My "Impediment" by Austin

My "Impediment" by Austin - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

I have been in a speech program for 12 years. I have also gone to school for 12 years. I am 17 years old with a speech impediment. At the beginning of my speech classes, I actually wasn't able to speak a word. I could somewhat say mom and dad but formulating sentences were impossible and confusing. I knew what I wanted to say and it was completely right in my head, but when words actually had to come out of my mouth it was just gibberish. I’ve had so many speech teachers who tried to help me learn how to speak and most of them allowed me to improve.
From a young age, I had to develop a strong work ethic. I was out of class a lot, learning how to communicate with others, while my classmates were learning math and English. I was falling behind and one day my parents were called into my elementary school. They asked my parents if I should be held back a year. My parents knew how hard I was working and they replied with, “He can do it.” Currently, I am a high school senior and in the top 10% of my school. The work ethic I had in elementary school translated to both middle school and high school and it will in college as well. Everyone was a bit nervous to send me off to middle school but I proved them wrong with a 4.0.
There’s still only one problem. I still currently have a speech problem. Pronouncing words with the letter “r” will sometimes sound like a “w.” Throughout my life, I don’t like to admit that I used to be hurt by their assumptions of my “accent.” I Have grown tougher skin by making a joke out of the situation, usually with a ruse to deceive them into believing I am actually French or British, and then I tell them I have a speech impediment shortly after. I have had people mock me and make fun of me too, but honestly, it doesn’t affect me because I have become proficient at caring less about what others think of me. I’ve assimilated this skill by putting myself out in the world and realizing everyone has their own imperfections. One of the biggest actions I took to feel more confident in my own skin and my speech was joining a club. I joined the AOK club and it helped me begin the process of feeling comfortable with my imperfections, especially my speech impediment. Once I joined I actually helped build the club and I started to apply myself more, not only in regular conversations but in the classroom as well. I have taken many steps to be in my position today and even though I have had speech obstacles all my life, I have never let it stop me from achieving my goals.