At the age of 10, I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE), a condition that impacts the mobility of your hips and debilitates your walking, after my mother noticed a slight limp when I walked. Though I was not in any pain, I was sent to the emergency room, where the doctors talked about how urgently I needed to be pushed into surgery. I remember nothing but feelings of fear because I knew life would never be the same. The healing was very smooth, and I thought this would be the end of this journey, until my check-up. In the check-up it was announced that I would need another surgery. This surgery required me to use a walker when commuting instead of crutches and because of the stigma, I was bullied intensely. My latest surgery happened at the beginning of 9th grade so not only was I entering high school, but it was also during the peak of Covid, making everything 100% worse. Healing during a pandemic caused me to feel disconnected from the world, feeding the feeling of helplessness. This diagnosis caused a huge damper on my life because as I was in the process of physically recovering, my mental health took a huge decline. This experience shaped me immensely because after 3 surgeries, I had intense issues with self-worth. Sophomore year, I dedicated my Middle Years Project to microaggressions against minority groups including women, black youth, non-Catholics, and the LGBTQ+ community. I used my experience as a Black teen with a disability at a predominantly white Catholic school to speak on the injustice on the school level and argue for change. This experience was the turning point in my journey, and I decided that I would no longer allow SCFE to control my life. Junior year, I decided to get more involved in school to prove to myself that having a disability is not the end-all be all and there is value outside of that. I managed to gain the trust of my class and was elected to be Class Vice President, Prom Committee Chair, Black Student Union Vice President, and many more. After obtaining these positions, I continued to argue against the injustice facing minority groups while also uplifting said groups. This year, I have led various meetings speaking on the mental hardships of being black at a PWI and contributed to the creation of a cultural fair, where our black students are encouraged to showcase their knowledge and talent. Since then, I have become a leader of my school and found the voice I was so desperately seeking, the voice that could stand up to the teasing and combat the judgmental looks. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. My heartbreak fueled the fire and ignited a passion in a field where an advocate is needed, Pediatric Occupational Therapy. While children participating in occupational therapy may not always have physical disabilities, they are still at a disadvantage to excelling in the world. With my assistance, these children will learn to accept what makes them special and end the little voice telling them they can’t do something.

At the age of 10, I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE), a condition that impacts the mobility of your hips and debilitates your walking, after my mother noticed a slight limp when I walked. Though I was not in any pain, I was sent to the emergency room, where the doctors talked about how urgently I needed to be pushed into surgery. I remember nothing but feelings of fear because I knew life would never be the same. The healing was very smooth, and I thought this would be the end of this journey, until my check-up. In the check-up it was announced that I would need another surgery. This surgery required me to use a walker when commuting instead of crutches and because of the stigma, I was bullied intensely. My latest surgery happened at the beginning of 9th grade so not only was I entering high school, it was during the peak of Covid, making everything 100% worse. Healing during a pandemic caused me to feel disconnected from the world, feeding the feeling of helplessness. This diagnosis caused a huge damper on my life because as I was in the process of physically recovering, my mental health took a huge decline. This experience shaped me immensely because after 3 surgeries, I had intense issues with self-worth. Sophomore year, I dedicated my Middle Years Project to microaggressions against minority groups including women, black youth, non-Catholics, and the LGBTQ+ community. I used my experience as a Black teen with a disability at a predominantly white Catholic school to speak on the injustice on the school level and argue for change. This experience was the turning point in my journey and I decided that I would no longer allow SCFE to control my life. Junior year, I decided to take to get more involved in school to prove to myself that having a disability is not the end-all be all and there is value outside of that. I managed to gain the trust of my class and was elected to be Class Vice President, Prom Committee Chair, Black Student Union Vice President, and many more. After obtaining these positions I continued to argue against the injustice facing minority groups while also uplifting said groups. This year, I have led various meetings speaking on the mental hardships of being black at a PWI and contributed to the creation of a cultural fair, where our black students are encouraged to showcase their knowledge and talent. Since then, I have become a leader of my school and found the voice I was so desperately seeking, the voice that could stand up to the teasing and combat the judgmental looks. My heartbreak fueled the fire and ignited a passion in a field where an advocate is needed, Pediatric Occupational Therapy. While children participating in occupational therapy may not always have physical disabilities, they are still at a disadvantage to excelling in the world. With my assistance, these children will learn to accept what makes them special and end the little voice telling them they can’t do something.

