I never wanted to teach special education. I wanted to teach general education. I didn’t have the skills to teach in the Sped world. This was what I told myself growing up. I always wanted to teach. I love being around kids. My ultimate goal was to become a Preschool teacher. This was until I had the opportunity to intern at a facility for special needs toddlers. I fell in love with the work. I had the patience, and I wanted to learn the skills. Years later, I have obtained my masters degree in education and am returning to school to receive my education specialist credentials. I currently work as a paraeducator in a classroom for children diagnosed with Autism. After my credentials, I will continue to work in Autism classrooms. One of my jobs working in the classroom is to teach my students life skills. While doing this I watch as my students gain this confidence that never ceases to amaze me. This is what I believe is teaching your students their own presence. The confidence they gain from learning their basic skills; Feeding themselves, dressing themselves, advocating for themselves. When we are teaching our students, we are building them up. We are believing in them when some people wouldn’t. Once you make this connection and your students trust you, they begin to grow and reach for these skills. They want to learn from you. And through your connection, they are comfortable failing. They are comfortable to make a mistake and try again. This is what knowing your own presence is all about. Knowing that you are able to take up space in this world. You are not less than. The students I teach everyday are amazing. They are capable. And sometimes they need that reminder that they can do hard things. Reminders that they are just as entitled to learning and success as anyone else. Once my students start to master these skills, I see a change in them. They ask me for help. They use their words. They advocate for themselves. The best part of my job is seeing my children advocate for themselves. They tell me, or especially telling others they do not have a close connection with, when they are hungry, mad, or tired. They know that their feelings are just as valid as other people and they deserve to be heard. This is knowing their presence. This is why I want to become a teacher for special education.

I have been interested in education since I was a young child. I grew up wanting to become a teacher. I started school and got my associates degree in child development and thought that was as high as I could reach academically. In 2016 I became ill with Legionella Pneumonia. I was put onto a life support machine called ECMO and remained on it for 21 days. While on ECMO I had many various visions and thoughts. One of which was that I was not done with my time on earth. I knew I wanted to continue working with children. I worked hard to recover from my sickness. I learned to eat, speak and walk again. After months of rehab, I decided it was time to look for work. I got a job as an intervention assistant for children who have experienced trauma and drug exposure. This reignited my passion for not only childcare, but for childcare for children with special needs. I worked hard to overcome my hardships. I went back to school, I earned my bachelors degree while having my first baby, and I soon after sought out my masters degree in education. Now that I am more stable in my life, I am a full time Paraeducator in a classroom for moderate to severe students with autism. As much as I love my position, and my students, it is time to return to school and earn my teaching credential. I am currently enrolled in a dual credential program so that I can earn both a general education credential as well as a special education credential. I know earning a dual credential can be very difficult and time consuming but I know I can do it and I am up for the challenge. I am earning my special education credentials to change the way special needs children are taught and looked at. Throughout my years of working in special education classrooms I have been able to see first hand how this population can be overlooked and shoved to the side. It is easier to exclude our special needs classes rather than work to give them the support they need outside of the classroom to join our general education population. Inclusion is something that can be hard. It is hard in the general education teacher, hard on the administration, but it is something that is absolutely necessary for our special needs population. Inclusion helps students grow their academic skills but more important than that, they are able to grow their social skills. All children should feel like they belong. All children deserve to play and create relationships with each other. In my future as a teacher, I hope to bring more attention to inclusion. I hope to build connections within the school in order to foster relationships between general education teachers and myself. I would like to see special education students get every opportunity that any other general education child gets. My classroom will be just as involved as any other classroom. We will join award ceremonies, field trips, and school events. My students will know that they have every opportunity available to them. Their families will know that I will fight for them to get the inclusion they deserve. The benefits of inclusion do not only reach our special needs population. Inclusion is beneficial for all students of all ages. Students will learn that people are all different. Some people need different supports and that doesn’t make them any different from other students. Students in the general education population will learn to be patient, and accepting of students regardless of disability or background. My main goal once I become a teacher will be advocacy. Anyone can study to become a teacher, but I believe that being a special education teacher requires a level of support and patience for their students that aren’t seen as often in the general population. Often times, self-contained special needs classrooms are forgotten about. Mine will not be forgotten. I will fight for my children and classroom. I know that achieving my goal will not come easy. I am ready to put in the hard work so my students and families can trust me. Trust is the most important thing to earn when working with students. I want to earn not only their trust, but also the trust of their families. They will know that I am here for the students every day and I want them to succeed in every thing they do. I am fueled by my passion and the love of what I do. Earning this scholarship will help me ease the financial burden of school. I am a single mother and while I do have a full time job, I do struggle financially. This award would help me focus on my credentials.

