Being a non-traditional college student has completely changed my educational experience and future goals in ways I never could have imagined. Ten years ago, I decided to pursue a degree in historic preservation, a field that I was passionate about and excited to explore. However, life had different plans for me when my son was diagnosed with autism. The moment I received the diagnosis, my entire world shifted. Suddenly, my focus was no longer on preserving the past, but on building a better future for my son and others like him. I realized that there was a profound need for dedicated and compassionate special education teachers who could make a real difference in the lives of children with disabilities. I knew deep down that this was my calling, and I made the brave decision to go back to school to pursue a new career path. As a non-traditional college student, my educational experience has been both challenging and rewarding. Balancing school with family responsibilities and work commitments has been incredibly difficult at times, but the knowledge that I am working towards a goal that is bigger than myself gives me the strength and motivation to keep pushing forward. I have had to overcome obstacles and setbacks that I never anticipated, but each hurdle has only made me more determined to succeed. Being a non-traditional student has also shaped my future goals in profound ways. I am now more driven and focused than ever before, with a clear vision of the impact I want to make in the world. My experiences as a parent of a child with autism have given me a unique perspective and empathy that I bring to my studies and future career. I am determined to be the kind of teacher who not only educates students, but also nurtures their potential and helps them to thrive. Ultimately, my journey as a non-traditional college student has taught me the value of resilience, determination, and empathy. I am grateful for the challenges and opportunities that have come my way, as they have shaped me into the person I am today. I am confident that my experiences will make me a better teacher and a stronger advocate for children with disabilities, and I am committed to making a positive impact in their lives and in my community. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to apply for the Bob Lawyer Scholarship, as it would provide me with the support and encouragement I need to continue pursuing my dreams. I am humbled by the legacy of Bob Lawyer, and I am inspired by his dedication to empowering individuals to make a difference in their communities. I am committed to honoring his memory by being the best educator and advocate I can be, and I am grateful for the chance to share my story and my goals with you. Thank you for considering my application.

As a mother of three with two jobs, I unfortunately, do not have much time for playing video games these days. However, Minecraft was a game I very much enjoyed when I was younger, and it is a game that I was happy to pass down to my oldest son. My son's favorite part of Minecraft is the creative mode. In creative mode, he has unlimited resources. He can build anything that he can imagine without the burden of survival or gathering materials. For my son, it allows him to truly let his creativity shine. As I work on homework, I watch him play. He spends hours designing intricate buildings and landscapes. He even recreates his favorite characters from movies, tv shows, and video games. I am consistently amazed by the attention to detail he puts into his creations, from towering castles to underwater cities. With the help of Minecraft creative mode, there is no limit to his imagination. His ability to express himself in such an engaging way is the thing about Minecraft creative mode that resonates with me. As a parent, I am overjoyed to watch him dive into a world where he can unleash his creativity and build the amazing things he comes up with. Our days are so jam packed with structured activities and academic pressures. Minecraft provides a much needed outlet for my son to unwind. I am glad that my son has a game that fosters important skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and spatial awareness. I see how playing Minecraft has boosted by son's confidence. When he shows me his latest creation, I can see the pride in his eyes, and it is a wonderful feeling to witness his growth through a game that he loves. Furthermore, with the violent and often adult themed video games on the market today, it is a relief to me as a parent that there is a wholesome game like Minecraft that I can feel good about him playing.

I am currently pursuing a degree in special education. I made the decision to pursue special education because of my son, Samuel. Samuel was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Since he has been diagnosed, I have seen first hand the struggles and obstacles that children with disabilities face. Unfortunately, there are many professionals in healthcare and education who feel the need to limit what children, like my son can do. I have had to fight for my son's right to be included with his same age peers at lunch, on field trips, and in extracurricular activities. This experience ignited a fire within me to advocate for children with disabilities and ensure they receive the support they need to succeed. As a teacher working with students with disabilities, I have witnessed growth and accomplishments that many people would not think possible. In the face of challenges and overwhelming odds, my students have thrived, and the joy of witnessing their success outweighs the stress of fighting for them. I am consistently inspired by the progress my students can make with the right interventions and support, and I will never stop trying to make a positive impact in their lives. Currently, I am working on a masters degree in special education that will enhance my skills and knowledge in the field. My ultimate goal is to be a more effective advocate for my students and their families. I wish to guide them through the complexities of special education services and ensure they are receiving all the supports that they are entitled to. I strongly believe that every child, regardless of their abilities, deserves access to a quality education and the social opportunities that a school can provide. In the future, as I become more established in my field, I hope to educate and empower parents to advocate for their own children, as well as collaborate with schools to create inclusive environments that adapt to the unique needs of children with disabilities. I want these children to achieve independence and reach their full potential.

