29yrs

female

Speaks English, Sign Language (ASL)

When I was 12, my little sister was diagnosed with Apraxia, a speech/language disorder. She is 10 now and still has difficulty with reading, writing, and communicating. Seeing her struggle to sound out words, and to articulate the mixed up sounds and letters in her head, I realized how this impacts all aspects of her life. My sister has always been shy, so in order to get her to go to speech classes, I would go with her. I remember seeing other kids in these classes ranging in ages and mental ability. Each child was unique in their own way, and each had their own ways of learning. My little sister has made me appreciate the power words possess and how difficult life can be for those who lack communication skills. After working with my sister, I knew that I wanted to help people with special needs. I work with the special education classes in my high school, and participate in after school activities like the "Special Olympics" and the "Buddy Club", which is a club I helped establish that gives opportunities for one-to-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Working with special needs kids has changed my way of thinking and has influenced me to ultimately have a career that works for those that are disadvantaged.