I have been working in the special education field for 8 years. I love working with children and had always considered them as my own. I never thought I would have the time or room in my heart for my own. I had my son when I was 30 and immediately, I knew that I was wrong. I had to restructure my entire life to fit my career, and my family. restructuring my entire schedule was very difficult. All I had ever known was work. However, I knew I wanted as much time with my son as possible. The first thing I had to work on was leaving work at work. This meant no longer bringing home papers to grade, or activities to work on for the next day. My home time was just that, home time. This also included not bringing things home mentally. It was unfair to not only me, but to my son to come home stressed out, overworked, and grumpy because I had a harder day with my students. The second thing That I had to change was my outlook. If I thought I couldn't do it, I didn't try as hard. I had to change my whole outlook to remind myself that I can do whatever I need to, to help my family and keep them happy. I became a more positive person which helped not only me and my family, but also my students. I was a happier person when I didn't have work on my mind 24/7. I was a better mother and teacher. Now that I am used to my work and family routine, I want to go back to school. I received my bachelor's degree in June of 2024, and I am returning to get my master's degree in education. This will take even more time from myself, my work, and my family. I am eager to see how this goes, but I am more eager to show my son that you can conquer your fears and make time for what you love. I will always make time for my son, and he will grow up knowing that I make him a priority, even while trying to better our lives. Balancing work, education, and family life isn't easy. It is very hard. But it is something that is necessary to ensure that I can reach my dreams while still helping my son grow into a positive, kind, person. This is not going to be easy, and it is going to leave me with a lot of student loans. As of now, I will need to take out loans to cover my entire tuition. My hopes is that I can get a scholarship in order to help me pay off my loans and start my life off without being in debt. I want to show my son how to keep moving towards his goals, and how to be financially responsible. Once he is old enough to go to college, I hope he will make these same decisions that will benefit his future.

I have been working in the special education field for 8 years. I love working with children and had always considered them as my own. I never thought I would have the time or room in my heart for my own. I had my son when I was 30 and immediately, I knew that I was wrong. I had to restructure my entire life to fit my career, and my family. restructuring my entire schedule was very difficult. All I had ever known was work. However, I knew I wanted as much time with my son as possible. The first thing I had to work on was leaving work at work. This mean no longer bringing home papers to grade, or activities to work on for the next day. My home time was just that, home time. This also included not bringing things home mentally. It was unfair to not only me, but to my son to come home stressed out, overworked, and grumpy because I had a harder day with my students. The second thing That I had to change was my outlook. If I thought I couldn't do it, I didn't try as hard. I had to change my whole outlook to remind myself that I can do whatever I need to, to help my family and keep them happy. I became a more positive person which helped not only me and my family, but also my students. I was a happier person when I didn't have work on my mind 24/7. I was a better mother and teacher. Now that I am used to my work and family routine, I want to go back to school. I received my bachelor's degree in June of 2024, and I am returning to get my master's degree in education. This will take even more time from myself, my work, and my family. I am eager to see how this goes, but I am more eager to show my son that you can conquer your fears and make time for what you love. I will always make time for my son, and he will grow up knowing that I make him a priority, even while trying to better our lives. Balancing work, education, and family life isn't easy. It is very hard. But it is something that is necessary to ensure that I can reach my dreams while still helping my son grow into a positive, kind, person.

