In 2022, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was scared to talk to anyone, or even leave the house. These simple actions would send me spiraling into a panic attack. I lived life in a constant state of fight or flight. My doctors had tried medications, and kept upping the dose, but nothing appeared to be working. I was quickly becoming suicidal and resorting to self harm. So, my mom began searching the internet for an answer. Eventually, she discovered, that there are service dogs that assist with PTSD. Not long after she discovered this, she adopted a dog, and found a trainer who had experience training PTSD service dogs that was willing to train the new puppy. We payed about 10,000$ for the training, and four months later, my service dog, Sunny, was fully trained. Sunny was, and still is, a miracle worker. Within weeks, I was able to be out of the house again with significantly less panic attacks. I feel more confident when I have Sunny because she is trained to watch my back and guard me, and I know she won’t let anyone harm me. I also know it gives my mom assurance knowing Sunny will bring me somewhere safe before a panic attack. But, with the positive, has come many negatives. Due to the protection service dogs and their handlers have under the ADA, it makes it very easy for the common citizen to bring their pet in claiming it as a service dog. Sadly, these dogs tend to either be a distraction or a threat. Many are untrained and run rampant. Some, are even aggressive. Sunny and I have been attacked by these false service dogs on three separate occasions. But, worse then the dogs, are the people. As a handler, I have been discriminated against, refused access, verbally abused, and criticized many times because I have a Service dog. Strangers also distract my service dog by attempting to give her commands, petting her, and feeding her on the street. This has infuriated me to no end, and I wish to change that. I plan to attend college with a major in communications with a specialization in civil discord and a minor in public relations. I plan to become a disability advocate in the form of social media, and speaking. The word is one of our most powerful weapons, and I believe that these courses will give me the ability to wield words in the most effective, yet least hurtful way possible. I want to make disability education a regular inclusion nationwide to minimize the amount of children who grow up into uneducated adults. Making the lives of disabled citizens easier by minimizing the amount of ignorant adults they have to interact with. Getting this scholarship would bring me one step closer to graduating debt free, allowing me to focus my resources on growing my influence and giving to those in need. After all, what good are dreams if you do not follow through?

In 2022, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was scared to talk to anyone, or even leave the house. These simple actions would send me spiraling into a panic attack. I lived life in a constant state of fight or flight. My doctors had tried medications, and kept upping the dose, but nothing appeared to be working. I was quickly becoming suicidal and resorting to self harm. So, my mom began searching the internet for an answer. Eventually, she discovered, that there are service dogs that assist with PTSD. Not long after she discovered this, she adopted a dog, and found a trainer who had experience training PTSD service dogs that was willing to train the new puppy. We payed about 10,000$ for the training, and four months later, my service dog, Sunny, was fully trained. Sunny was, and still is, a miracle worker. Within weeks, I was able to be out of the house again with significantly less panic attacks. I feel more confident when I have Sunny because she is trained to watch my back and guard me, and I know she won’t let anyone harm me. I also know it gives my mom assurance knowing Sunny will bring me somewhere safe before a panic attack. But, with the positive, has come many negatives. Due to the protection service dogs and their handlers have under the ADA, it makes it very easy for the common citizen to bring their pet in claiming it as a service dog. Sadly, these dogs tend to either be a distraction or a threat. Many are untrained and run rampant. Some, are even aggressive. Sunny and I have been attacked by these false service dogs on three separate occasions. But, worse then the dogs, are the people. As a handler, I have been discriminated against, refused access, verbally abused, and criticized many times because I have a Service dog. Strangers also distract my service dog by attempting to give her commands, petting her, and feeding her on the street. This has infuriated me to no end, and I wish to change that. I plan to attend college with a major in communications with a specialization in civil discord and a minor in public relations. I plan to become a disability advocate in the form of social media, and speaking. The word is one of our most powerful weapons, and I believe that these courses will give me the ability to wield words in the most effective, yet least hurtful way possible. I want to make disability education a regular inclusion nationwide to minimize the amount of children who grow up into uneducated adults. Making the lives of disabled citizens easier by minimizing the amount of ignorant adults they have to interact with. Getting this scholarship would bring me one step closer to graduating debt free, allowing me to focus my resources on growing my influence and giving to those in need. After all, what good are dreams if you do not follow through?

