Growing up is never easy for any kid, but when it came to myself, I had a lot more challenging me that I ever knew of. Everyone faces points in their lives of success and failures, and some of the most successful people are successful because of their failures. When I started kindergarten, my teacher noticed that I wasn’t grasping anything that was being taught. She talked with my parents about her concerns and suggested to them that I should be evaluated for a learning disorder. After a month of evaluation for it, they determined that I had Central Auditory Processing Disorder. This meant that my brain didn’t work as fast as other kids' brains my age did. Which set me back with everything that I was trying to learn. At that time, I didn’t notice that I had anything wrong with me. However now, knowing that I have this setback, I realize how hard it was for me in school, and I thought for the longest time, that I didn’t have the ability.

Everything in school for me was frustrating and upsetting to me. I remember crying, feeling helpless and hopeless over just my homework. I always had to work so hard with everything I did, and even after putting every ounce of effort I had into something, I still wouldn’t get it. It also didn’t help that I never really had a teacher who understood how to teach me until I went into fourth grade. Things got a little bit better, but not much. I still faced the struggle of not having a teacher that was actually good at their job. Primarily in math, which was one of the most challenging subjects for me. I never learned my basic math skills when I should have, causing me to struggle to this day with it. By the time I reached sixth grade, I finally had the right teachers. And actually, without my teacher, Mrs. Hill, I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today. She knew that there was more than just CAPD wrong with me, she noticed that I could not stay focused and she saw how much I struggled with focusing and once again sent me for testing.

Now not only could my brain not process as fast as others, but I didn’t even have the attention span to even begin to process anything. They evaluated me for ADD, and it turns out I’ve had it since the first time I was evaluated for a learning disorder. Which stinks, because I lost about six years of education and learning because of it. That did not stop me, I was scared that I had this and scared that it was serious enough to be put on medication. But it gave me so much more confidence and determination to become the best I could be in school, and in life. From seventh grade on, I understood and grew a passion for learning. I was one of the few kids that did not dread getting up every morning to learn, I was excited. For the first time in my life, I understood what was being taught and I flourished. I worked so hard and put so much effort into everything that I did, I had so much determination to not flounder like some of my other peers had.

In Junior High, I was on high honor roll, and my first two years in high school, honor roll. From kindergarten on I always had an IEP and a 504 plan. Which helped me tremendously with everything that I did, it was just another part of my success in school. In 10th grade, however, I beat the hardest thing that not many kids are able to say. I was able to declassify from having an IEP, I beat myself in my own game. I overcame one of the biggest obstacles in my life so far, and it was the most rewarding feeling one could feel. The memory that sticks out the most was my teachers saying how proud I should be of myself that I earned this more than anyone they knew. Growing up, I had so many failures and setbacks but I still will have those for the rest of my life. But my success is so much more than any failure I had or will have. I am proud of my setbacks because without them I would never be where I am today.