Throughout my lifetime, my goal has been to be the best person that I can be; to work towards perfection, and never, ever stop. In addition to this, I do my best to make a positive difference in the world. Here is an experience that helped me get a step closer to my goal, and make a major difference in someone’s life. This past year, I had the opportunity to work with Bryan Nash, a student who has Down syndrome. I was an important part of his daily routine. Everyday we would walk to classes together. As we were walking, we would discuss what had happened in the previous class. I’d also ask him questions about various things in his life. I often chose to be Bryan’s partner in collaborative activities. The fact that I’m a capable student allowed me to help Bryan without disrupting my learning. I helped Bryan in a variety of ways. For example, Bryan made a scrapbook. I sat patiently with Bryan everyday after recess, and asked him questions about the each individual picture in the scrapbook. By taking the time to sit down, and work with Bryan to add details to his stories, I helped his brain to develop. It also gave me such a good feeling to see the change in Bryan over the course of the school year. People assume that it’s so difficult to work with a student who has special needs, but all it takes is a person who has three simple things: patience, caring, and respect. Not only is it easy, but it’s also fun to be with someone who’s a little different from me. It taught me that if I take a few minutes out of my day to really help someone, I can make a major impact in their life.