The loss of a loved one is a pain that is truly indescribable. It shakes everything we know to be true and forces us to reevaluate our priorities and what truly matters in life. For me, losing my grandfather at a young age was a devastating blow that changed my world forever. Before his passing, my grandfather was my rock, my guiding light, and my biggest supporter. He was the one who believed in me when no one else did and always pushed me to be the best version of myself. His sudden departure left a void in my heart that seemed impossible to fill. But as I navigated through the grief and pain, I realized that his spirit and legacy lived on in me, and I needed to honor him by living a life that would make him proud. Losing my grandfather made me realize that life is fragile and unpredictable, and we must cherish every moment we have with our loved ones. It taught me to focus on what truly matters in life - family, love, and making a positive impact on the world. I realized that in order to honor my grandfather's memory, I needed to fight through the pain and adversity and strive for excellence in everything I do. His passing motivated me to pursue my dreams with even more determination and passion. I knew that he would have wanted me to succeed and never give up, no matter how difficult the journey may be. I fought through the grief, the doubts, and the setbacks, and I worked tirelessly to achieve my goals and make my grandfather proud. The loss of my grandfather has fueled my ambition and strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the world. I am determined to use my pain and struggles as a source of inspiration to help others who are facing similar challenges. I want to be a beacon of hope for those who are struggling to find their way after losing a loved one, and I want to show them that it is possible to overcome even the most devastating losses. I am fighting for a future where I can honor my grandfather's memory and make a positive impact on the world. I am fighting for a life filled with love, purpose, and fulfillment. And I am fighting for a world where no one has to go through the pain of losing a loved one alone. With the help of the Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship, I hope to continue my education and pursue my dreams of making a difference in the world by becoming a special education teacher. I am grateful for this opportunity and I promise to use it to honor my grandfather's memory and make him proud. Thank you for considering my story and for supporting me in my journey to achieve greatness.

As a special education teacher, I am dedicated to making a positive impact on the world by empowering students with diverse learning needs to reach their full potential. I believe that every student has the right to a quality education that meets their individual needs and helps them develop the skills and confidence to succeed in school and beyond. I have always had a passion for working with children, especially those who face unique challenges in the classroom. My journey to becoming a special education teacher began during my undergraduate studies, where I majored in psychology and completed internships in special education classrooms. These experiences inspired me to pursue a career in special education, where I could make a difference in the lives of students who often face barriers to learning and academic success. In my role as a special education teacher, I am committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued, respected, and capable of achieving their goals. I work closely with students, parents, and other educators to develop individualized education plans that address each student's strengths, needs, and learning styles. By providing differentiated instruction, personalized support, and accommodations as needed, I strive to help every student develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive academically and socially. One of the key ways I aim to make a positive impact on the world through my career is by promoting a culture of inclusion and acceptance in the school community. I believe that all students, regardless of their abilities or differences, deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. By fostering a sense of belonging and understanding among students, staff, and families, I hope to create a more inclusive and compassionate society where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. In addition to supporting the academic and social-emotional growth of my students, I also strive to advocate for policies and practices that promote equity, access, and inclusion in education. I am passionate about social justice and believe that all students deserve access to high-quality education and support services that meet their diverse needs. By staying informed about current research, best practices, and policy initiatives in special education, I aim to be a proactive advocate for systemic change that benefits students with disabilities and other learning differences. Overall, my goal as a special education teacher is to make a positive impact on the world by empowering students with diverse learning needs to become confident, independent, and successful individuals. I am dedicated to supporting and advocating for my students, promoting a culture of inclusion and acceptance, and working towards systemic change that advances equity and access in education. By fulfilling my role with passion, dedication, and integrity, I hope to inspire others to join me in creating a more inclusive and equitable world for all students.