I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

Hi! My name is Mikaylin Alston and I am a senior at Mercy High School in Baltimore Maryland. For academics, I plan to attend University of Cincinnati or Coastal Carolina University, to receive a different experience. I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

I believe that to receive change in the system, you must be willing to make a few people uncomfortable by forcing them to realize the hard truth. In the world, disabled people are faced with barriers such as everyday discrimination and limited accessibility. While there are wheelchair ramps and parking accommodations, disabled people are suffocated with social stigma and dehumanized from physically abled people. As a child I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) which caused great emotional turmoil in my life because I was constantly met with judgmental looks and demeaning questions about my condition. While I still deal with the mental burden from SCFE, I have psychically healed and am no longer met with those obviously offensive questions. I have realized that living in anguish is no way for any individual to live and have since dedicated my efforts to the destroying of such barriers. Over the summer, I volunteered at John Hopkins in the social work department where I helped to provide transportation, prescriptions, and food resources to many physically handicapped or mentally delayed people. Also, over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy, a pediatric Occupation Therapy practice serving the Towson area. Working in these environments has helped to develop patience and respect by focusing on the improvement and overall quality of life. In my sophomore year, I focused my culminating project on the subtle discrimination of many minorities. Drawing from my own experience, I highlighted the unfair treatment of myself and fellow students by our peers. This pivotal movement led to my ongoing fight against the maltreatment of minority groups in majority settings. I used my authority as Class and Black Student Union Vice President as a platform to call out lack of knowledge by our peers and encourage a change in behavior. As a student leader, I was invited to attend the Global Mercy Girl Effect to speak on changes we wish to see in our school. In addition to creating a safe space for black students at my school, I have also been invited to attend various other schools’ affinity group meetings to discuss the treatment of students and the intention to change. While I have only made small contributions to the cause, after high school I plan to major in Health Sciences and work towards becoming an Occupational Therapist where I can help other children like me find a voice and maximize their true potential under unfortunate circumstances. In the near future, I will run for university leadership positions, in an attempt to change the disparities in systems for institutions greater than I.

I've grown up in an environment with mentally and physically disabled individuals that were too afraid to get help, due to the stigma around treatment. Around the age of 10, I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Ephysis (SCFE). This diagnoses led to a series of surgeries on leg correction and physical therapy to regain strength. My experience with SCFE was a blessing in disguise because even though I always had feelings of fear and helplessness, it became my motivation in everything I do. When my younger cousin was diagnosed with autism, it seemed as if no one knew what to do and how to interact with him. Even though I did not know much about autism, I always knew that he was special and required special attention that he did not receive. When others would get frustrated with him for not understanding or completing a certain task, I remained patient because I understood that it was not his fault. As a child during recovery and watching my cousin navigate through life, I always felt as if I had no voice. So, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. Younger Mikaylin would be very proud of my changes because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. Freshman year I had no friends and a fear of standing up to people, but now I have grown into a great leader. I was Junior Class Vice President, Chair of the Prom Committee, Assistant Coach of the Pep Squad, and presentation captain for field day. Senior year, I was elected to fulfill my past positions as well as contribute to a new one, Black Student Union Vice President. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Health Science in hopes of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy and watched the activities of a variety of Occupational Therapists. After the first session, I fell in love with Occupational Therapy and knew this is what I would be good at. The first person I saw needed help with anger management and task focalization, another patient lived with a hole in her heart, etc. I discovered that Occupational Therapy is a very friendly and flexible environment that helps many different patients. I believe that in this profession, I would excel due to my patience and empathy for the many people in the world. I have found my passion in becoming an OT because I would like to help students that are at a disadvantage to excel in the world. This profession will help children with physical and behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.

I've grown up in an environment with mentally and physically disabled individuals that were too afraid to get help, due to the stigma around treatment. Around the age of 10, I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Ephysis (SCFE). This diagnoses led to a series of surgeries on leg correction and physical therapy to regain strength. My experience with SCFE was a blessing in disguise because even though I always had feelings of fear and helplessness, it became my motivation in everything I do. When my younger cousin was diagnosed with autism, it seemed as if no one knew what to do and how to interact with him. Even though I did not know much about autism, I always knew that he was special and required special attention that he did not receive. When others would get frustrated with him for not understanding or completing a certain task, I remained patient because I understood that it was not his fault. As a child during recovery and watching my cousin navigate through life, I always felt as if I had no voice. So, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. Younger Mikaylin would be very proud of my changes because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. Freshman year I had no friends and a fear of standing up to people, but now I have grown into a great leader. I was Junior Class Vice President, Chair of the Prom Committee, Assistant Coach of the Pep Squad, and presentation captain for field day. Senior year, I was elected to fulfill my past positions as well as contribute to a new one, Black Student Union Vice President. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Health Science in hopes of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy and watched the activities of a variety of Occupational Therapists. After the first session, I fell in love with Occupational Therapy and knew this is what I would be good at. The first person I saw needed help with anger management and task focalization, another patient lived with a hole in her heart, etc. I discovered that Occupational Therapy is a very friendly and flexible environment that helps many different patients. I believe that in this profession, I would excel due to my patience and empathy for the many people in the world. I have found my passion in becoming an OT because I would like to help students that are at a disadvantage to excel in the world. This profession will help children with physical and behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.

