Happy Hands by Alicyn

Happy Hands by Alicyn - December 2022 Scholarship Essay

A valuable lesson that I learned in 2022 started when I met my little cousin, Angelica. Angelica is an eight-year-old Pacific Islander autistic girl living in Oahu, Hawai’i. I first met her in December 2021, when my family took a trip to Hawai’i for Christmas. Almost instantly, I fell in love with her, and I knew that I would learn so much from her. I then returned in the summer of 2022, in order to experience more of Hawai’i and to be able to spend time with Angelica. Being able to watch and interact with Angelica, I learned a lot about how she experiences the world, and it gave me a perspective on certain experiences that I had not viewed that way before.

When Angelica is happy, she does what we call “happy hands.” She lays her palms facing outward down by her side and fully absorbs the present moment. I’ll never forget when I took her down to the beach, and she stood with her ankles in the water, watching the waves, doing “happy hands.” Standing beside Angelica, watching the waves, and practicing my own “happy hands” and watching the waves was a life-changing experience. While not the type of thing many of us would think twice about, leaning in to observe from someone else’s perspective and practicing being fully present in the moment was something I learned from Angelica. Everyone should try to practice this at least once in a while
After returning home from my time with Angelica, I realized how much I was craving another experience like that, and I wanted to learn more about neurodiversity, especially how children view the world and how they learn. I began by volunteering weekly with Big Brothers Big Sisters, where I mentor a second grader with ADHD. I also started volunteering at my local Boys and Girls Club twice a week, where I tutor a third grader with Dyslexia. These experiences have taught me many valuable lessons, such that it is important to step out of your comfort zone and interact with those who may seem “different”, and try to see things from their point of view.

In 2023, my goal will be to continue to seek opportunities to continue serving others and help neurotypical peers to see the richness that neurodiverse individuals bring to our schools and communities. I will engage with neurodivergent individuals and listen to their ideas and needs since our world does not cater to neurodivergent individuals. I will continue seeking ways to serve neurodivergent individuals in my community, similar to my volunteering experience. In addition, I would help others step into someone else’s shoes and try to experience things from their perspective every so often, just like I did when watching the waves with Angelica.