As a child I was always asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, answers varied from year to year, but I always returned to one constant: teaching. As soon as I turned 18, I took the first step toward that goal by becoming fingerprinted and began working as an assistant preschool teacher at a school for neurodivergent students. For over a year, I worked with students aged 2-5 enrolled in the Mariposa Project and First 5. I have gotten the opportunity to shadow several speech pathologists, child psychologists, and occupational therapists, but chose to study to become a teacher. This way I will be able to work with a range of students and grow with them in all aspects of their learning. I quickly fell in love with special education and finding accommodations felt like solving a complex but deeply rewarding puzzle. I firmly believe that all students should have access to resources that give them equal opportunities for success. Every small breakthrough means a world of a difference for that child and finding things that worked at such a young age meant they could take these tools into kindergarten, elementary school, and beyond. Now, I am currently pursuing a dual degree in elementary education and special education and will be receiving my teaching certificate for California in Spring 2026. The more classes I take the more solidified my passion for helping students with specialized learning strategies is. There is a lack of educators, especially in the field of special education, causing a lack of support for neurodivergent children. With the help of your scholarship, I will be able to focus more on giving back and become fully prepared for not only being a teacher but being a friend and most importantly an advocate. As a first-generation college student, my biggest goals are to be an advocate for a safer more inclusive educational setting for all students and to make my parents proud. In college, they began telling us that people usually become educators because they had a really good teacher or a really bad one. The first person who always comes to mind is Mr. Andros, my senior-year photography and English teacher. Though he was new to teaching, his confidence and approachable nature never left anyone doubting his abilities. My favorite book to this day is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger because you could see Mr. Andros' passion as he spoke about it, which reflected in students’ attitudes. It was one of the first classes I saw a teacher give independence to his students and they respected him and never took advantage of that freedom. As a future educator, I hope to take his virtues of compassion, trust, and passion with me in the classroom. After college, I plan to move back to San Luis Obispo, California. With my experience in special needs, I feel the need to come back to this area where there is a huge lack of resources for kids with disabilities of all kinds. I have seen too many parents begging to get into programs that are too full. In a perfect world, all people would be able to have access to support for everything they need.

Learning at six years old that my mother had been diagnosed with cancer was scary. I was too young to grasp the effect this would have on my life. I remember sleeping in my mom's bed with her, even though I knew I was too old. I didn't mind though because I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to. I watched her cry after looking in the mirror for the first time after her double mastectomy. I remember her anxiously trying on clothes before we went out because all of them made her feel like a boy. Then to find out that her sister was also diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 12 was heartbreaking. Being the only other girl, I knew at that point my chances of developing the disease were very high. I began to look at life differently that day. I chose to make every day count not just for me but for others around me. I treat every day like the blessing it is. I took college classes in high school which allowed me to begin working at a special education preschool as soon as I turned 18. For over a year I have worked with students aged 2-5 enrolled in the Mariposa Project and First 5. I have gotten the opportunity to shadow several speech pathologists, child psychologists, and occupational therapists, but chose to study to become a teacher. This way I will be able to work with a range of students and grow with them in all aspects of their learning. My experience in this setting has taught me so much about myself. I firmly believe that all students should have access to resources that give them equal opportunities for success. I actively volunteer with The Morro Bay National Estuary Program to help preserve and clean the ocean and wetlands of the surrounding areas. With my previous experience starting at such a young age, I know I will be not only a teacher but an advocate and friend to every student I have no matter what their diagnosis. People should not be treated differently because of something they cannot change. My mother has now been a breast cancer survivor for the past 13 years and I understand how lucky I am to have her here with me today. As a first-generation college student, my biggest goals are to be an advocate for a more inclusive educational setting for all students and to make my parents proud. With the Laura Thorne Memorial Scholarship, I will be able to focus more on my education and giving back to the community. I promise to carry on the legacy of Laura and continue to work towards equal opportunity for success for all children in special education programs.