I have always been zealous about helping others, explicitly those with disabilities. My personal, academic, and career goals are all centered around this passion. I strive to become a speech-language pathologist in order to help individuals with communication and speech-related disorders. Growing up, my younger brother, Jared, struggled with articulation. At the time, I had no idea whether it was developmentally appropriate for a three-year-old boy to confuse /f/ with /th/ and /t/. Jared was able to elicit /f/ in isolation as well as at the syllable level, however; he struggled at the word level and beyond. At the age of six, I took it upon myself to help my brother learn the tongue placement of /th/ and /t/. Once he understood where his tongue …show more content…
I suffer from permanent nerve damage in my dominant hand due to a car accident caused by a distracted driver. This experience taught me the importance of support and patience in working with individuals who have disabilities. Additionally, my involvement in working at the Reading Clinic, with children who have dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities, enhanced my aspirations to help those with impairments. My vision for my professional life is to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals with speech and communication-related disorders. I want to help them overcome their challenges and reach their full potential. I also hope to contribute to my community by offering support, resources, and education to families and individuals affected by speech and communication-related disorders. In my personal life, I have also had the opportunity to work with individuals with disabilities. I have been the only babysitter allowed to watch a neurodivergent child, which has given me unique insight and understanding into the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. Additionally, my experience volunteering at the Ballet for All Kids, where I helped teach dance classes to kids with disabilities, further strengthened my commitment to helping individuals with