My name is Ella Wilson, and I am an overcomer! I was diagnosed with dyslexia in early elementary school. This caused lots of struggles through middle school and early high school. I was 3-4 grades behind in comprehension for a number of years. It was amazing parents, teachers, coaches, and tutors who walked with me to get me to be the person I am today. I have always been determined to overcome obstacles that are put in front of me. Some may call it being stubborn, I call it perseverance to succeed. As I write this essay, I carry a 3.9 GPA in high school and am currently ranked #44 in my class. Not bad for someone who started middle school with a 2nd-grade reading level. My dream is to help those who have struggled like me. I am pursuing a degree in Education with an emphasis on Special Education. I had many teachers and tutors walk with me to help me overcome my setback of dyslexia. If I can come alongside, as a teacher, who helps others overcome that would be my dream. I volunteer for the Special Olympics and am starting to build relationships with those who struggle with learning disabilities. My time as a volunteer for the Special Olympics has brought me much joy. If I could change the world, or even start in my community, it would be by helping come alongside those who have disadvantages in learning. It requires patience, determination, kindness, and gentleness, to succeed in this field. This is something that I think I offer to everyone I come in contact with. Most of the time, these leaders in our community are underpaid and unseen, but I see this as an opportunity to help someone else overcome and use my gifts to help others. These would be my dreams and hopes for the future. One thing that makes my heart beat is soccer. I found out a week before my Senior year, I would not be able to play due to an injury causing me to have surgery. This was heartbreaking, but also an opportunity to lead my team from the sidelines. It also gave me an opportunity to have a comeback from a setback. Through constant training and practice, sometimes 10 hours a week, I have been offered the opportunity to play in college. This has been one of the many goals I set for myself as a child. I’m excited to see where soccer takes me and put into practice lots of the lessons I learned from playing on teams and being a teammate. Thank you for considering me as a candidate for this scholarship. I hope to return to the Flathead Valley in years to come and teach for the same school district that helped me become a leader, a successful student, and an overcomer. Thank you, Ella Wilson Glacier High School Class of 2023