As a child, learning was never easy or natural for me. I was raised in poverty, and during my childhood, I worked in our family business, resulting in me missing an average of three months of school every year. This caused me to fall behind academically and made it difficult to build confidence in the classroom. By the time I reached fifth grade, I still had not fully learned how to read or understand grade-level math concepts. While my peers were advancing academically, I was struggling to catch up and understand the basics. 

Because of these challenges, I started receiving special education services in middle school. At the same time, teachers recognized my potential and placed me in the MGM (Mentally Gifted Minor) program. I was a student who needed additional support while also being capable of high-level critical thinking, executive functioning skills, and creativity. This experience taught me early on that intelligence cannot always be measured by traditional standards, test scores, or educators’ opinions. The obstacles I faced could have easily discouraged me from pursuing higher education, but instead, they became the motivation behind my goals.

Despite the challenges I faced, I dreamed of attending college with the goal of becoming a teacher. The courage to leave home came from my high school principal, who knew my situation and took the extra step to provide academic support, nutrition, and mentoring to ensure I was safe and making progress in my education. After graduating high school, I decided to go out on my own and pursue my dream of teaching. Today, my role as a veteran Special Education teacher is the result of overcoming obstacles and never giving up. My goal now is to walk alongside parents and students who may believe that their dreams are out of reach.