American Sign Language: The Quiet Power to Help Others
Essay By: Melissa, 17-year old student
It is estimated that there are about 100 billion neurons in the average human brain. Whether awake or asleep, these neurons will fire from the moment we are born, to the time of our deaths, and every second in between. As I type these words, and you absorb their meaning, our brains are illuminated in an intricate frenzy, dictating how we process the world around us.
My interest in the human brain began at a young age, at the same time that my sleepwalking did. I frightened my parents awake one night by speaking nonsense at the foot of their bed, and had no memory of it the next day. This strange occurrence piqued my interest, and while my friends were reading about Percy Jackson, I was perusing debates over the legitimacy of lucid dreaming. Although I had a particular interest in the field of sleep psychology, I began to research into the various other aspects of the brain, incredulous at all that it was capable of. I chose to enroll in a psychology course during my junior year of high school, with full intention of taking the AP course the following year.
While others may have thought that reading the assigned textbook was a chore, I gladly dove in headfirst and absorbed all the information it could supply, which was seemingly never enough.
Through determination, I aced both semesters showing sufficient mastery of the course, which qualified me to earn the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma. I earned an AP score of five out of five. In addition to my interest in psychology, I also developed a second passion during my youth.
In fifth grade, I was introduced to a new mode of communication: American Sign Language. Every morning, we would sign our names for roll call, as well as the Pledge of Allegiance.
Even though my teacher had only showed us the bare basics of the language, I was captivated. I would continue to harbor the desire to learn for the next six years, sporadically utilizing YouTube videos in the interim. It was during the midpoint of my junior year, that I was told about a program that would allow high school students to learn in college classrooms at no cost. I took advantage of the opportunity and enrolled in my first ASL night class, while still participating in the theater program in the afternoon, and going to high school by day. I continued the classes throughout my senior year, solidifying my enthusiasm for both the language and psychology.
There is a time in every person’s life when they find themselves standing at a crossroads; I intend to become either an ASL interpreter, or earn accreditation to practice Sleep Medicine or Technology. Whichever path I choose, I know I will be content with my decision because both fields have an imperative component in common: they allow me to help others. I see higher education as a stepping stone for a more successful future; however I am not interested in simply having a career. For me to truly feel fulfilled in life, I am determined to have an occupation in which I can aid others. In the case of becoming an interpreter, I would be able help the deaf and hearing impaired receive services that they would otherwise have more difficulty accessing: such as interpreting for a student, or a patient in a hospital. As a sleep medicine physician, I could help improve the daily functioning of the lives of others, and diagnose potentially dangerous ailments. If I am fortunate enough to receive this scholarship, it will allow me to empower others through the pursuit of my passions, and step confidently into the limitless world of higher education.
