Elizabeth’s Story

I’ve spent much my life feeling like I was living on the outside, while everyone was in. I guess it all started when I was 6 or so, w/a call from my kindergarten teacher complaining of “my attitude problem.” That would be the beginning of the end of any hope my parents had of me being this perfectly evolved specimen they created. From grade school through high school I struggled unmercifully to “get it.” By 6th grade I had changed to 3 different schools in 1 yr. until the right one fit, b/c not only was I an academic disaster, I was a social outcast & target for bullies.

While, by high school I seemed to master completing homework & made above average grades, my math skills were at about the level of a 4th grader & my SAT’s were so low they told me I would’ve gotten a higher score had I just marked “C” for every answer instead actually trying like I did. Well to make a long story short I managed to earn a college degree in health education & a grad. degree in counseling, but I’ve never really achieved any type of career success. I’m 32 & much of my 20’s and 30’s I’ve struggled w/the red tape of employment/entrance test requirements. Even worse though, a very unforgiving & discriminating society towards people with disabilities.