Someone Always Has to Go First Being deaf in a hearing world is like trying to jump rope with both hands tied behind your back while blindfolded. It sounds impossible, but I have learned that sometimes I have to do what feels impossible just to make my mark. In a strange way, that has prepared me to be a first-generation college student. I was born into a world between the Deaf and the hearing. There is no perfect instruction manual for navigating mainstream education as a deaf student. College feels familiar in that way. My academic journey has never been a straight line. There were times when I struggled to keep up while everyone else seemed to be moving forward. Spoken instruction moves quickly, background noise fills in the gaps, and listening fatigue can turn an ordinary school day into an exhausting one. Sometimes my grades did not show how hard I was working behind the scenes just to keep pace. Eventually, I stopped measuring progress by whether I was keeping pace with everyone else. I learned to advocate for captioning, visual instruction, extended time, and the tools I needed to learn. I learned that a setback was not the end of the road. Sometimes it was simply the beginning of a different one. Mine led to a robotics lab. In Robotics and Automated Manufacturing, the skills I developed from years of adapting became strengths. I was observant. I noticed small details. I knew how to fill in missing pieces and find another solution when the first one failed. I graduated as a certified CPT 4.0 Technician and program record holder, placed third in Robotics and Automation Technology at the Alabama SkillsUSA State Conference, and earned college credit in Electric Circuits and Introduction to Robotics. Now I am attending my first semester at Shelton State Community College. My long term goal is to earn my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Robotics and Mechatronics. I want to work in advanced automotive manufacturing with the robotics and automation systems shaping the future of the industry. But being first-generation has made me think about more than where my own path leads. Someone always has to go first. Many of the accommodations and opportunities I have today exist because someone before me asked for change. That is something I have never taken for granted. Some of the hardest battles for accessibility gave me strength because I knew the outcome might reach further than me. Every barrier I challenged had the possibility of becoming one less barrier for someone coming behind me. This scholarship would help me continue my education and move closer to becoming the first in my immediate family to earn a college degree. Being first-generation means I am once again learning how to navigate something new, but hopefully leaving better directions behind me. I want to help untie the hands and remove the blindfold for the person jump roping behind me.

Making Room for Everyone Growing up deaf in a hearing world taught me something early, being allowed in the room and being able to participate in it are two very different things. I attended mainstream schools my entire life. My education gave me opportunities I am grateful for, but equal access did not happen automatically. It took years of working with my family, teachers, and IEP team to make sure I had access to the same information and opportunities as my hearing classmates. Those experiences shaped how I see community. I do not want the next generation of deaf and hard of hearing students to spend so much time figuring out how to fit into spaces that were never designed with them in mind. Surprisingly, I found one of the places I felt most understood in a robotics classroom. When I entered the Robotics and Automated Manufacturing program at my career technical school, I discovered that machines have their own language. Robotics is built around logic, precision, observation, and problem solving. Those were skills I had already spent my life developing. Being deaf taught me to pay attention to details other people may overlook and to find another way when the obvious solution does not work. That classroom changed the direction of my future. I went on to become a nationally certified CPT 4.0 Technician and program record holder, earn college credit in Electric Circuits and Robotics, and place third in Robotics and Automation Technology at the Alabama SkillsUSA State Conference. This fall, I am continuing that path at Shelton State Community College in Industrial Electronics. My long term goal is to continue my education in mechanical engineering with a focus on robotics and mechatronics and build a career in automotive advanced manufacturing. But I do not just want to build machines. I want to build better spaces for the people working beside them. My mom and I created Southern Sign Society because we want more deaf and hard of hearing students to see themselves in places where they are still underrepresented. I want students like me participating in sports, joining career technical programs, competing in SkillsUSA, pursuing engineering, and walking into spaces without first wondering whether they belong there. The people who inspire me most are the ones who did that for me. My family pushed me to try things before I knew whether I would be good at them. My teachers and mentors in robotics saw what I could contribute instead of focusing on what I could not hear. Their support taught me that sometimes changing someone’s future begins with simply giving them a real opportunity. I want to return that opportunity. My education will give me the technical skills to help shape the future of manufacturing, but I want my impact to reach beyond the machines I help design. I want accessibility to become a forethought instead of an afterthought, especially in technical education and the skilled trades. I spent a lot of my life learning how to navigate rooms that were not designed for me. My goal now is bigger than finding my own place in them. I want to help redesign the room.

