Homeschooling has provided me with the flexibility necessary to discover my passions
and grow into a confident, ambitious individual. If not for homeschooling, I would never have
begun public speaking. As a young teenager, I struggled socially and had a bad stutter. I was
scared to speak to adults and could not hold a conversation without a nervous sweat. I knew that
something had to change. Soon, an opportunity arose: when I was fourteen, I had the chance to
sit in on a speech and debate club practice—and I knew exactly what I had to do. I joined that
very same day, never knowing that I was making one of the most influential decisions of my life.
Thanks to homeschooling, I was able to seamlessly balance my academic workload with
speech and debate, allowing me to design a well-rounded, rigorous curriculum. After finishing
my English lesson, I would open a book on critical thinking. Before I started my math
homework, I would research cross-examination strategies. After a couple of months, I could
engage in conversation without my hands shaking. After a couple of years of dedication and
countless hours of practice, I found myself on stage, delivering an eloquent, memorized speech
to hundreds of people. Homeschooling not only gave me the freedom to pursue my goals but also
allowed me to discover my greatest passion: public speaking. Having the option to integrate my
passions into my homeschool curriculum has nurtured my book knowledge and verbal
confidence side by side—and ultimately prepared me for a job I love. I now work as a sales
representative for a local business and have climbed the colloquial “ladder” over the years to
secure a leadership role in the company at only 18. My flexible schedule and attention to detail
were the driving forces that helped me achieve my current position. I take great pride in the job I
hold today, and being homeschooled granted me the time and energy I needed to get where I
wanted to be.
Homeschooling has not only enriched my personal life; it has instilled in me a deep love
for learning about the world and armed me for future academic challenges. As a senior, I am
undertaking a full-time Running Start program alongside my homeschool courses and am set to
graduate just shy of my AA. My course load is not easy, yet I can keep my head above water by
constantly reminding myself of my future aspirations and just how far I have come. I owe who I
am today to my childhood education, and I am so grateful for the growth that homeschooling
granted me. The trembling preteen I once was could never have envisioned the person I have
become, and I am deeply grateful for the time, flexibility, and encouragement that allowed me to
grow.