As a special education teacher with a master's degree in the field, I will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on society by improving the lives of students with disabilities, fostering inclusive learning environments, and advocating for change in the education system. One way I can use my education to make a positive impact on society is by providing high-quality and individualized instruction to students with disabilities. By using evidence-based practices and differentiated instruction, I can help my students reach their full potential and achieve academic success. This not only benefits the students themselves but also helps to break down the barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from fully participating in society. In addition to providing direct instruction, I can also work to create inclusive learning environments that promote acceptance and understanding of individuals with disabilities. By collaborating with general education teachers, school administrators, and parents, I can help to create a school culture that values diversity and fosters respect for all students. This can help to combat stereotypes and promote social inclusion, both within the school community and in society as a whole. As a special education teacher, I also have the opportunity to advocate for policy changes that improve the educational opportunities available to students with disabilities. By staying informed about current laws and regulations related to special education, I can work to ensure that my students receive the support and resources they need to succeed. I can also advocate for increased funding for special education programs, smaller class sizes, and more training for teachers working with students with disabilities. By using my expertise to advocate for change, I can help to create a more equitable and inclusive education system that benefits all students. Lastly, I can use my education to educate others about the needs and abilities of individuals with disabilities. By sharing my knowledge and expertise with colleagues, parents, and community members, I can help to dispel myths and misconceptions about disabilities and promote a greater understanding of the diverse needs of students with disabilities. This can help to create a more inclusive and supportive society that values the contributions of all individuals, regardless of their abilities. Overall, as a special education teacher with a master's degree, I will have the knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on society by improving the lives of students with disabilities, fostering inclusive learning environments, advocating for policy changes, and educating others about the needs of individuals with disabilities. By using my education to advocate for change and promote inclusivity, I can help to create a more equitable and supportive society for individuals with disabilities.

Taylor Swift was a musical icon for most of my adolescence, and growing up in a rural town, I was very familiar with the young country star. The album 1989 signaled her transition from a country star into a pop star, and it just so happened to coincide with a transition in my life. When Taylor Swift released her new pop album in August of 2014, I had just gotten dumped by my high school sweetheart, and I was in the process of trying to figure out who I was outside of that rural high school world. Taylor Swift’s album 1989 has a number of hits that resonate with a generation of people, from All you had to do was Stay to Bad Blood. However, the most influential song on the album, and certainly the one that resonates with me the most is the iconic Shake it off. Shake it off tells the story of a young girl who just can’t seem to make the critics in her life approve of her, and she gives a piece of solid advice that I think applies to many situations in life. She says to shake it off, and ever since I heard Taylor Swift sing those words, anytime I feel like the “haters” in my life are “hating” or the “players” are “playing” that is exactly what I have done. Thanks to Taylor Swift I have learned how to ignore the critics in my life, and I have grown happier and much more confident. Furthermore, as a paraprofessional in special education, I have children come to me almost daily saying they feel left out, or they feel like some of the other kids don’t like them. Occasionally, I even get complaints of bullying and name calling. While I do deal with the kids doing the bullying, that is little comfort the child getting bullied. The very best advice I have found to give them is to ignore the mean kids or “shake it off”. I often give them this advice by singing Taylor Swift’s song, which has one of two effects on the kids. Either they are so embarrassed by my singing that they laugh at me and walk away, or, if they are a T Swift fan, they join me in singing. Either way they go from dejected to happy and it is all thanks to Taylor Swift’s song, Shake It Off.

Since before I could read, I have been a book lover. Some of my earliest memories are sitting with my grandmother begging her for just one more story before bed. When I finally learned to read myself, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I could step through the looking glass with Alice, climb into the wardrobe with Lucy, or join Harry the Hogwarts express. Like Matilda, I devoured every book I came across. Many, like my all-time favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, I read over and over again. However, as much as I love my books, I know that people are different, and there isn’t any one novel that would appeal to everyone in the world. For that reason, the book I would choose for everyone in the world to read is not a novel. It is the Holy Bible. I would not ask everyone to read the entire Bible. If I could get everyone in the world to just read one gospel, I would be happy. The Hole Bible is the only book in the world that can lead a person to eternal life. Everyone in the world has sinned. Sin leads to death, not just physical death, but spiritual death as well in the form of eternity in Hell. However, belief in Jesus Christ can save people from that death. The most well-known verse in the Bible is found in the gospel of John. John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is the only book that really matters.

