“¡Más!”, meaning ‘more’, was my favorite word as a baby. My intense, enthusiastic persona was obvious from a young age. The first time I slid down a slide, my eyes burst open and I ran to my parents for a hug, demanding “¡MÁS!”. As years pass, my intensity remains and complements my desire to do my best and share my successes with others. In contrast, “She’ll never walk, never talk,” were the somber words uttered by the...

The main reason I am drawn to Duke is the high caliber and interdisciplinary nature of its Neuroscience major. I want to study psychology and genetics and utilize my understanding of these topics to benefit the special needs community. My sister’s diagnosis is developmental delay. At birth, doctors predicted she would never be able to talk; yet she began singing before she began talking. I am curious about the causes of this phenomenon and what connection her brain may...

As year-end approaches, I look forward to the best week in the year. Since birth, I have spent every Christmas week on a ranch in Mexico with the thirty-six-member Paras clan. Our days begin on the field for the “Liga Paras” soccer tournament. Each person gets assigned a jersey number that corresponds to their age order, starting with Abuelo-number 1, up to my little brother-number 36. Here began my passion for “futbol” at age three. I started off merely as team mascot,...

I wish I were better at being lazy on Sundays. Since I am used to having a packed schedule and always thinking about what I must do next, I am at a loss when there are no more tasks on my to-do list. I get anxious! Sometimes it is okay to do nothing.

After a successful winter BYS season, I was disappointed that the school had not reserved us the gym for the spring. I worked with the athletic director to find an alternate space, and avoided letting down the special needs athletes and volunteers.

I will contribute a glass half-full attitude and a “fiesta” spirit to my suite. Through experiences with my special needs sister I have learned that although things may get rough, there is always something to smile about and a reason to celebrate.

The prospect of studying and understanding my sister’s brain’s attraction to music fascinates me. She began singing before talking! She cannot recall math facts after hours of repetition, but has the answer to any music related question. Why?!