{"id":5546,"date":"2021-08-03T15:28:18","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T15:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/teens4ts\/?p=5546"},"modified":"2021-08-03T15:28:19","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T15:28:19","slug":"what-drives-me-gavin-j","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/teens4ts\/what-drives-me-gavin-j\/","title":{"rendered":"What Drives Me – Gavin J."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gavin was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the essay he included with his application.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve faced many obstacles for something I had no control in doing. I expected my peers to not understand, but I expected better from adults. My earliest memory was 2nd grade, my teacher refused to distribute the Spider-Man cupcakes for my birthday, she said my throat cleaning had disrupted her class and she was angry at me. I remember the tears rolling down my Mothers face when I got off the school bus, cupcakes in hand. 5th grade my teachers pulled me out of class to tell me I had nothing wrong with me, it was attention seeking and I would amount to nothing. 8th grade my teacher mimicked and mocked me in front of the whole class, I sat there and couldn’t believe what was happening. I wish these were the only obstacles I faced, but it’s only a glimpse of what it is like to live with Tourette Syndrome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurologic disorder that causes repetitive movements and unwanted sounds that are difficult to control. I have lived with TS since the age of 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I continually have to prove myself, show everyone that I’m not different. It’s never expected that I will be an exceptional student or excel at sports, just because of my TS. Not often do I encounter a peer, teacher or coach that doesn’t look at me differently, like I may not belong because of my TS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middle school is when things got worse. Kids started noticing the blinking, throat clearing, shoulder shrugging, along with so many other tics to mention. I wish I can say it was easy to live with TS as a pre teen, but that would be an enormous lie. I mostly ignored the stares, laughs and ridicule from others, but it still hurt. It’s not easy having a disability that can be embarrassing, socially isolating and even painful from repetitive movements. Although, I never personally considered myself to have a disability because there has been nothing I haven’t been able to accomplish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end of 6th grade, I started attending a weekly academic forum through Rutgers University for children with TS. It was there I learned about TS and how to advocate for myself. I was taught techniques through cognitive behavioral therapy how to reduce tic activity. I learned to hyper focus on things and started having better control of my TS. I began incorporating what I was being taught into my studies and sports, that’s when I started to excel at everything I did. During middle school, it was through lacrosse and football that I found the confidence I was lacking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I haven’t faced any difficulty or exclusion throughout high school. The more transparent I am the less people seem to judge me. Living with TS has not been easy, but has made me a mentally strong person. I face challenges differently than my peers which gives me an advantage. I won’t allow TS to control my life, I have been fighting this battle for so long there aren’t many things that can stand in my way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m thankful for my family, they never allowed my diagnosis to define me. They gave me the tools and resources to become a fighter. I will continue to live by my favorite saying… NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE ABILITY OF SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gavin was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award.  This was the essay he included with his application. I’ve faced many obstacles for something I had no control in doing. I expected my peers to not understand, but I… Continue Reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":530,"featured_media":5547,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[7,375,11],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Drives Me - Gavin J. - Teens4TS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gavin was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award.  This was the essay he included with his application. 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