My experience with Slipped Capital Femoral Ephysis was a blessing in disguise because I always had feelings of fear and helplessness which soon became my motivation in everything I do. Because I always felt as if I had no voice, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Health Sciences with a minor in Special Education in hopes of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have found my passion in becoming an OT because I would like to help students who may not have physical disabilities but are still at a disadvantage to excel in the world. This profession will help children with behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.

I've grown up in an environment with mentally and physically disabled individuals that were too afraid to get help, due to the stigma around treatment. Around the age of 10, I was diagnosed with Slipped Capital Femoral Ephysis (SCFE). This diagnoses led to a series of surgeries on leg correction and physical therapy to regain strength. My experience with SCFE was a blessing in disguise because even though I always had feelings of fear and helplessness, it became my motivation in everything I do. When my younger cousin was diagnosed with autism, it seemed as if no one knew what to do and how to interact with him. Even though I did not know much about autism, I always knew that he was special and required special attention that he did not receive. When others would get frustrated with him for not understanding or completing a certain task, I remained patient because I understood that it was not his fault. As a child during recovery and watching my cousin navigate through life, I always felt as if I had no voice. So, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. Younger Mikaylin would be very proud of my changes because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. Freshman year I had no friends and a fear of standing up to people, but now I have grown into a great leader. I was Junior Class Vice President, Chair of the Prom Committee, Assistant Coach of the Pep Squad, and presentation captain for field day. Senior year, I was elected to fulfill my past positions as well as contribute to a new one, Black Student Union Vice President. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Health Science in hopes of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Over the summer, I shadowed at Kids Thrive Therapy and watched the activities of a variety of Occupational Therapists. After the first session, I fell in love with Occupational Therapy and knew this is what I would be good at. The first person I saw needed help with anger management and task focalization, another patient lived with a hole in her heart, etc. I discovered that Occupational Therapy is a very friendly and flexible environment that helps many different patients. I believe that in this profession, I would excel due to my patience and empathy for the many people in the world. I have found my passion in becoming an OT because I would like to help students that are at a disadvantage to excel in the world. This profession will help children with physical and behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.

My disability is called SCFE, Slipped capital femoral epiphysis. SCFE is a hip disorder that affects the walking and everyday movement of adolescents. I was first diagnosed in the 5th grade after my mother noticed that I had a slight limp when I walked. Though I was not in any pain, I was sent to the emergency room on May 3rd, 2017, where the doctors talked about how urgently I needed to be pushed into surgery. I remember having only feelings of fear because I knew life would never be the same. The healing was very smooth, and I thought this would be the end of this journey until my check-up. My doctor noticed that my leg had turned slightly outward and only surgery could fix that. On March 14th, 2019, I had my second surgery which was even harder than the last due to me being in 7th grade. This surgery required me to use a walker when commuting instead of crutches, which caused me to get bullied intensely. My third and last surgery happened at the beginning of 9th grade. My doctor had noticed that my legs were now uneven, and it could only be solved by cutting the bone of the longer leg. This was my worst surgery because not only was I entering high school, but it was also during the peak of COVID-19 which made everything 100% worse. This time during the healing I was only allowed 2 guests to visit so I felt a lack of support from my family, my entry to high school was done online so I couldn't keep up with the workload in addition to not having friends, and overall, I just felt very helpless. My experience with Slipped Capital Femoral Ephysis was a blessing in disguise because I always had feelings of fear and helplessness which soon became my motivation in everything I do. Because I always felt as if I had no voice, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. The younger me would be very proud of me now because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. In the 9th-grade year, I started with no friends, afraid to stand up to people, but now I have had many leadership positions. I was Junior Class Vice President, Chair of the Prom Committee, Assistant Coach of the Pep Squad, and presentation captain for field day. For the year to come, I was elected to fulfill my past positions as well as a new one, Black Student Union Vice President. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Human Development with a minor in Special Education in hopes of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have found my passion in becoming an OT because I would like to help students who may not have physical disabilities but are still at a disadvantage to excel in the world. This profession will help children with behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.