I always knew I wanted to work with children. Special education was never in my plan. However, I got my associates in child development, and got my first job at a daycare for children who have experienced trauma or drug exposure. I fell in love with helping these babies overcome obstacles. I knew right then and there that I wanted to help these children. I then applied for a position in an autism classroom while I was finishing my bachelors degree. I became a Paraeducator for a moderate to severe SDC classroom. This classroom had grades 3-6, and the students are diagnosed with autism. Working with these students ignited a passion that I didn’t know I had. I see how my students work incredibly hard to do things that other children take for granted. One of my favorite parts of working with special needs is seeing them reach a new goal or practice what they are learning. In this class we teach the students about social skills and it is amazing to watch them practice having a conversation or learning to ask for what they need. I have been a Paraeducator for 5 years. I have watched my students grow and eventually move on to middle school. I love what I do and I think the only thing that would make me happier would be to finish my schooling so that I can become the lead teacher. I want to work with their goals and be a part of their IEP’s. I want to be the person that makes their lesson plans and decides what it is that they need to focus on. I am starting my Masters program in education and I will also be finishing my credential. It is important for me to stay in special education because unfortunately, they do not always get the care they deserve. I have seen news stories about special education being a place where students are abused. This world needs more special education teachers and workers. People who are passionate about their students and seeing them succeed. Education is important to me because my parents never graduated high school. They always wanted me to get as much education as I could. Being a life-long learnercis important to me because I want to show all of my younger family that they can do anything with an education. I want them to know that just because they are trying something new, doesn’t mean it is impossible. Sometimes it is important to mark your own path. My high school teacher inspired me to continue on an education path. I had plenty of people tell me that teaching wasn’t a good job because the teachers don’t get paid what they deserve. This is overwhelmingly true. However my high school teacher inspired me to do what makes me happy to make the changes that I want to see. Unfortunately this teacher has passed, but she will forever be one of my inspirations.

My husband was always a healthy, happy man. He was always the life of the party. When I got pregnant, I knew that he would be an amazing father. He works hard to support those he loves. What we thought was a simple cold ruined my husband’s life. He could not kick this sickness and finally after about 2 weeks of not feeling well, I noticed his coloring was off, and he was starting to look swollen. I ignored the signs. Something I will always regret. After another week I looked at him and his lips were blue, and he was twice the size he usually was. I took my husband to the doctor and found out he have Covid. We were relieved because now we had an answer. Now he just needed to recover. They put him in a medicated coma for him to heal. While he was in this coma the doctor called me and asked me if I knew he was having heart issues. I was shocked. He never complained about his heart. The doctor explained that this was the reason he was swollen, and that getting Covid probably saved his life. My husband came out of the coma and eventually they sent him home and I began obsessing and caring for him. He was on a bunch of medications, and could not do the things he usually did. I completely took over while he quit his job to rest his heart. All the while, I was pregnant. I was tired and grumpy, but knew that he would do the same for me. We went through a couple different medication to relieve the side effects on his way back to a new normal and eventually decided that he needed an ICD implant. The ICD implant monitors the heart and will shock it, if an abnormal beat is happening. This was a last resort that we hoped we would never find out how it feels. I eventually had our son and he healed better than we ever thought. He was active, and loving being a father. Unfortunately the day came when we did find out his ICD worked. He was shocked 7 hard times. This was painful and terrifying. We were told without the implant, his heart would have stopped. I have never been so grateful for modern technology in my life. My husband can now live a normal life and be the amazing father he was always meant to be. My family is on a permanently heart healthy diet and I constantly stress the importance of heart health. This was a hard long road, but I know we can make it through anything. I am now going back to school to earn my Master’s degree with my husband supporting me this time.

College was never part of my plan. In my family, college was a dream that rarely came true. My parents would always encourage me to go as high as I possibly could when it came to education, however money was always a worry and I decided to work. I earned my associates degree in child development after wanting to find a job that I enjoyed and that could support me financially. I worked for 5 years with children in a daycare center earning a little over minimum wage. I knew this wasn’t enough to support myself down the road with a family. I got pregnant and I knew immediately I wanted to provide a life for my child where they don’t have to worry about money. I wanted them to be a kid as long as possible. Once I found out about my baby, I began working toward my bachelors degree. Going to school while pregnant was hard. I was constantly tired and sick. I wanted to give up many times but continued to push through for my baby. I knew this would be worth it. I had my son before I graduated. This prompted me to take a semester off. I debated going back to school at all because I was so tired and had no one to help me. I pushed through this and went on to earn my bachelors degree. I am now going to earn my masters degree and I couldn’t be more proud of myself. Being a student and a mother is exhausting. I get overwhelmed at times. I like to make sure I take the time to do self care. This helps me decompress, and also helps my son see that when you are overwhelmed, there are healthy things we can do to help ourselves. Being a student also means having to study. This can be extremely difficult with a small child. One way I manage studying, is to set up a reading time every day. I set up a reading area and I read my books and study materials, as my son reads his books or colors. This ensures that I have time to study, and my son learns the value of reading. I want my son to see me study. I want him to know that this is not easy, but it is something that I want, so I work for it. Another obstacle that I find going to school as a mother, is getting the opportunity to spend quality time with my son. My time with him is cut shorter due to classes. On weekends, I like to make sure that me and my son get some good quality time together. This is essential for managing both of my roles as a student and as a single mother.

