More than comprehension. by Natalie

More than comprehension. by Natalie - May 2026 Scholarship Essay

A challenge I once found extremely intimidating and challenging but now feel much more confident in managing is reading comprehension. Many children early on have trouble reading. It is normal I'm not unique in this issue but what made reading comprehension so challenging for me growing up was my mental views on it as well as others lowering my self esteem to grow on this challenge.
Reading comprehension wasn't something I really thought to challenge myself with when I was younger. It just never registered that it was something I needed to grow. Yes, I knew it was an issue, just not one to progress in. I just saw it as something to get over with. The few times I did see it as an issue was when I was taken away for testing or help. Being a stubborn child, I tried to refuse the help given to me because I didn't want to be different. I don't remember my grades in elementary being affected by my reading comprehension issues. I only remember getting into arguments with other kids about whether I was dyslexic or just wanting special attention, which made me more insecure about my reading problems.
Elementary is the only time when I got in-person help with my reading issues. There was this nice lady who smelled like cats and wore bright colors every day. She had a calming room and was always kind to me. She would give me three to five books in my book bag. We would read them together, breaking down words if I needed them. She would check on me from time to time to make sure I was digesting everything correctly or needed help. She gave me great techniques that I still use in high school. She would have me break up long and short words into groups. I would sound out the first group, then the second, then combine them. If it didn't work, I'd break them up more, but take it slowly. I don't underline my books anymore. Instead, I've learned to do it all in my head, a lot faster too. But in times of learning a new word or finding a big word I've never seen, I think back to her. The techniques she taught me helped me learn and grow.
The only time I've truly sought out help or worked on my reading comprehension issues myself was elementary to early middle school not due to pure self motivation but due to insecurity kids can be mean especially pre-teens and the thought of me still having reading issues while so close to highschool was humiliating to say the least but I never went to a teacher, but my parents would force themselves to help me even though I never asked nor wanted it not because I wanted to be rude but I figured that this challenge was so humiliating that I was humiliating them and why bother with me when im so clueless to not even be able to read properly.
When looking through my elementary and middle school years, reading was such a burden, almost suffocating me. I wanted this challenge to disappear as they do in movies, to wave my hand, and it dissolved into nothing, but that's not how it works. In highschool it wasn't till my Sophomore year I really took a step back and thought about my reading comprehension issues, due to the STAAR test I was given extra testing as well for my class assignments, also a text to speech due to my 504 plan, but they realized I never used my text to speech but that was because it didn't help me it doesn't break up the words like it does in my head it goes its pace not mine so I decided not to use it because it doesn't help me. But it did help me realize I didn't have to go at someone else's pace. That this challenge wasn't something meant to be fast paced . I started to take it slow, embrace it and use what I learned and get comfortable with that.
From my freshman year of high school, I spent most of my time at a Barnes and Noble, racking up books. I don't exactly remember what clicked in me that summer, but everything changed. I practically live for books now. The endless world is beautiful and freeing. I don't feel confined by the world or school and their ticking clocks. I can feel like the main character in Ali Hazelwood's books or Feyra from my favorite series, ACOTAR anytime I like. Reading no longer feels like a challenge because in many ways I embraced it and myself that summer, I not only grew my mind, but my mindset and who I wanted to be, and I think by conquering this one challenge that had such a heavy weight on me gave me the courage to conquer my other challenges and the ones to come in the future.