My disability is called SCFE, Slipped capital femoral epiphysis. SCFE is a hip disorder that affects the walking and everyday movement of adolescents. I was first diagnosed in the 5th grade after my mother noticed that I had a slight limp when I walk. Though I was not in any pain, I was sent to the emergency room on May 3rd, 2017, where the doctors talked about how urgently I needed to be pushed into surgery. I remember having only feelings of fear because I knew life would never be the same. The healing was very smooth, and I thought this would be the end of this journey until my check-up. My doctor noticed that my leg had turned slightly outward and only surgery could fix that. On March 14th, 2019, I had my second surgery which was even harder than the last due to me being in 7th grade. This surgery required me to use a walker when commuting instead of crutches, which caused me to get bullied intensely. My third and last surgery happened at the beginning of 9th grade. My doctor had noticed that my legs were now uneven, and it can only be solved by cutting the bone of the longer leg. This was my worst surgery because not only was I entering high school, but it was also during the peak of covid which made everything 100% worse. This time during the healing I was only allowed 2 guests to visit so I felt a lack of support from my family, my entry to high school was done online so I couldn't keep up with the workload in addition to not having friends, and overall, I just felt very helpless. My experience with SCFE was a blessing in disguise because I always had feelings of fear and helplessness which soon became my motivation in everything I do. Because I always felt as if I had no voice, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. The younger me would be very proud of me now because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. In the 9th-grade year, I started with no friends, afraid to stand up to people, but now I have had many leadership positions. I was junior class vice president, chair of the prom committee, a member of the executive board, co-captain of the pep squad, and presentation captain for field day. For the year to come, I was elected to be Senior Class Vice President, Black Student Union VP, chair of the prom committee, and a member of the executive board again. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Sociology/psychology with a minor in Special Education in hopes to become a BCBA (board-certified behavior analyst). I have found my passion in becoming a BCBA because I would like to help students that may not have physical disabilities but are still at a disadvantage to excelling in the world. This profession will help children with behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.

Because of my disability, I always had feelings of fear and helplessness which soon became my motivation in everything I do. Because I always felt as if I had no voice, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. The younger me would be very proud of me now because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. In the 9th-grade year, I started with no friends, afraid to stand up to people, but now I have had many leadership positions. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Sociology/psychology with a minor in Special Education in hopes to become a BCBA (board-certified behavior analyst). I have found my passion in becoming a BCBA because I would like to help students that may not have physical disabilities but are still at a disadvantage to excelling in the world. This profession will help children with behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all. I plan to do this work through private practice so I can set pricing based on income, rather than force clients to pay excessive pricing for help.

My disability is called SCFE, Slipped capital femoral epiphysis. SCFE is a hip disorder that affects the walking and everyday movement of adolescents. I was first diagnosed in the 5th grade after my mother noticed that I had a slight limp when I walk. Though I was not in any pain, I was sent to the emergency room on May 3rd, 2017, where the doctors talked about how urgently I needed to be pushed into surgery. I remember having only feelings of fear because I knew life would never be the same. The healing was very smooth, and I thought this would be the end of this journey until my check-up. My doctor noticed that my leg had turned slightly outward and only surgery could fix that. On March 14th, 2019, I had my second surgery which was even harder than the last due to me being in 7th grade. This surgery required me to use a walker when commuting instead of crutches, which caused me to get bullied intensely. My third and last surgery happened at the beginning of 9th grade. My doctor had noticed that my legs were now uneven, and it can only be solved by cutting the bone of the longer leg. This was my worst surgery because not only was I entering high school, but it was also during the peak of covid which made everything 100% worse. This time during the healing I was only allowed 2 guests to visit so I felt a lack of support from my family, my entry to high school was done online so I couldn't keep up with the workload in addition to not having friends, and overall, I just felt very helpless. My experience with SCFE was a blessing in disguise because I always had feelings of fear and helplessness which soon became my motivation in everything I do. Because I always felt as if I had no voice, I made it my duty to reclaim my voice and diminish the stigma behind people with disabilities. The younger me would be very proud of me now because of my willingness to never let people silence me again. In the 9th-grade year, I started with no friends, afraid to stand up to people, but now I have had many leadership positions. I was junior class vice president, chair of the prom committee, a member of the executive board, co-captain of the pep squad, and presentation captain for field day. For the year to come, I was elected to be Senior Class Vice President, Black Student Union VP, chair of the prom committee, and a member of the executive board again. Because I have found my voice in leadership, I plan to help other children find theirs after high school. In college, I plan to major in Sociology/psychology with a minor in Special Education in hopes to become a BCBA (board-certified behavior analyst). I have found my passion in becoming a BCBA because I would like to help students that may not have physical disabilities but are still at a disadvantage to excelling in the world. This profession will help children with behavioral issues to be on the same playing field as children who are not faced with the same disadvantage. This work is my way of giving back to the community and proving that a disability is not the end-all-be-all.