I have been a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) for seven years but I had never heard the story of Richard Wallrath. His dedication to his faith and generosity toward the FFA and 4H were truly inspiring. However, it was Mr. Wallrath’s resiliency in the face of adversity that resonated the most with me. I have had my own adversity to overcome and feel I too have risen above that adversity and have gone above and beyond expectations.
Like a majority of the kids, I went to Pre K and Kindergarten before entering elementary school. I had wonderful teachers who were attentive and I still remember fondly. I remember playing with my friends, participating in sports, and simply being a kid. Unbeknownst to me, words like “potential” and “limitations” were becoming regular conversation between my parents and teachers. What I did not know at the time was my parents had become aware I was having a difficult time reading “cold” or unfamiliar material. At that early stage in school, my teachers were unaware of the true difficulty I was having with my reading. One reason for this was God blessed me with an …show more content…
I realized early on I wanted to take control of my disability rather than letting it control me. I was determined to not allow my disability to limit me in any way. I never wanted to focus on my limitations, but instead had the mindset that everything could be transitioned into a positive opportunity. I continued to think this way and indeed realized my disability no longer was holding me back. Instead, it had helped me find an inner strength and resourcefulness. Along with an abundance of humility and patience, I have learned a positive attitude, hard work and self-determination are what it takes to be successful, whether you have a learning disability or