One of my greatest achievements was earning third place at the 2026 Alabama SkillsUSA State Conference in Robotics and Automation Technology. For many students, a robotics competition is a chance to demonstrate technical skills. For me, it was also a test of perseverance, adaptability, and confidence. I am deaf, and I have spent my entire education in a mainstream environment designed primarily for hearing students. In technical fields like robotics and automation, communication is a major part of success. Instructions are often delivered verbally, discussions happen quickly, and important information can be exchanged in seconds. Throughout my life, I have had to find ways to overcome those barriers while keeping pace with everyone around me. When I entered the Robotics and Automated Manufacturing program at CTEC, I quickly realized I would need strategies that worked for me. Instead of relying solely on spoken instruction, I became a highly visual learner. I studied demonstrations, diagrams, and technical materials while practicing skills until I fully understood them. I also learned to advocate for myself by asking questions, requesting clarification, and helping others understand the best ways to communicate with me. One of the most valuable skills I developed was learning to break large problems into smaller parts. Whether troubleshooting a machine, wiring a circuit, or programming a robotic system, I learned to analyze each component and test solutions step by step. This approach helped me solve technical challenges and stay calm under pressure. Those skills became especially important while preparing for the SkillsUSA state competition. Robotics and automation require teamwork, precision, and problem-solving. There were moments when communication barriers made tasks more difficult, but I focused on preparation, attention to detail, and trusting the skills I had developed. The result was an achievement I am incredibly proud of. My teammate and I earned third place in the state of Alabama. That award represented much more than a medal. It represented years of learning how to adapt, advocate for myself, and turn obstacles into opportunities. Along the way, I discovered that some of the skills I developed because of my hearing loss actually strengthened my abilities as a future engineer. I became more observant, more detail oriented, and more focused on visual problem solving. These qualities have helped me succeed not only in robotics but also in my dual-enrollment mechatronics coursework and technical training. My experience in robotics has inspired me to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on robotics and mechatronics. I hope to work in industrial automation and advanced manufacturing, helping build and improve the systems that shape our future. I also hope to serve as a role model for other Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who may be interested in STEM fields. Robotics has taught me that every problem has a solution if you are willing to approach it with patience, creativity, and determination. Earning third place at the Alabama SkillsUSA State Conference in Robotics and Automation Technology is one of my proudest accomplishments. Not only did I place in a traditionally male-dominated field, but I did so as a deaf competitor in a competition that relies heavily on communication, teamwork, and technical skill. At this point in my life, it stands as one of my greatest achievements because it represents years of hard work, self-advocacy, and perseverance. It proved to me that barriers do not define what is possible, and those lessons continue to guide me as I pursue my future in engineering.

One of the most important social issues I am working to address is accessibility and inclusion for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, especially in technical and extracurricular environments. Many spaces in education are still designed with the assumption that everyone can rely on sound. This creates barriers that are often overlooked, not because people do not care, but because they do not fully understand the challenges. As a deaf student in mainstream education, I have experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to fully participate without the right tools, support, and awareness. Instead of accepting those limitations, I have worked to create solutions that not only help me, but also help others who may face similar challenges. I am the founder and student advocate of Southern Sign Society, a student led initiative focused on promoting accessibility, inclusion, and participation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. The mission is to increase visibility and create opportunities for students to be fully involved in school activities, especially in areas where communication barriers are most common. Through this work, I advocate for practical solutions such as the use of assistive technology, better communication strategies, and increased awareness among peers, teachers, and coaches. My goal is not just to ask for accommodations, but to help normalize them so future students do not have to fight the same battles for access. In addition to advocacy, I lead by example through my involvement in both academics and extracurriculars. As a student in the Robotics and Automated Manufacturing program, I work in an environment that relies heavily on communication, teamwork, and technical instruction. I have learned how to adapt by using visual learning, hands on practice, and technology to stay engaged. At the same time, I help others understand how to communicate more effectively with me, which creates a more inclusive environment for everyone. I also participate in varsity cheer, where I have worked with my team and coaches to implement tools and strategies that allow me to stay synchronized and involved. These experiences show that accessibility is possible when people are willing to collaborate and problem solve. Community service has also played a major role in my efforts. Through varsity cheer, I have completed over 920 hours of service, working with youth programs and local outreach events. These experiences have allowed me to connect with younger students and serve as an example of what is possible, even when challenges exist. Representation matters, and I want other students, especially those with disabilities, to see that they can pursue their goals in any field. In the future, I plan to continue addressing this issue by combining my interest in engineering with advocacy. I want to contribute to designing systems and environments that are more inclusive by default, not as an afterthought. Whether that is through technology, workplace practices, or mentorship, my goal is to help create a world where accessibility is built in from the start. By continuing to speak up, lead, and innovate, I hope to make a lasting impact on both my community and the industries I plan to enter.

The Language of Machines: My Big Dream Growing up in a small town like Montevallo, the paths to success are built for a world of sound. I am a senior at Montevallo High School, a varsity cheerleader, and I am deaf. Because I have spent my life in a mainstream education system that was not designed for me, I have had to work twice as hard just to be at the starting line. I often find myself straddling the world of the hearing and the world of the Deaf, which is why I identify as deaf. It helps people understand the reality of my hearing loss and the effort I put in every day. My "big dream" is to become a leader in industrial automation as a Mechatronics technician. This dream is big for me because it takes me out of the "support" roles people sometimes expect of the deaf community and puts me right in the center of high-tech engineering. My inspiration for this dream comes from the machines I work with. In the robotics lab at the Career Technical Educational Center (CTEC), I don't have to worry about catching someone's tone or hearing a specific voice. Robotics is about logic, math, and precision. I found out quickly that I have a natural talent for seeing how mechanical systems fit together. This passion brought out skills I didn’t know I had, like the ability to visualize a solution for a complex machine before I even touch a tool. My dream is to prove that technical skill doesn't depend on how you hear the world, but on how you solve the problems in front of you. I’ve put in the work to make it happen. During my junior year at CTEC, I made history by earning the highest score of any first-year robotics student. I also earned my MSSC CPT 4.0 certification in April 2024. Currently, I am dual-enrolled at Jefferson State Community College. I am working toward my Mechatronics Certificate while finishing my senior year. My next step is to attend the University of Alabama through the Shelton State bridge program. This path will allow me to gain hands-on technical training and then move into my degree at UA. This scholarship would enable my dream by covering the essential costs of my education. Because I am navigating this path with very limited financial resources, winning scholarships is the only way I can afford to move forward. I would use these funds for tuition, housing, a meal plan, or the assistive technology I need to succeed in a lab environment. By removing these financial barriers, I can focus entirely on mastering the complex systems I’ll be working with in the industry. I want to show other kids from small towns and other students in the deaf community that our current situation doesn't set our limit. I want to change the way people look at disability in the workforce. I want them to see it as a different, highly focused way of looking at a problem.