Throughout my life, I have had to overcome a number of challenges. Often times, I felt as if nobody understood me. When I was born, I had a tube around my neck, making it impossible to breathe. Luckily, I survived; However, I had speech issues.
My dad left our family before I was born, and my older brother’s dad was in and out of jail. But our single mother worked two jobs and wanted the best for us. My brother, who is five years older than me and who has ADHD, attended public school.
However, he was bullied and picked on every day. Some days, he would even come back with bruises. My mom eventually had enough of it and took him out of that school. She didn’t know where to send him. She ended up at a church where she prayed and cried for an answer. The priest came out, asked what was happening, and found a solution for us.
Through scholarships from a Catholic Tuition Organization, the priest helped me and my brother attend the school that was attached to that church. The school was a fit and had the accommodations for both my speech and my brother’s ADHD.
However, in fourth grade, we lost our home. During that time, my mom was more concerned about our education than finding us a home. When we found a place, everything seemed to fit right again. But, a few years later, I started to get bullied again. My sexuality was questioned and someone I thought was my best friend, spread rumors about my weight.
I was so depressed that I lost 20 lbs. within two weeks. My mom took me on tours of other schools. Many didn’t fit me. However, we found one that truly made me feel like I was at home.
I was happy. Unfortunately, I could only stay there for a year because I had to move. I felt like I didn’t fit in again. Luckily for me, there was a high school where most of my friends were going.
My mom struggled to make sure I could attend all four years. But in my junior year, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds passed the state’s Education Savings Account program. In my senior year, I received a scholarship, and finally, my mom didn’t have to work two jobs.
I finally got to see my mom more often, and I was able to cherish my time with her. Last year, I graduated my high school with honors and now attend Iowa State University for Mechanical Engineering.
Because of school choice, my mom gets to see me grow through my education and that her sacrifices were worth it.
