At the end of sophomore year, I wasn’t happy. I felt like I had failed.

My grades? They weren’t looking good. Activities? They weren’t looking good either. Me, though? I always made sure I looked good.

I felt like I didn’t have a purpose in school. Every day I walked into those doors, I felt invisible. I knew I needed help but I was so scared to advocate for myself. No one knew what was actually happening or what was going through my head.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in an office with a teacher, being tested. For what? At the time, I had no idea. I didn’t know what was happening, and honestly, I wasn’t happy about it!

I kept asking myself, “Why? Why was this happening to me?” I learned that I needed an IEP. I didn’t know this test would change my life forever. I didn’t even know what an IEP was.

I had so many questions, but I didn’t know where to start.

What does this mean?

Why do I need this?

What happens now?

Will people think differently about me?

So many thoughts were going through my head. Eventually, they told me that there wasn’t anything “wrong” with me but they were able to identify struggles that I wasn’t even able to articulate. Phew. At the end of this meeting, I was told that I would receive extra support in school and be placed in different classes.

But my mind kept spiraling.

I can’t be in the same class as my friends? People are going to think I’m weird. And I couldn’t help but start to think that about myself and what others would think.

I’ve always had huge dreams, but this news brought me down.

Still, I decided to give it a try. I decided to trust the process and I put everything in God’s hands and let Him guide me.

When my junior year started, I felt nervous and scared. I walked into my first class feeling completely lost. My class sizes were much smaller and I now had two teachers instead of one, which was very different for me. But as time progressed, something changed. I started meeting new friends. I had new teachers, and I was amazed by how kind and supportive they were. They made me feel so comfortable, and the friends I made were so welcoming. For the first time in a long time, I felt happy.

As the year went on, my grades improved, my friendships grew stronger, and I still looked amazing.

Being a student in Brewster and having an IEP made me feel truly seen. I was no longer invisible and struggling. Joining special education classes at BHS made me more confident, self-assured and prepared for the next steps in my life.

My teachers always had my back. They sat and listened to me, gave me advice, and always motivated me. They believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. It felt good knowing there were people who genuinely cared about me and my success. They kept me on track and reminded me that I had a purpose.

I will forever be grateful for all the help Brewster Schools have given me, for believing in me, and for every student who shared a similar path.

Armed with the patience, grit, faith, and confidence I have acquired here, I am prepared to embark on this next journey. I hope everyone in the Class of 2026 accomplishes all of their hopes and dreams in this next chapter too.

Thank you to my amazing parents for making all of this possible and for always supporting me no matter what. Thank you for every sacrifice you made. Thank you to all the incredible teachers that were there for me, and every student who will be walking across that stage. You are the reason so many of us feel confident enough to chase our big dreams.

And finally, thank you, Brewster, for making me feel seen and always believing in me.