Math is one of the most important subjects that is taught in schools. The reason for this is that math is everywhere. It is universal and unchanging. It is nearly impossible to function in society without at least rudimentary math skills. Additionally, as math skills grow, so do the critical thinking skills that allow people to put a logical order to the world around them. Without math, day-to-day life would be impossible. When a carpenter builds a home, they must use exact measurements. If their math is wrong, the house will not stand. The same is true for electricians and plumbers. Without math they wouldn’t be able to do their jobs. However, professionals and inventors aren’t the only ones who use math. Each of us uses math every day. We use math when we make a budget for our household, so we know how much money we have after bills to spend on fun stuff. We use math when we set our alarms at night, so we know how much time we have in the morning to get ready. We even use math when we make dinner. Measuring ingredients is a mathematical process without which our food might not turn out well. We can’t live without math. Our need to learn math goes even deeper than our base need to know how much time we need to get ready in the morning or how much flour to add to a recipe. Learning how to solve math problems helps people learn how to be critical thinkers. This process can be seen in elementary schools. As children learn to be problem solvers in math, they learn general problem-solving skills that can be transferred to other areas of their lives. A child who just learned to troubleshoot a math problem will use that same thinking process to troubleshoot the next problem they encounter. Ensuring that children learn math skills is essential in forming them into productive members of society. Math allows us to put a logical order to the world around us. It doesn’t change over time, and it doesn’t change from place to place. Unlike so many other things that dictate our lives, math is not subjective. No matter where you are in the world or what your political beliefs are, one plus one is always going to be two

Harry Potter has been a huge part of my life since I was in the first grade. Some of the only fond memories I have of my dad are of him reading me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I was born in the perfect era to enjoy Harry Potter. When the first movie came out, I was eleven years old. The characters in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone are eleven when they first go to Hogwarts. Each subsequent year, a new movie came out. The characters were a year older with each movie, and I aged with them. As the movies progressed, the story got darker and more mature. I also matured and was better able to appreciate them. My generation is the Harry Potter generation, and like every good member of the Harry Potter generation, I know my Hogwarts house. Like most people, I always longed to be a Gryffindor as a child. It is the house of the heroes and the brave witches and wizards who triumph over evil. However, as I grew up, I realized that Gryffindor did not fit me. I knew in my heart that my place was in Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw House is known for being full of intellectual and logical students. To get into their dorm, they are required to solve a riddle or a brain teaser. While there are a variety of minds in Ravenclaw from logical to academic to creative, they all have at least one thing in common. They are uncommonly sharp. I fit in Ravenclaw. I have always been a logical person. I am careful and systematic in the way I think things through and make decisions. This is demonstrated by my affinity for chess. I have enjoyed the game since I was a child, and I have won two tournaments in my community. I also love to acquire knowledge. I devour every book I can get my hands on. I especially enjoy biographies because I love learning about people. Furthermore, I have always been great with schoolwork. I am very studious. I was the valedictorian of my high school class and the president of both the BETA club and the Physics club. For most of my life, I have been called a nerd, and I know that the people who called me that were right. I know I am a nerd, but I prefer to think of myself as a Ravenclaw.

When I was in high school, I had a plan for my life. I was going to get great grades, score well on the ACT, be valedictorian, and get a full ride to Southeast Missouri State University I planned to get a bachelor's degree in historic preservation with minors in history and marketing management, which would lay the foundation for me to get a great job in a museum. I was going to move to Chicago or New York City and work my way up through the big museums there, like the Field Museum, or the Museum of the Moving Image. It was my dream, and I almost accomplished it. I made it through high school and college. I did everything I set out to do, but life happened along the way. I graduated from college with honors, and I was also eight months pregnant. I no longer had the time or the inclination to run off to a big museum in the city. My priorities changed. My focus was on my family. Before I knew it, I had three kids, and my middle one was being diagnosed with autism. I had to be resilient. People don’t really understand autism. People talked to my son and expected him to answer them. They got offended when he wouldn’t look at them or when he seemed to be ignoring them. They looked at me like a negligent mother when he was having a meltdown, and I wasn’t stopping him because I knew he just had to get it out. It bothered me at first. I avoided taking my son places, but I have come to realize that that is not fair to him. He is different, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t deserve to experience the world. I have learned to hold my head high and be proud of my son for his differences. Furthermore, I have learned everything I can about autism and children with special needs. That’s what led me to where I am now. I am going back to school to get my master’s degree in special education. I want to help kids with special needs, like my special boy. I want to help them succeed as well as understand how amazing they are. I don’t want my son to ever feel ashamed of who he is, and I want to help other kids be proud of themselves too. I also want to educate adults. People with special needs are still people. They are not less than or worse because of their differences, and many adults need to be taught that.