Although I may not be a conventional athlete, I am still an athlete. I am a dancer. To be frank, my coaches were not the most kind. But oddly enough, that is what had the most positive impact on me. But how you may ask? Well, in 2019 I started doing dance. I was the ultimate wall flower. Frequently overlooked by all in my class, including the teachers. As time went on, I gained confidence, and the wall flower, turned into a social butterfly. I knew everyone, and was the first to welcome all who came to our studio. Eventually that led to me becoming a student assistant, which was a dream for me! I was living it up on top. But as things normally go, when things couldn’t get any better, they got worse. In 2022, following some traumatic events, I reached a new low. I was suicidal, committing self harm, loosing friends, and ultimately, who I thought I was. Medication wasn’t working, nothing was. So I kept pulling inside of myself more and more. Eventually, out of desperation, one summer, my mother got me a service dog, named Sunny. She quickly became my lifeline, with her around, I began feeling like a human being again! So, first dance class I could, I brought Sunny with me. But, to my sorrow, my coaches were less then happy for me. They didn’t seem to care that I felt like myself again. They only cared that there was a dog in their studio, even if it was a service dog, and they wanted her out. So, Sunny and I were banished to the side until my parents could come get me. I felt my heart break, was there not going to be a way for me to feel like a human and do what I love? My parents and I continued to talk to my coaches, trying to explain law after law, and appeal to their empathy. But, we were met with hostility. Unwilling to give up what I loved, I continued attending classes, without Sunny, feeling like a shell of myself. But to make matters worse, being angry with me, my coaches took away my student teaching position. Leaving me even more heart broken then before. I wish I could say they eventually came through, and accepted me for who I was, but I can’t. Eventually, it became to much for me, and I had to leave. Kinda a depressing story, right? How could good come out of this? Well, to put it simply, although I lost my dance studio, my coaches behavior towards Sunny and I awakened a new dream in me. I wish to educate others on disabilities, hopefully creating a new generation of teachers and coaches, like Dave, who are willing to support those struggling, while pushing them to be the best they can be. I also hope to fight against discrimination within the arts and athletics world. So many people see a disability as a “can’t.” But that is a lie. All a disabled person needs is someone to believe in them, like Dave, and a bucket load of hard work, and they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

In 2022, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was scared to talk to anyone, or even leave the house. These simple actions would send me spiraling into a panic attack. I lived life in a constant state of fight or flight. My doctors had tried medications, and kept upping the dose, but nothing appeared to be working. I was quickly becoming suicidal and resorting to self harm. So, my mom began searching the internet for an answer. Eventually, she discovered, that there are service dogs that assist with PTSD. Not long after she discovered this, she adopted a dog, and found a trainer who had experience training PTSD service dogs that was willing to train the new puppy. We payed about 10,000$ for the training, and four months later, my service dog, Sunny, was fully trained. Sunny was, and still is, a miracle worker. Within weeks, I was able to be out of the house again with significantly less panic attacks. I feel more confident when I have Sunny because she is trained to watch my back and guard me, and I know she won’t let anyone harm me. I also know it gives my mom assurance knowing Sunny will bring me somewhere safe before a panic attack. But, with the positive, has come many negatives. Due to the protection service dogs and their handlers have under the ADA, it makes it very easy for the common citizen to bring their pet in claiming it as a service dog. Sadly, these dogs tend to either be a distraction or a threat. Many are untrained and run rampant. Some, are even aggressive. Sunny and I have been attacked by these false service dogs on three separate occasions. But, worse then the dogs, are the people. As a handler, I have been discriminated against, refused access, verbally abused, and criticized many times because I have a Service dog. Strangers also distract my service dog by attempting to give her commands, petting her, and feeding her on the street. This has infuriated me to no end, and I wish to change that. I plan to attend college with a major in communications with a specialization in civil discord and a minor in public relations. I plan to become a disability advocate in the form of social media, and speaking. The word is one of our most powerful weapons, and I believe that these courses will give me the ability to wield words in the most effective, yet least hurtful way possible. I want to make disability education a regular inclusion nationwide to minimize the amount of children who grow up into uneducated adults. Making the lives of disabled citizens easier by minimizing the amount of ignorant adults they have to interact with. Getting this scholarship would bring me one step closer to graduating debt free, allowing me to focus my resources on growing my influence and giving to those in need. After all, what good are dreams if you do not follow through?

