Dear family and friends,

I am reaching out to share my story and seek your support.

Since I could remember, I always wanted to be a teacher. I’ve now taken that dream one step further and decided that I want to become a Special Education Teacher. Since kindergarten, I was always “drawn” to the kids who were different. That’s also where I met one of my best friends, Ava Rose, who has Juvenile Huntington's Disease. As many of you know, I also have two younger sisters who have Autism. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Ryleigh keeps to herself and is shy. Mackenzie, on the other hand, is outgoing and talkative. But I’ve always seen them as normal people just with a special ability.

My senior year in high school, instead of taking “normal” classes, I decided to do the Early Childhood Education course at LCCTC. With taking that course, there was an opportunity for me to get my tuition paid for to go to college to major in early childhood (known as the PDO Grant), which was amazing! So when I applied to Millersville, their double major of early childhood and special education was still an option, which would consider me for the PDO Grant. But unfortunately, they got rid of the double major because the state changed its guidelines. That meant that I had to choose between early childhood or special education. I considered majoring in early childhood with a minor in special education, but upon going to an admitted students day, I found out that it would be better for me to just major in special education. This meant that I was no longer eligible for the grant. Upon applying for financial aid and scholarships and being eligible for the max amount of federal loans, there is still a substantial gap that I am unable to fill by myself nor my family. My parents are not able to get a Parent PLUS loan due to being in a debt relief program. Also, since I am a younger graduate (17), I am unable to get a private student loan on my own without someone else co-signing for me.

As many of you can remember, I hurt my hip (a piece of my pelvic bone came off) a couple of years ago playing soccer. While that was able to heal itself over time, I re-injured my hip last year. The doctors believed that while my old injury healed itself, the bone overgrew and caused a tear in my labrum. I got surgery in November to fix the issue, but since I am a teenager, I decided to go into all these stores and while in 5 Below, I found a piece of cardboard and slipped. After that fall, I was never pain-free. Nothing that my doctors or my physical therapist did helped. I was still in a hip brace and using crutches to help relieve pain. My doctor finally said that they would have to go back in and see if something was causing the pain. On June 10, I had another surgery and the doctor said the stitches that they put in the first time came loose, likely from the fall. So now I am currently recovering and it’s going A LOT better the second time around. But I am still unable to get a job at the moment.

Growing up in a family that has always prioritized love and resilience over material wealth, I have learned the value of hard work and perseverance. My parents have dedicated their lives to providing for our family, often working multiple jobs to make ends meet. My dad is working 3 jobs (his normal day job, DoorDashing, and reffing soccer games) while my mom is unable to get a job because of my sister's various doctor appointments. My family and I have a little craft business called “Miller’s Crafty Corner” where we each do our own thing and do craft shows, but it doesn’t do much because we don’t get that many people that want to buy stuff. But despite all of their tireless efforts, we have faced significant financial challenges.

This is where I humbly ask for your assistance. Any contribution, no matter how small, would make a significant difference in my ability to attend college and work towards a brighter future. Your support would not only ease the financial strain on my family but also serve as a beacon of hope and encouragement as I embark on this educational journey.

Thank you for considering my request. I am deeply grateful for any support you can provide and for your belief in the power of education to transform lives.

Warm regards,

Makayla Miller