I believe tenacity comes from being stubborn. As long as I can remember I have been stubborn. I tend to try really hard to do things when people tell me I can’t. I climbed trees as a child that the big kids told me I wouldn’t be able to just because they said I wouldn’t be able to. I carried this stubborn tenacity with me into high school. I became the president of two clubs and the trumpet section leader in the marching band because my counselor said it would be too much for me to handle. I became valedictorian because a boy in my algebra class said boys were better than girls at math. I was tenacious. I went after what I wanted, and I always got what I went after. I worked hard in school, but I didn’t get a job or a taste of the real world until after I graduated high school. My tenacity was put to the test as a young adult. In high school, I was accustomed to getting what I wanted just by trying. I never failed. That is why I was so flabbergasted when I started applying for part-time jobs in college. I did not get the reception I expected. I applied to every part-time job I saw. I applied to all the retail stores and restaurants. I got a couple of interviews, but I kept hearing the same thing, “we’ll call you.” I quickly learned that “we’ll call you” means, “you’re not what we’re looking for.” I started to get discouraged, but that stubborn streak that I had developed as a child took over. I watched YouTube videos about how to do well in interviews. I got advice from my parents and professors. I revamped my resume. The next interview I had was at a restaurant. I felt the interview was heading the same way my previous interviews had gone, so before they told me that they would call me, I told them how great I would be for this position. I told her that although I didn’t have experience, I was smart, and a hard worker, and I could learn anything. The manager said she would give me a shot. I believe that no one has ever been happier to get a minimum-wage hostess job than I was at that moment. My stubborn tenacity paid off for me again, and I realized that I could truly do anything I put my mind to.

@kerr.stephanie2023

Since before I could read, I have been a book lover. Some of my earliest memories are sitting with my grandmother begging her for just one more story before bed. When I finally learned to read myself, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I could step through the looking glass with Alice, climb into the wardrobe with Lucy, or join Harry the Hogwarts Express. Like Matilda, I devoured every book I came across. Many, like my all-time favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, I read over and over again. However, as much as I love my books, I know that people are different, and there isn’t any one novel that would appeal to everyone in the world. For that reason, the book I would choose for everyone in the world to read is not a novel. It is the Holy Bible. I would not ask everyone to read the entire Bible. If I could get everyone in the world to just read one gospel, I would be happy. The Hole Bible is the only book in the world that can lead a person to eternal life. Everyone in the world has sinned. Sin leads to death, not just physical death, but spiritual death as well in the form of eternity in Hell. However, belief in Jesus Christ can save people from that death. The most well-known verse in the Bible is found in the gospel of John. John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is the only book that really matters.

