"I can & I will"

"I can & I will" has been my go to motto. A lot of you may not know that as a young girl I struggled with my academics. I attended countless numbers of schools and just couldn't get the hang of my academics. Once I hit elementary and middle school age, I struggled so much that I could barely form a sentence let alone comprehend what I was reading. It was then that my parents chose to get me tested for a learning disability. I was later diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. Though I didn't exhibit most of the characteristics of ADD, I struggled to focus on my schoolwork, had difficulty sounding out words and comprehending basic reading comprehension as well as mathematical word problems. I was prescribed Adderall and other common ADD/ADHD pills but nothing seemed to help with the issues I was having. I continued back and forth with trying different medications and started attending a special education school for children with learning difficulties. It wasn't until I was situated into my new school program that I felt more at ease with my learning struggles. Everyone around me had a learning issue and we all learned at different paces. Before I had attended Chatham, I felt stupid and ashamed for not knowing what I was comprehending. I was tested again after being at Chatham for four years and later discovered I actually had Auditory Processing Disorder. Individuals with auditory processing cannot process the information they hear in the same way as others do, which leads to difficulties in recognizing and interpreting sounds, especially the sounds composing speech. If it were not for the staff and Principal Carolyn Hannaford at Chatham Academy I wouldn't be where I am today. While at Chatham Academy, I learned that everyone learns in a unique and different way. It is truly amazing how far I have come. I remember my family and teachers thinking I may not even be able to fully learn in what they called a "normal" teaching environment. I always pushed myself to do well and persevere throughout my schooling. I feel so proud that I could transition into a normal middle and high school and achieve great success. It's even more rewarding to say that I made it to college and am halfway done with my career in pursuing journalism. Who knew that that little girl who struggled throughout her schooling career could make it to this point? I am so thankful for everyone who has helped me through my learning difficulties. Especially my family, friends, and teachers at Chatham Academy.