought hardship to the world and staying optimistic has been tough. I have learned many lessons and I will carry these with me throughout my life. One thing I learned during this time is that family is something that I have taken for granted. Seeing death on the news daily made me realize how lucky I was to be safe and healthy and loved. Although this ongoing pandemic has been an international tragedy, I am very grateful for the lessons I have learned.

I plan on majoring in special education. I have been inspired by a very special educator, Mrs. Michelle Grayson. She is a Special Education teacher and the head of our school's Intensive Learning Center also known as the “ILC”. I became a Teacher's Assistant/Aid (also known as a TA) for Mrs. Grayson during my sophomore year. At that time I was partnered with a student with special needs. My job was to assist both the student and Mrs. Grayson in the ILC. I was there to help them, however, they both helped me in more ways than I would have ever imagined. At that time I was struggling with friends, my confidence, and my mental health. Mrs. Grayson gave me the gift of friendship, mentorship and I was able to form a strong bond with her. She showed me that I do make a difference and that I am capable of so much more than I realize. She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. She accepted me for who I am and helped me build my confidence. She has inspired me to pursue a career in Special Education and to expand my knowledge in this field. She is the reason that I want to continue my education and continue to have an impact on the special education community. I hope that I can one day be a strong and compassionate educator like Mrs. Grayson. She naturally touches and changes lives daily, she is an inspiration to her students and to those that have the opportunity to know her. The special education community drives my interest in going to college. On days when I do not want to push myself, I think of those with special needs and they motivate me to continue moving forward so that one day I can have an impact on someone’s life as well. This year in addition to being an assistant for Mrs. Grayson, again, I also have the privilege of being an intern at an inclusive preschool. I assist in the afternoons four days per week in a 4-year-old class. The preschool serves a variety of students including those with special needs. It provides an inclusive space for children with different learning needs. The Special Education community is made up of people that want to make a difference and that want to be inclusive. It is a community of acceptance and compassion. It is a community that I want to be a part of. I want to become a special education teacher or an occupational therapist and serve the special education community. I look forward to continuing my education and learning what it takes to be an educator and leader in the special education community.

A large wooden arch greets you as you arrive at URJ Camp Newman, a Jewish overnight camp in the Santa Rosa Mountains in northern California. A group of screaming and jumping teenagers in matching bright blue shirts welcome you. The CIT’s (counselors in training) are loudly cheering and singing. Campers stare in awe as they drive through the entrance of 4088 Porter Creek Road. The CIT’s have been waiting for this moment since they were young campers themselves. Having the privilege to attend camp and becoming a CIT has shaped a part of who I am today. During my time spent at overnight camp, I have learned so much about myself and about acceptance. Camp has taught me that I do not have to pretend to be someone else and that I am perfect the way that I am. I have struggled with friendships, anxiety, and ADHD since Kindergarten. However, at camp, a place where I can be myself has allowed me to make a lot of friends from different backgrounds. Camp has shown me just how unique our big world is. Camp has given me perspective into who I want to be and who I am. I want to be inclusive and I want to work with children. I want to make children feel like I have been made to feel - accepted and welcomed. I hope to become a counselor next year and be a role model for future campers just as my counselors were for me.

It was a hot sunny summer day. I stayed hidden under the covers, curtains closed shielding me from the warmth of the sunshine. I was sad, lonely, frightened and stressed of what was to come. 2020 shattered my already ADHD anxiety filled soul. Strand by strand, I ran my fingers through my hair until I felt a rough, zig zaggy piece. I isolated the strand from the rest of my hair and gave a quick, sharp tug. I pulled my hand away from my scalp and looked at the small thin strand in my unstable hand. All at once, I felt satisfaction, fear, relief, and frustration. My hair had started to thin from the constant pulling caused by Trichotillomania. My scalp was constantly itchy from the scabs that developed in my self inflicted bald spots. I felt incredibly discouraged in the fall of 2020. The inconsistent learning that varied week from week - in person, remote, in person, remote - traumatized me. I was afraid to make new friends, speak to people and take risks. Suddenly in person learning became consistent. I took a big a risk and registered for Girls Golf, a sport that I had never played. My anxiety had always kept me from joining clubs or trying new things. Yet here I was excited to try something new, make new friends and just to be outside. My mental health struggles shaped the end of my junior year in a positive way. I learned to persevere through tough and dark times. I am proud of this turnaround. I now know that I am courageous and that I can rise from the darkness. I am finally looking at the future with a bright light.