There is no better feeling than stepping out of your house on that first chilly autumn morning. Nothing beats knowing that the blistering summer days are behind you. As you stand on your porch watching the fog roll across your lawn you take comfort in knowing for the next few weeks you can look forward to pumpkin patches, bonfires, and hayrides. The next three months will be scattered with harvest festivals and carnivals where you can enjoy caramel apples, cotton candy, and various fried meats on sticks without fear of what it will do to your figure because all you’ll be wearing is a comfortable flannel, leggings, and your cutest boots. Then Halloween comes. You’ll decorate your yard with foam headstones and carved pumpkins, and you’ll get spooked just for fun at a haunted house. Finally, you’ll end the season with a feast where you give thanks spend time with your family and begin planning your Christmas shopping. Autumn is amazing. I love Autumn. Unlike my relationship with Autumn, my relationship with coffee has always been strained. As a high schooler, I liked the smell of coffee. It reminded me of cozy bookstores. I liked the idea of coffee. It made me think of indie love stories and mature college students. However, I couldn’t get past the taste. It was bitter, hot bean juice. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t love coffee. I didn’t have a Starbucks in my hometown. I didn’t even have a Dunkin’ Donuts. We had a local diner that served black coffee, so that’s what I got before school. I tried milk and sugar. I tried all different flavored creamers, from hazelnut to French vanilla. This forced love continued into my freshman year of college. All that changed when I was introduced to the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. Today, the pumpkin spice latte has become a running gag. It’s considered the classic “basic white girl” drink. Among coffee aficionados, mentioning the pumpkin spice latte will elicit snickers and eye rolls. However, when I first wandered into the Starbucks on campus during my freshman year of undergrad school and ordered the pumpkin spice latte for the first time all I was thinking about was how I could finally enjoy coffee. I could sit in the cool fall air sipping a delicious coffee drink. Starbucks had fundamentally changed the way I experience Autumn. Although I still love Leggings, Halloween, and hayrides, Starbucks pumpkin spice latte is now my favorite thing about Fall.

I graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in May of 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in Historic Preservation and minors in History and Marketing Management. My dream was to create children’s tours for historic sites and history museums. In fact, for my internship, I worked at the Bollinger Mill State Historic site in Bollinger County, Missouri, where I designed and implemented a children’s tour. Plans changed, however, and by the time I graduated, my husband and I had decided to start a family. I wanted to be the best mother I could be, so I put my career on hold. I decided to work part-time and spend as much time as I could with my children. I still enjoyed reading history books and visiting museums, but I was doing it for fun rather than career advancement. Then, right before my third son was born my middle child was diagnosed with autism at three and a half years old. My focus shifted. I dove into reading all about autism and special education. I wanted to make sure that I was well-versed in IEPs and the types of services he would need so that I could be a great advocate for him. My son started pre-k at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, and I took a job as a special education paraprofessional in a self-contained kindergarten through fifth-grade classroom in the same school. My goal was to learn more about how the special education department operates from the inside. I wanted to see how IEP meetings worked and what instruction looked like in a special education classroom. The experience has been eye-opening. Mostly, I work one on one with a little boy with autism, but I spend time with each of the seven kids in our class. Each of them is unique in the way they learn, the way they communicate, and their abilities. It has been a challenge figuring out the best strategy to use for each child to help them understand what they are learning. However, each time I help a student have a breakthrough, and I see the eureka moment on their faces when they understand something they didn’t before, I know that the frustration was worth it. I have adored working with these kids and learning how to teach them. I had no idea when I started last year how rewarding and fulfilling working in special education would be. This year, my son is in kindergarten. He is in the same room I was in last year. Unfortunately, that meant the school had to find another place for me. One of the special education teachers put in her resignation, and I applied for her job. I was hired for the position, and I am working provisionally as a special education teacher while I work on getting my master’s degree. The only problem with my plan is trying to fund my education while supporting a family of five. I have been working a second job in the evenings and on the weekends, but I hate being away from my family so much. This scholarship would pay for half of my degree and allow me to quit my second job. I have spent years learning how to advocate for my child, and I want to put that knowledge to use advocating within the school system for other children as well. I want to become the kind of teacher that I would want my son to have.

I come from generations of farmers on my mom’s side and factory workers on my dad’s. Neither side has ever put much emphasis on the value of education. My parents squeaked through high school and immediately went to work, as their families expected them to. My mom worked as a waitress throughout my childhood, and my dad worked on a line at Bunny Bread. They believed that as long as they put food on our plates and a roof over our heads, they had succeeded as parents. Like their parents before them, they didn’t think at all about my or my brother’s schooling. However, their attitudes toward education changed when I was placed in the gifted program at my elementary school. When my teacher told my parents that I was gifted, their outlook on education changed. Up to that point, they assumed that I would get through school and go to work just like everyone else in the family had done. It hadn’t occurred to them that someone in our family could go to college or have a career. After I was placed, they became very supportive of my education. They told me every time I brought home an A on an assignment that I could do anything in the world I wanted to do. My dad often made jokes about me being his retirement plan. Anytime I got anything less than an A, they told me that I was not living up to my potential. I never wanted to let them down, so I worked hard and became valedictorian of my high school graduating class. I will never forget how proud they looked as I gave my speech at graduation. Thanks to the amazing support from my parents and my maternal grandparents I am the first person in my family to graduate from college. As I pursue a master’s degree in special education, I will remember the lessons my family taught me growing up, not only regarding my potential but also the value of an honest day’s work. I am glad that I was able to change my parent’s views about education. I have three boys of my own now. Although none of my boys shows any signs of being gifted, I will still always support their education. I will tell them often that they can be anything they want to be, be it a factory worker or doctor.

