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Dyslexia Awareness Month By Ashley Kelly

On Monday mornings, I would hop off my school bus, glowing with enthusiasm and sporting a massive smile, eager to greet any teacher who would listen to my weekend stories. I would approach them and say, "Wanna know something?" This was my catchphrase; in fact, I used it so often that my parents and my special education reading teacher jokingly threatened to buy matching t-shirts with my photo and the phrase on them. The topic didn't matter—whether it was about cave exploration or how the Vanderbilt kids spent their summers in Rhode Island—I had learned something, felt smart, and wanted to share it. Feeling smart was tough as a student with dyslexia. Frustration with reading, speech, and math came often. My parents were aware of this, so on weekends and holidays, we explored unfamiliar places, had new experiences, and learned through hands-on activities. I was like the sponges I saw at the Mystic Aquarium, soaking up nutrients to survive. In my case, those nutrients were knowledge, and they expanded my universe. I remember working hard on a report about horseshoe crabs, filled with colors of the ocean and fascinating facts. That weekend, we volunteered alongside aquarium experts to count and tag horseshoe crabs. When the docents asked the crowd what they knew about horseshoe crabs, I raised my hand so quickly that it almost flew off into the ocean. The docent invited me to come forward to share what I knew, and I confidently explained that horseshoe crabs are living fossils, and their population is vulnerable to extinction, partly due to overharvesting and the use of their blue blood in biomedical testing. I continued to surprise everyone with my knowledge. I felt amazing, realizing I knew things that even adults did not. Although I eventually grew out of using my catchphrase, my desire to learn only intensified as I got older. As I absorbed new knowledge, I built on the feeling I had during my horseshoe crab experience and began to apply what I learned to do good. While I knew I couldn't save the horseshoe crabs alone, I recognized that there were additional opportunities to influence change in my community. After learning about pollution and its effects on animals, I organized beach and park clean-ups every year on my birthday. I studied invasive species and climate change, taking part in initiatives to remove invasive plants from the lake in our state park. Learning further about carbon footprints and waste recycling, I participated in a Climate Leaders Fellowship mentored by Stanford University. I collaborated with students from around the world who shared similar interests to become change-makers in our communities. I led projects focused on reusing, recycling, and upcycling in my community, eventually becoming a Senior Fellow and Ambassador for climate change, as well as President of my high school's environmental club. The power of knowing something, influencing change, and sharing with others made me realize that I didn't just feel smart but truly was smart, despite my learning disability. Now, with every opportunity to gain experience, I approach each challenge with the mantra, "I want to know something."

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