Kind Words, Strong Mind by Ava

Kind Words, Strong Mind by Ava - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could go back and tell my younger self anything, I would say this: You're not broken, you just learn differently. Being different is not a weakness; it's your strength. The way I spoke to myself back then would bring me down. I believed the whispers in my head more than the truth about my potential.

Growing up, I have always struggled with reading and comprehension. In elementary school, reading out loud, sounding out words, and trying to understand what I read was hard. I remember being pulled out of class once a week to get extra help with my reading. We worked on sounding out words and practicing basic reading skills. This space was meant to support me, but all I felt was shame. I thought, “Why do I need this? Why can't I read like everyone else?”

Instead of showing myself patience, I talked down to myself. Some days I told myself, “Am I dumb or stupid? Am I slow? Or maybe, I’m just not smart, just because other kids read better than me?” Constantly, these questions would run through my head because this is how I felt. My reading disability followed me in and out of school, to places where I couldn't read the signs, to classrooms where I struggled with textbooks, or even moments where I simply had to read aloud to others. I didn't just struggle with reading; I struggled with believing in myself.

The reason I would give this advice to myself is that I've learned the way you talk to yourself becomes how you see yourself. I let comparisons shrink my confidence. But now I understand that struggling doesn't mean you're not capable, it means you're still learning. And needing help isn't something to be ashamed of. If I had spoken more kindly to myself, I think I would have walked through school with more courage. I wouldn't have been afraid to ask for help or sit with the correct answer in my head. I would have known that I wasn't less than and would have seen myself as strong and not behind.

Today, I have grown into a student who not only understands her learning style but also embraces it. I found ways to get help in school by going to disability services to get accommodations. Having these accommodations has helped me maintain a 3.9 GPA and create study groups to help myself and my classmates. I am also working towards my dream of becoming a surgeon.

If I could be beside that little girl who was scared to read out loud, I would tell her you're not broken, you just learn differently. Being different is not a weakness; it's your strength. You are allowed to take your time. You are allowed to learn your way. Just breathe, take your time, and try your best.