I always knew I wanted to work with children. Special education was never in my plan. However, I got my associates in child development, and got my first job at a daycare for children who have experienced trauma or drug exposure. I fell in love with helping these babies overcome obstacles. I knew right then and there that I wanted to help these children. I then applied for a position in an autism classroom while I was finishing my bachelors degree. I became a Paraeducator for a moderate to severe SDC classroom. This classroom had grades 3-6, and the students are diagnosed with autism. Working with these students ignited a passion that I didn’t know I had. I see how my students work incredibly hard to do things that other children take for granted. One of my favorite parts of working with special needs is seeing them reach a new goal or practice what they are learning. In this class we teach the students about social skills and it is amazing to watch them practice having a conversation or learning to ask for what they need. I have been a Paraeducator for 5 years. I have watched my students grow and eventually move on to middle school. I love what I do and I think the only thing that would make me happier would be to finish my schooling so that I can become the lead teacher. I want to work with their goals and be a part of their IEP’s. I want to be the person that makes their lesson plans and decides what it is that they need to focus on. I am starting my Masters program in education and I will also be finishing my credential. It is important for me to stay in special education because unfortunately, they do not always get the care they deserve. I have seen news stories about special education being a place where students are abused. This world needs more special education teachers and workers. People who are passionate about their students and seeing them succeed. Education is important to me because my parents never graduated high school. They always wanted me to get as much education as I could. Being the first generation student in my family is important to me because I want to show all of my younger family that they can do anything with an education. I want them to know that just because they are trying something new, doesn’t mean it is impossible. Sometimes it is important to mark your own path.

I am pursuing a career in education because I have seen first hand what a good teacher can do. I have watched my sister grow up in a world where people don’t always accept her. Most teachers strive to understand her and I have wanted to become a teacher like that since we were kids. Teachers have the opportunity to build relationships with their students. They can build that trust with them and become a trusting adult in their life when they may not have one. These relationships are why I am inspired to teach. I have worked with children for 8 years. One thing I have learned is that you don’t know what’s happening at home. For our students, school could be the place they come to for safety, for understanding, for meals. I want to be a part of that community that helps these children feel cared for. I work with special education students. This was not always my plan, but I thank god every day that he put me with these children. They have taught me to be authentically myself and how to have fun. I am a teachers assistant and it is my job to help them through their day. Some students need more help than others, but I know it is what it am here for. I have had people tell me they have no idea how I could work with these kids. This statement is why I will continue to work in the special education community. My students are not weird or “special”. They are normal children who need a little extra support in different areas of their lives and education. They are children that need what every other child needs; understanding. I am passionate about my work and I want to make a difference for these children. I am pursuing my Master’s degree in education so that I can work my way up and make the necessary changes for special education. I want to give these children the best chance at an education and living a normal life. This is important for not only my future students, but also for their parents. It is nerve wracking raising a child with disabilities. I want to be a pillar of support not only for their children, but for the parents as well. I want to teach them what I know and help them see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I was born in Okinawa, Japan into a military family. In my early years I went to school on Kadena Air Force Base. Throughout these years I have few memories with my dad. I always knew him and would talk to him, but physically, I was not with him much. My father was always on TDY, serving his country. I moved to the United States when I was ten years old and my father immediately had to serve a year in Korea. I moved to a new county, started a new school, made new friends, and lost my dad all in one month. Luckily, I moved to another Air Force Base where I was surrounded by other people who understood what I was going through. I had a community where people looked out for me. A community where the parents that were still home on base, would come and check on the families that had a parent gone. I feel grateful everyday that I had that community. When I thought my world was at its worst, I had people who understood me, even when I didn’t understand my own feelings. My father eventually retired from the military and is known as a lifer. I finished high school on an Air Force base and then was in for the shock of a lifetime when leaving for college. It wasn’t as safe in my new town. I had to be more vigilant. Movie theaters don’t play the national anthem before the start of every movie. Who knew?? I have found myself standing in the movie theater multiple times before I realized the national anthem wouldn’t be playing. Not many people can relate to a life where your parent hast to put our country above their family. For us military kids though, it’s the normal way of life. We know that at a drop of a hat our parent can be shipped off anywhere in the world. Our entire world can be shaken without a moments notice. For an entire year we can be left worrying about our loved ones who have been shipped off. It is scary and anxious time for the children of these heroes, but it is a job that we grow up respecting. My dad is now a disabled veteran. He has pains throughout his body but he still stands for the flag, salutes anyone in uniform, and praises America whenever anyone will listen. I am a proud military child.

