The Special Olympics. by David

The Special Olympics. by David - October 2013 Scholarship Essay

I learned a very valuable lesson while I was volunteering as a swim coach for the Special Olympics. When I was first volunteering I was a little hesitant. I was unsure of how to coach someone with special needs. I was assigned to coach a boy named Jeramy, who was autistic. I didn’t know what to do with him, but then I realized something: just because he is different, doesn’t mean I should treat him differently. I then coached him like I would coach anyone else in the world, and Jeramy and I grew very close. I would see him outside of the pool and he would be very excited to see him as well. This experience taught me more about myself than anything else. I learned that if you’re up for trying new things, and you’re accepting of others you’ll enjoy whatever you do in life. That is when I learned that I wanted to use my talents to help others. I am very fluent in French, Spanish, and English. I have recently started taking American Sign Language courses. I want to be a translator for the deaf. Growing up my best friend was hard of hearing and he was recently told that he will be completely deaf by the time he is twenty. I wish to be able to communicate with him even as his disability continues to grow worse. This scholarship would truly help me pay for college and I am very grateful for you consideration.