The Sky is Never the Limit by Alexandra

The Sky is Never the Limit by Alexandra - March 2017 Scholarship Essay

“The sky’s the limit!” As a child, I often heard that phrase when people wanted to encourage me to reach my full potential. However rather than encourage me, the phrase only confused me; the sky was not far enough away, yet I was not capable of reaching the sky. I dreamt of a bigger goal, but the wiring in my brain prevented me from reaching the simplest goals.

I have always admired NASA. No organization proves that the sky is never the limit better than they do. The engineers of NASA look beyond what is currently possible and make the impossible a reality.

Imagine designing the module that carries the first astronaut to Mars. Imagine creating the rovers that give us the first soil samples from planets outside of our solar system. Imagine developing the equipment that mines a passing asteroid.

Now imagine a young child who dreams of developing those things for NASA, but who is told that she will never become an engineer because her brain is defective. Imagine a child who is shunned by her classmates because she is unable to write her name or visualize numbers. Imagine a child who once reached for the heavens, but who is now told by everyone around her that the sky is beyond her grasp.

I was that child. I have dyslexia and dyscalculia. For years I was unable to write my name or perform simple mathematical calculations. I felt alone and frustrated, but I refused to give up. I joined a support group, I tried several different tutors and learning techniques, and I forced myself to work harder than I ever dreamed possible. It has been a long and circuitous journey, and I have shed more tears than I care to admit. Every teardrop was worth the pain. I caught up to my peers and I now serve as a mentor to younger disabled students. Best of all, I have been selected as an engineering intern for NASA!

Despite my learning disabilities, I was able to reach the sky. Now, I am reaching beyond the sky. The heavens are within my grasp. I have a chance to work with NASA and make my dreams come true.

Too many children are told that because their brains are wired differently, their dreams are unachievable. I would like to send them a different message: a learning disability does not mean that you are not able. It only means that you must take a unique path to obtain your goals. You might not fly as straight as NASA’s rockets, but your journey will be no less spectacular. Reach beyond the sky. You will someday touch the stars.