How Technology Helped Me Make an Academic Comeback by Sarah

How Technology Helped Me Make an Academic Comeback by Sarah - November 2025 Scholarship Essay

My nose was deep into the book we were assigned. I always had a fascination for reading as a kid. I enjoyed learning new words and watching a plot unfold on mere pages. Quite frankly, I just loved to learn. As my eyes continued to skim the pages, I noticed faint whispering. I couldn’t understand what was being said but I wasn’t concerned…until the whispering became more apparent. At this point, my eyes have risen from the book. I am immediately met with multiple eyes on me. A kid to the left of me was pointing at the teacher who seemed to have an irritated expression on her face. My face begins to get warm and redden quickly as I realize it has happened again: I missed what was said since I refused to let technology help me.

At a young age, I was diagnosed with bilateral hearing loss which resulted in me receiving my first pair of hearing aids at the age of four. I was born with the disability and as I age, my hearing abilities will continue to slip. In the beginning, I was fascinated by the technology covering my ears. I imagined them as the ear pieces spies would wear in movies; I didn’t really care about the purpose of them, I just knew I looked super cool and that I could hear life’s subtle music significantly better. As I got older, kids began to notice the brightly colored devices on my ears. Jokes were made and unwanted stares lingered. It was the first time I felt truly self conscious. I hated the attention my hearing aids brought to me, and it began to shift my perspective on the devices my parents sacrificed so much for so I could perform better in various environments. So for years, I despised the truly remarkable technology. I lied to my parents and teachers about wearing them, hiding them in my backpack so kids wouldn’t stare or nag me on. And I happened to get what I wanted; kids no longer stared and the mean remarks stopped. But it came at a cost. I began to miss important announcements, endure awkward conversations that I couldn’t hear which affected my speech, and became confused in topics we learned at school. I sacrificed my intellectual health for sociability. And I had become okay with it; it felt like the only way to feel normal. But thankfully, there was one teacher who wouldn’t let me make this mistake.

Mrs. Armstrong taught me the importance of this technology that is meant to help me, not hinder me. She brought back my awe and appreciation for my hearing aids and is the one who gave me the confidence to wear them again. As I slowly began to incorporate them into my life again, the differences made were night and day. I could engage in conversations better; I understood lessons at school; my productivity exponentially improved. I was on track to becoming the top student in my class simply because I decided to let technology help me rather than feeling restricted by it.

Years later and many pairs of hearing aids later, I cannot imagine a day without them. Like all technology, each pair of hearing aids I have received have improved over time, becoming more refined, accurate, and comfortable. With the help of the impressive technology, I have achieved so much in my academic career. As a child, I was a timid girl who relied on lip reading to get by in conversations. Eventually, I had to take speech therapy classes to improve my speaking skills. Since embracing my hearing aids, I have taken on so many public speaking roles and events. I have served as Vice President in clubs, competed and placed in highly competitive presentations statewide and internationally, and most importantly, made connections with the people who matter most to me. I have experienced a great improvement in my academic performance since taking advantage of this technology, graduating high school in the top 5% of my class. While many of these achievements seem typical to a high school student, these achievements were merely an unreachable dream for a young girl struggling with her hearing and speaking. I wish I knew sooner the impact technology would have on my life not just in education but in every area of my life.

While hearing aids have made the biggest impact in my education and social life, accessibility features such as closed captions on devices like telephones, computers, and TV’s make it so much easier for me to retain information as someone who struggles to comprehend sound through speakers. Additionally, more technology is introducing real-time captioning which is super beneficial to me in the college setting when I am in a big lecture hall and unable to sit in a clear line of sight with the professor. As technology continues to advance, there are many disabilities that are becoming easier to navigate in the classroom setting. Due to technology, more of the Hard of Hearing and Deaf community are able to be reached and communicated with despite our challenges. It is inevitable that my hearing progressively gets worse; but I am confident that technology can and will provide me the assistance that I need in all types of settings and situations as I am a positive testament to the impacts technology can make.