Personal Statement

My passion for advocating for students with special needs started in Kindergarten. I was placed in an integrated classroom with students that had physical, mental, and learning disabilities. As one of those students with a learning disability, specifically Dyslexia, I struggled alongside my classmates. I constantly had trouble learning, but one thing I did not have trouble with was making friends with students with or without a disability.

Today, my love for education has grown and I now serve through the Bonner Leader Program at Forest Hills Elementary School. My main purpose as a teacher’s assistant is to help create an environment that allows students to feel comfortable, safe, and confident to learn. Along with helping students, I try to give the teacher support by creating visuals, hands on activities, and large group work. As I impact these students' lives, I want to do the same with my Capstone project. I want to create an interactive hallway that captures the students’ attention and boost their interest in solving puzzles while going to class. This will be a great tool for teachers to use to keep students quiet in the hallway and prevent other classroom learning environments from getting disturbed.