How school help me find my career path by Christina

How school help me find my career path by Christina - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

In high school, I volunteered at Peer to Peer. Peer to Peer was a club where seniors would take their lunch time to hangout with the students who had disabilities. Fast fured many years later, it became my career. I am now a first year student at Widener University Doctorate Degree.

When I applied to be a home health aid for young adults who have intellectual disabilities, I did not expect to find my second family. I have now been a home health aid for the past four years at Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) in Downingtown, PA. Not one day goes by where I believe this is work to me, but simply a passionate career. One of my favorite tasks is to assist young adults to connect to the community. Having a strong community background makes for a purposeful life. If I can make someone feel included I can say I have done what I am meant to do in my life. In my work experience at CCIU, I can say I have done this with one of my past admired clients. A former client, TW, would call me the “Partner in Crime,” as he is an avid comic book fan.
I was with TW for four years. TW has an intellectual disability where his communications skills make him shy and scared to talk to strangers, especially with rapid change of providers he has had in the past. My job was to help break that social wall. He was hesitant but excited to work with me because he knew I was here for the long run, and I picked out activities I knew he would like. I always asked TW what he wanted to do that day, and it was an opportunity where I was able to incorporate and expand upon his goals.
My favorite memory is when we were at a West Chester basketball game. During half time, the student organization made a game that needed six people divided into three teams of two. The teams would work together in moving a balloon to the other side of the court without using their hands. Once at the other side we needed to pop the balloon. The first team to pop the balloon would win. I asked TW if he wanted to play the game, and unsurprisingly he said yes. I had to explain the game one more time to TW to go over our plan of action. Once the whistle blew, TW was leading our team. He figured out to face back to back and walk together with the balloon between our backs. Once we got to the line I gave TW the honor to pop the balloon. We were the fastest team to get to the other side of the court! TW was so excited, not only was I happy because we won, but because he felt so comfortable to cheer and high five others after that. Reflecting back to this memory makes me nostalgic because it was so pure and I got to see how much he grew working with me. I was happy to see TW break through the shy guy he was; he turned into the life of the party after that.