MY INSPIRATION

My name is Kayla Marie Gonzalez.

I have lived with Epilepsy all my life. Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures and other daily side effects. Because of the risks and how it impacts my everyday activities, I had a 504 plan and accommodations at school. I needed to take breaks, unlike my classmates; I missed a lot more school; and my daily routines and freedoms were very different from theirs.

I never knew many people with similar conditions, which was isolating. Throughout my life, especially when I was younger, I constantly questioned, "Why me?", "What's wrong with me?", "Am I the only one?"

It was hard to deal with the feeling that others wouldn't understand where I was coming from, how I felt, or what I talked about. While people were supportive, there was nothing in place to address my feelings. I wasn't sure if any other students felt the same way.

Over the years, I learned that this is a common feeling for kids with conditions that affect their everyday lives.

As an Ambassador Girl Scout, I was given the opportunity to create a community outreach project. One of the first issues I thought of was the underrepresentation of disabled children and the lack of services for them. The feeling I remembered so vividly gave me the perfect outline.

I wanted to create a mentorship program for children with conditions.

Our mentees will join a community of kids who understand each other's frustrations. Through mentorship, they'll learn positive framing and self-esteem skills while also gaining a friend they can ask for advice, vent to, play games with, or whatever they see fit!

And while primarily meant for the mentees, this will be a mutually beneficial program. It will give the mentors a chance to better understand the community of people with conditions, combat ignorance on the subject, and help them become more understanding individuals.