Disney is a huge part of American life, and as such it has always been a part of my life. I grew up in what I consider to be the golden age of Disney animated movies. As a child, I enjoyed the classics, like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King, but I never really considered myself to be a superfan. In my friend circle, my best friend was the Disney kid from a Disney family. They owned all the movies. They had the merchandise, and their family took an annual pilgrimage to Florida to visit the theme park. They even took me one year when we were fourteen, and I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the experience. My relationship with Disney changed when I started having kids, especially after my middle child was born. My middle son was obsessed with Disney from a young age. He always seemed mesmerized when we put a Disney movie on, particularly the movie Tangled. He was a very fussy baby. Any time he was agitated or wound up, I could put on Tangled and something about it calmed him right down. At times, it was the only thing that calmed him down. As he got older we started to notice something was different about him and in December of 2020, my middle son was diagnosed with autism. In the same month that my middle child was diagnosed with autism, my youngest son was born. Life was hectic. One thing we found brought a little peace to our lives at this time was our Disney+ subscription. Letting my older son pick out something for him and his brother to watch while I took care of the baby was a lifesaver to me at times. It was at one of these times that he stumbled upon the Disney short, entitled Float. Float is a short film about a child who at first seems normal. Then the child begins floating off the ground. The dad in the short tries several things to keep the child on the ground, while bystanders either shoot judgmental looks or avert their eyes. Eventually, the dad snaps, “Why can’t you just be normal.” This stopped me in my tracks. It completely captured the emotions I have as a parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder. I have had that thought, and I have hated myself for having that thought. I cried as I watched the dad finally let his son float and they were both happy, not caring about what the people around them thought. Watching Float, I felt understood, like I wasn’t alone anymore. Even though it was just a short, I love Disney for taking the time to reach out to families who are dealing with autism spectrum disorders. It was such a creative way to educate people about the struggles of autism. As I work toward my degree in Special Education, I hope I can be as effective and creative as Disney in how I educate people with autism and about autism.

Math is one of the most important subjects that is taught in schools. Even in the earliest schools, a great deal of emphasis was put on learning math. The reason for this is that math is everywhere. It is universal and unchanging. It is nearly impossible to function in society without at least rudimentary math skills. Additionally, as math skills grow, so do the critical thinking skills that allow people to put a logical order to the world around them. I see these skills develop in the children that I work with at school. It is amazing to see how a better understanding of math can change logical reasoning in the mind of a child. Without math, day-to-day life would be impossible. Everything we own, from modern technology to the simplest tools exists thanks to math. For example, when a carpenter builds a home, they must use exact measurements. If their math is wrong, the house will not stand. The same is true for electricians and plumbers. Without math they wouldn’t be able to do their jobs. However, professionals and inventors aren’t the only ones who use math. Each of us uses math every day. We use math when we make a budget for our household, so we know how much money we have after bills to spend on fun stuff. We use math when we set our alarms at night, so we know how much time we have in the morning to get ready. We even use math when we make dinner. Measuring ingredients is a mathematical process without which our food might not turn out well. We can’t live without math. Our need to learn math goes even deeper than our base need to know how much time we need to get ready in the morning or how much flour to add to a recipe. Learning how to solve math problems helps people learn how to be critical thinkers. This process can be seen in elementary schools. As children learn to be problem solvers in math, they learn general problem-solving skills that can be transferred to other areas of their lives. A child who just learned to troubleshoot a math problem will use that same thinking process to troubleshoot the next problem they encounter. Ensuring that children learn math skills is essential in forming them into productive members of society. Math allows us to put a logical order to the world around us. It doesn’t change over time, and it doesn’t change from place to place. Unlike so many other things that dictate our lives, math is not subjective. No matter where you are in the world or what your political beliefs are, one plus one is always going to be two.