In 2022, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was scared to talk to anyone, or even leave the house. These simple actions would send me spiraling into a panic attack. I lived life in a constant state of fight or flight. My doctors had tried medications, and kept upping the dose, but nothing appeared to be working. I was quickly becoming suicidal and resorting to self harm. So, my mom began searching the internet for an answer. Eventually, she discovered, that there are service dogs that assist with PTSD. Not long after she discovered this, she adopted a dog, and found a trainer who had experience training PTSD service dogs that was willing to train the new puppy. We payed about 10,000$ for the training, and four months later, my service dog, Sunny, was fully trained. Sunny was, and still is, a miracle worker. Within weeks, I was able to be out of the house again with significantly less panic attacks. I feel more confident when I have Sunny because she is trained to watch my back and guard me, and I know she won’t let anyone harm me. I also know it gives my mom assurance knowing Sunny will bring me somewhere safe before a panic attack. But, with the positive, has come many negatives. Due to the protection service dogs and their handlers have under the ADA, it makes it very easy for the common citizen to bring their pet in claiming it as a service dog. Sadly, these dogs tend to either be a distraction or a threat. Many are untrained and run rampant. Some, are even aggressive. Sunny and I have been attacked by these false service dogs on three separate occasions. But, worse then the dogs, are the people. As a handler, I have been discriminated against, refused access, verbally abused, and criticized many times because I have a Service dog. Strangers also distract my service dog by attempting to give her commands, petting her, and feeding her on the street. This has infuriated me to no end, and I wish to change that. I plan to attend PBA with a major in communications with a specialization in civil discord and a minor in public relations. I plan to become a disability advocate in the form of social media, and public speaking. The word is one of our most powerful weapons, and I believe that these courses will give me the ability to wield words in the most effective, yet least hurtful way possible. I want to make disability education a regular inclusion nationwide to minimize the amount of children who grow up into uneducated adults. Making the lives of disabled citizens easier by minimizing the amount of ignorant adults they have to interact with. Disabilities and chronic illnesses are a reality of our world, and they are so seldomly recognized. Earning this scholarship will get me 1 step closer to my goal of graduating debt free, allowing me to focus my finances on growing my public profile and giving to the disabled community.

According to Oxford, the definition of success is “The accomplishment of an aim or a purpose.” Understandably, with this definition, success looks different for everyone. But what exactly does success look like to me? All my life I have been bothered by the way certain people are outcast for things beyond their control. One case that has become especially close to my heart, is the case of the disabled. As I have grown older, I have begun to wonder, what I can do to resolve this problem in my community. So, in other words, although the dream is lofty, ultimate success to me is resolving the differences and discrimination between those with disabilities and those without by changing education. Education is one of the keystones of society. What is done and taught in the classroom, carries over to adulthood. As an early elementary teacher myself, I have begun to take note of how certain classroom structures impacts outside of classroom behavior. For example, the biggest thing I have noticed is that in all situations, the students will to an extent mimic the teachers behavior. So, when we have special needs friends in the classroom, the students mimic my behavior. This makes it all the more important that I treat the student like a normal student. Finding ways to allow the special needs student to participate within activities while still allowing the student to be independent. When I speak to children, I make it very clear that a disability does not mean that a person cannot do something, but that they simply may need to do it a different way. For example, a deaf student can still enjoy music, they simply may do it through feeling the vibrations rather then hearing the notes. Furthermore, it is not our job to tell them what they can or cannot do. We need to ask how we can help them. If all teachers begin to lead by example, and inform students about disabilities, the world would be filled with less ignorant adults and therefore, allowing the brilliant minds of the disabled to share their ideas with the world. In other words, our education system needs to change. I believe that I can do that with the right education. I plan to attend Palm Beach Atlantic University for Communications (specialization in civil discourse) with a minor in public relations. I chose this path because I believe it will give me the ability to eloquently form, present, and argue my ideas to school boards. I see a problem, and I wish to acquire the tools to fix it. But I am incapable of doing it alone. College is an expensive endeavor, and my career path would not allow me to repay my college debt in a timely manner. Therefore, to pursue success, I am seeking scholarships so I can place my attention on pursuing social equality for the disabled rather then financial strains. This 2,500$ scholarship would be an incredible blessing as I continue upon this journey to equality.

