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Emma Doane

Professor Kellner

ENGL 0099

October 18, 2019

Did you have to overcome obstacles to get to were you are today?

When people need help and overcome obstacles, they can still be successful. In “from

scrubbing floors to ivy leagues” Don Loggins was abandoned by parents and lived on her own

trying to get through high school. Just like me Don Loggins had to overcome a lot of obstacles to

get to where she is today. When people overcome obstacles, it makes them a better student

because they overcame something in the way. When people overcome obstacles, it shows growth

and purpose in there learning and personal life.

In “From scrubbing floors to ivy league; homeless student to go to dream college” Don

was a janitor at her school, she would get up super early before school and stay a few hours after

school. Don was abandoned by her parents and she was homeless. She applied to four state

colleges and 1 dream university. She asked her history teacher to write a recommendation letter

and he didn’t know how to write in the recommendation her story just in 2 pages. Don was

accepted to her dream university and got a full ride to Harvard.

Just like Don I have been through many obstacles. I had to learn how to speak properly

and how to pronounce words. I also had to become less shy. These obstacles were in the way of

my learning and if I didn’t overcome these obstacles school would be really challenging. I would

be failing college and not be at college level if I never overcome these obstacles.
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When I was in second grade, I was on an IEP and my teacher saw I was having a hard time

comprehending, speaking and producing my thoughts thoroughly. My teacher went to my mom

to suggest for me to see a speech therapist. I went to Mrs. Peggy for therapy and I was with her

for two years. Every day I would ask my parents will I see Mrs. Peggy today and they would say

no I would get all upset because I liked going to Mrs. Peggy. Mrs. Peggy made it very fun to go.

She made it fun to learn I loved learning so much I wanted to go every day and I also wanted to

learn at home. My mom and teachers saw I was improving over a period of time. Mrs. Peggy

helped me form sentences stating on one topic, she helped me not use (um) a lot when I am

speaking. She also helped me pronounce hard words. If I did not go to speech therapy, I would

not be in college right now I would be at a sixth-grade level. When I was younger, I thought I

would never make it to college level because I had a learning disability and I had to go to speech

therapy. I also thought I was not smart enough for college and college was for smart kids. Mrs.

Peggy helped me stay on one topic in every sentence because I had the tendency to have two

topics in one sentence. Mrs. Peggy helped me better my public speech by not saying (um) a lot.

She assigned an assignment and I did it for a couple of months. The assignment was to take a

blank piece of paper draw a line down the middle and write me on one side of the line and

everyone on the other side. Then I had to mark a tally everyone someone said (um). This

assignment helped me not say (um) a lot because Mrs. Peggy made it a competition and I wanted

to get the less tallies on my side. Mrs. Peggy helped me get into college because I feel like I am

at college level, she also helped me with my self-confidence. There are still a few things I

struggle with like comprehending when I learn something new. She has helped me figure out

different way how to try and comprehend. If it was not for Mrs. Peggy I would not be in college,

being able to speak properly, and even pronounce hard words. If it was not for Mrs. Peggy I
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would not be going in the medical field because the terminology is hard to pronounce sometimes

so if I had a hard time pronouncing I would not be passing medical terminology.

In “from scrubbing floors to ivy league: homeless student to go to dream college” it stats,

“How can you explain this is a young lady who deserves a chance but hasn’t had the

opportunities?” Dawn was abandoned by her drug abused parents and she was homeless. Dawn

had to focus on getting a job and going to school. I had to go a few obstacles just like dawn did, I

had to get extra help to have good speech. I also had help getting out of my shyness.

In April of 2012 I started karate, when I started karate, I was shy, when I first started

karate my kiaps were very quiet to where no one could hear me. When I was younger, I only

talked to my grandma. My moms friend got me interested in karate. After a year of karate I have

come more out of my shy shell when I became a black belt I was invited to be on the demo team.

A demo team is were black belts in karate all get together and perform the same segment and

show off our talent. There were 2 performances each year in the spring and fall.There are 4

levels of growth on the demo team. The four growths are new beys, veteran, elite, and extreme. I

started as a new bey then when I went back for my second performance and I became a veteran

which that means I was on the team before, so I know how the demos work. Then after another

year I tried out for elite and I made elite team. On the elite team that means you can do some

tricks and kicks that are a little more challenging than what the newbies and veterans can do.

Then after being on elite for one performance I then tried out for extreme and I made extreme is

where you do the flips, crazy kicks, go to Chicago every January for a AKA warrior cup

tournament. AKA warrior cup tournaments are a big deal they are a world tournament. I have on

extreme team for 4 years. I have been to Chicago, battle of Columbus I have been to the

federation tournaments within my karate school. I am an assistant instructor in the federation and
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that means I can teach a class without having another instructor that is above me help me teach

the class and I can only teach white – black belt kids. In September 2019 I tested for my certified

instructor which means I can teach from kids to adults and I can be a center judge at our

federation tournaments. When I was younger I never thought I would be in demo doing

performances, going to Chicago or battle of Columbus, be an instructor, and me able to have

mean and loud kiaps .Karate has helped me out a very long way, if it was not for karate I would

be not able to ask questions in class because I would be to shy. If it was not for karate I would

not be in college I would not be able to talk to anyone.

When people need help and overcome obstacles, they can still be successful. In Dawn

Loggings story she had to overcome being abandoned and alone. The obstacles I had face were

speech, pronunciation, and shyness and they were in my way. If I did not overcome these

obstacles I would not be in college and pursuing a job I want to do. I would be in a job that does

not require college classes and instead is easy to learn on spot. Mrs. Peggy and the Opps pushed

me and I can speak better I know how to pronunciation and I can talk to people even being shy

but not as shy as I was. They helped me get into college and be who I am today. If you are shy

try to do something a little out of your comfort zone.

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Work cited

"From scrubbing floors to Ivy League: Homeless student to go to dream college." CNN Wire, 7

June 2012. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A292190192/OVIC?u=ucinc_main&sid=OVIC&xid=c1e31819.

Accessed 25 Oct. 2019.