I have been struggling with depression, anxiety, and PTSD for many years. I know what it is like to feel like you don't belong anywhere. The hardest times in my life are when I am stuck in a depressive state. I got the strength to make an appointment with a therapist and it slowly began to ruin my life, so I thought. I underwent EMDR for my PTSD and immediately, many things I had wished I could forget, came to the surface and my depression was worse than ever. I wanted to quit, but I decided to stick with it. After a year of undergoing intense therapy, I started to see life in a different way. I became happier, I was having fewer depressive episodes, and I was having less traumatic flashbacks. I became a person I thought I would never meet again. I tell my story to anyone who will listen for one specific reason; mental health is important. In my experience, people don't take mental health seriously. I have been told multiple times to "just choose to be happy" or "exercise more". Anyone who has dealt with any mental health issues can tell you that it is not that easy. Sometimes exercise can help, but it is not the cure. To maintain my mental health I have a few different techniques that I use often. The first is breathing. When I have a particular flashback, or my anxiety is higher than normal, I stop what I am doing and I do a breathing technique. If one technique doesn't work, I move onto the next one. This usually helps, but if I still need some support I start tapping. I have used the tapping technique for a few years and it helps me focus on myself and my body. Medication is also important to my mental health maintenance. I know that my medication helps me be a happier and less stressed person. I make sure that I use my medication as doctors prescribed, and I check in for regular appointments. Making appointments is important for regular mental health checkups, but also for when I need extra support. Sometimes I fall into a depressive episode that no matter what techniques I try, I need extra support. I call and make an appointment to see my therapist, and we talk out what has been bothering me and what could help me move forward in my treatment. Mental health is a huge priority to me because I know what it feels like when I ignore it.

I have been working in the special education field for 8 years. I love working with children and had always considered them as my own. I never thought I would have the time or room in my heart for my own. I had my son when I was 30 and immediately, I knew that I was wrong. I had to restructure my entire life to fit my career, and my family. restructuring my entire schedule was very difficult. All I had ever known was work. However, I knew I wanted as much time with my son as possible. The first thing I had to work on was leaving work at work. This mean no longer bringing home papers to grade, or activities to work on for the next day. My home time was just that, home time. This also included not bringing things home mentally. It was unfair to not only me, but to my son to come home stressed out, overworked, and grumpy because I had a harder day with my students. The second thing That I had to change was my outlook. If I thought I couldn't do it, I didn't try as hard. I had to change my whole outlook to remind myself that I can do whatever I need to, to help my family and keep them happy. I became a more positive person which helped not only me and my family, but also my students. I was a happier person when I didn't have work on my mind 24/7. I was a better mother and teacher. Now that I am used to my work and family routine, I want to go back to school. I received my bachelor's degree in June of 2024, and I am returning to get my master's degree in education. This will take even more time from myself, my work, and my family. I am eager to see how this goes, but I am more eager to show my son that you can conquer your fears and make time for what you love. I will always make time for my son, and he will grow up knowing that I make him a priority, even while trying to better our lives. Balancing work, education, and family life isn't easy. It is very hard. But it is something that is necessary to ensure that I can reach my dreams while still helping my son grow into a positive, kind, person.