In 2022, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was scared to talk to anyone, or even leave the house. These simple actions would send me spiraling into a panic attack. I lived life in a constant state of fight or flight. My doctors had tried medications, and kept upping the dose, but nothing appeared to be working. I was quickly becoming suicidal and resorting to self harm. So, my mom began searching the internet for an answer. Eventually, she discovered, that there are service dogs that assist with PTSD. Not long after she discovered this, she adopted a dog, and found a trainer who had experience training PTSD service dogs that was willing to train the new puppy. We payed about 10,000$ for the training, and four months later, my service dog, Sunny, was fully trained. Sunny was, and still is, a miracle worker. Within weeks, I was able to be out of the house again with significantly less panic attacks. I feel more confident when I have Sunny because she is trained to watch my back and guard me, and I know she won’t let anyone harm me. I also know it gives my mom assurance knowing Sunny will bring me somewhere safe before a panic attack. But, with the positive, has come many negatives. Due to the protection service dogs and their handlers have under the ADA, it makes it very easy for the common citizen to bring their pet in claiming it as a service dog. Sadly, these dogs tend to either be a distraction or a threat. Many are untrained and run rampant. Some, are even aggressive. Sunny and I have been attacked by these false service dogs on three separate occasions. But, worse then the dogs, are the people. As a handler, I have been discriminated against, refused access, verbally abused, and criticized many times because I have a Service dog. Strangers also distract my service dog by attempting to give her commands, petting her, and feeding her on the street. This has infuriated me to no end, and I wish to change that. I plan to attend college with a major in communications with a specialization in civil discord and a minor in public relations. I plan to become a disability advocate in the form of social media, and speaking. The word is one of our most powerful weapons, and I believe that these courses will give me the ability to wield words in the most effective, yet least hurtful way possible. I want to make disability education a regular inclusion nationwide to minimize the amount of children who grow up into uneducated adults. Making the lives of disabled citizens easier by minimizing the amount of ignorant adults they have to interact with.

In 2022, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was scared to talk to anyone, or even leave the house. These simple actions would send me spiraling into a panic attack. I lived life in a constant state of fight or flight. My doctors had tried medications, and kept upping the dose, but nothing appeared to be working. I was quickly becoming suicidal and resorting to self harm. So, my mom began searching the internet for an answer. Eventually, she discovered, that there are service dogs that assist with PTSD. Not long after she discovered this, she adopted a dog, and found a trainer who had experience training PTSD service dogs that was willing to train the new puppy. We payed about 10,000$ for the training, and four months later, my service dog, Sunny, was fully trained. Sunny was, and still is, a miracle worker. Within weeks, I was able to be out of the house again with significantly less panic attacks. I feel more confident when I have Sunny because she is trained to watch my back and guard me, and I know she won’t let anyone harm me. I also know it gives my mom assurance knowing Sunny will bring me somewhere safe before a panic attack. But, with the positive, has come many negatives. Due to the protection service dogs and their handlers have under the ADA, it makes it very easy for the common citizen to bring their pet in claiming it as a service dog. Sadly, these dogs tend to either be a distraction or a threat. Many are untrained and run rampant. Some, are even aggressive. Sunny and I have been attacked by these false service dogs on three separate occasions. But, worse then the dogs, are the people. As a handler, I have been discriminated against, refused access, verbally abused, and criticized many times because I have a Service dog. Strangers also distract my service dog by attempting to give her commands, petting her, and feeding her on the street. This has infuriated me to no end, and I wish to change that. I plan to attend college with a major in communications with a specialization in civil discord and a minor in public relations. I plan to become a disability advocate in the form of social media, and speaking. The word is one of our most powerful weapons, and I believe that these courses will give me the ability to wield words in the most effective, yet least hurtful way possible. I want to make disability education a regular inclusion nationwide to minimize the amount of children who grow up into uneducated adults. Making the lives of disabled citizens easier by minimizing the amount of ignorant adults they have to interact with.