The educator that has had the most positive impact on my life is Mrs. Michelle Grayson. She is a Special Education teacher and the head of our school's Intensive Learning Center also known as the “ILC”. I have known Mrs. Grayson since January of 2020. That is when I became a Teacher's Assistant/Aid (also known as a TA) during the second semester of my sophomore year. At that time I was partnered with a student with special needs. During this time, my job was to assist both the student and Mrs. Michelle Grayson in the ILC and I also supported the student in her weight training class. I was there to help them, however, they both helped me in more ways that I would have ever imagined. At that time I was struggling with friends, my confidence and my mental health. Mrs. Grayson gave me the gift of friendship, mentorship and I was able to form a strong bond with her. She showed me that I do make a difference and that I am capable of so much more than I realize. She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. She accepted me for who I am and helped me build my confidence. I will forever be grateful for the confidence that she has in me and for the learning opportunities she has granted me. She has inspired me to pursue a career in Special Education and to expand my knowledge in this field. She is the reason that I want to continue my education and continue to have an impact on the special education community. I hope that I can one day be a strong and compassionate educator like Mrs. Michelle Grayson. She naturally touches and changes lives daily, she is an inspiration to her students and to those that have the opportunity to know her. As a first-generation student, the special education community drives my interest in going to college. On days when I do not want to push myself, I think of those with special needs and they motivate me to continue moving forward so that one day I can have an impact on someone’s life as well. The special education community is made up of people that want to make a difference and that want to be inclusive. It is a community of acceptance and compassion. It is a community that I always want to be a part of.

Although, as an avid reader, picking one singular book is difficult, "Tell me again how a crush should feel" by Sara Farizan is my favorite. I read this book for the first when I was in middle school. The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Leila. She is a teenage girl that is part of the LGBTQ+ community whos family is very conservative. Throughout the story we see how Leila becomes more confident in not only her sexuality, but herself and her identity. This book really helped me figure out who I am as a person and who I am as a person part of the LGBTQ+ community

It was a hot, sunny and bright summer day. I stayed hidden under the covers, curtains closed shielding me from the warmth of the sunshine. I was sad, lonely, frightened and stressed of what was to come. 2020 shattered my already ADHD anxiety filled soul. Strand by strand, I ran my fingers through my hair until I felt a rough, zig zaggy piece. I isolated the strand from the rest of my hair and gave a quick, sharp tug. I pulled my hand away from my scalp and looked at the small thin strand in my unstable hand. All at once, I felt satisfaction, fear, relief, and frustration. My hair had started to thin from the constant pulling caused by Trichotillomania. My scalp was constantly itchy from the scabs that developed in my self inflicted bald spots. I felt incredibly discouraged in the fall of 2020. The inconsistent learning that varied week from week - in person learning, remote, in person learning, remote - the inconsistency traumatized me. I no longer knew how to socialize. I was insecure about having bald spots. I was afraid to make new friends, speak to people and take risks. Then one spring day the return to in person learning became consistent. With the consistency of in person learning, I felt inspired. I felt hopeful. It was then that I received an inviting email from the Girl's Golf coach, Coach Ferraro. He invited all girls to sign up for Golf. He encouraged those that had no prior experience to try something new. I took a big risk and signed up for Girls Golf. A sport that I had never played. My anxiety had always kept me from joining clubs or trying new things especially sports. Yet here I was excited to try something new, make new friends and just to be outside with other humans again. But, when the first day of practice came, it was very difficult to get out of my mother's car that day. Her gray Honda Odyssey was hugging me and I didn't want to let go. I was intimidated by all the girls that looked like they belonged there. They had equipment and accessories that I knew nothing about. I took a deep breath and I joined the group of girls waiting for our first practice to begin. I had the most fun that day. It had been a long time since I had smiled and that I had felt accepted. It was a great feeling knowing that I took a chance and nothing bad happened. As I look back at the 2020 - 2021 school year, I now know that my mental health struggles shaped the end of my junior year in a positive way. I learned to persevere through tough and dark times. I now know that I am courageous and that I can rise from the darkness. I am finally looking at the future with a bright light. My hair is growing back and I no longer need to pin my curls to cover any bald spots. I am excited for the future and I am excited to try new things.

It was a hot, sunny and bright summer day. I stayed hidden under the covers, curtains closed shielding me from the warmth of the sunshine. I was sad, lonely, frightened and stressed of what was to come. 2020 shattered my already ADHD anxiety filled soul. Strand by strand, I run my fingers through my hair until I feel a rough, zig zaggy piece. I isolate the strand from the rest of my hair and give a quick, sharp tug. I pull my hand away from my scalp and look at the small strand in my hand. All at once, I feel satisfaction, fear, relief, and frustration. My hair had started to thin from the constant pulling caused by Trichotillomania. My scalp is itchy from the scabs in the bald spots. I feel discouraged. The inconsistent learning - in person, remote, in person, remote - traumatizes me. I no longer know how to socialize. I am afraid to make friends and take risks. Suddenly in person learning becomes consistent. I take a risk and sign up for Girls Golf. A sport that I have never played. My anxiety had always kept me from joining clubs or trying sports. Yet here I was excited to try something new, make new friends and be outside. I now know that my mental health struggles shaped the end of my junior year in a positive way. I learned to persevere through tough and dark times. I now know that I can rise from the darkness.

The quote "Say it's here where our pieces fall in place" is in the song Call it Dreaming by Iron and Wine. This line brings a smile to my face because it reminds me of my time at Camp Newman as a CIT (counselor in training). I spent this summer volunteering as a CIT where I got to learn leadership skills and be myself. This quote is special because it means that we come together as a family and community where we can all be ourselves. This summer taught me about acceptance, compassion, and how things might not go as planned yet we continue to persevere. I will hold these memories in my heart and I will continue to use the lessons that I learned throughout the rest of my life. I feel privileged to have had this opportunity where I got to be myself and feel accepted.