By Jordan Westwood
Self-advocacy skills are important no matter what setting you are in, whether it is in middle school, high school, college, or the work place.
I started advocating for myself when I was in fifth grade. I asked my grandmother if I could come with her to my IEP meeting because I wanted to see what took place at the meeting. I realized how much my grandmother knew about my rights as a special education student and I realized that my grandmother was not going to be able to be my advocate forever: The term is “self” advocate for a reason I told myself.
I took the initiative to start a self-advocacy group. There was a lot of red tape with the Board of Education, but I succeeded in getting the very first youth-run self-advocacy group in my school.
before you even leave for college.
– Jordan Westwood
My deep interest in self-advocacy is very personal. I remember reading a speech by Eleanor Roosevelt, in which she said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” I am very glad that I started the group because it definitely helped many other students realize what it means to be a self-advocate and soon, they, too, were on their way to filling out college applications!
In addition to having academic drive, a student in special education needs to make sure that the high school guidance counselors recognize his or her motivation. It is vital that students with disabilities take the right level of course work needed to prepare for either a two or four year college or beyond. I remember saying at my IEP meetings, “Why would I want to take that general class? It is not aiming me toward my college goals, and I do not want to waste my time on classes that are not beneficial to me.” In a nutshell, I found that I was excited for being able to speak up for myself.
Another reason I started this self-advocacy group was because I did not like hearing the words “can’t go to college” or “not college material.” I decided to start my own youth-run self-advocacy club in my high school for myself and for the other special education kids that were saying those words to me. I explained to them that self-advocacy is learning how to speak up for yourself, making some of your own decisions about your life, and learning how to get information so that you can understand things that are important to you and that interest you. Most importantly, it is about knowing your rights as a special education student and the responsibilities it takes to self-advocate. I told them: “Yes, you can go to college!” And, that there are many services and supports colleges must offer under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A lot of my teachers told me that they did not think I was college material. That really hurt, hearing that from them. I knew that I was college-bound despite my “learning challenges.” I told myself: “I am going to college,” and I did not let their degrading remarks stop me from pursuing my plans. Even my guidance counselor and the Child Study Team discouraged me from attending college. They wanted me to do half of a day in my high school and the other half at the vocational school. I told them right away that I was not going to leave my high school to do a half a day at the vocational school. I made sure they knew I was staying at my high school just like all the other college-bound students.
The key to college success is learning how to self-advocate as soon as possible before you even leave for college. It made my life so much easier being able to communicate my needs and rights to the Office of Differing Abilities at my college.
It is important that you disclose your disability to this office on your campus if you wish to receive accommodations and services. They are not going to find you. Only you can take the responsibility whether you wish to disclose your disability. In order to receive accommodations it is mandatory to have a formal diagnosis. Once you obtain your diagnosis make sure that you look it over and know your strengths and weaknesses. No matter what I was told —whether I can’t or shouldn’t — I have always persevered to succeed. I will not stop persevering in doing the best I can in my academics and being a self-advocate.
Jordan Westwood is a rising junior at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, New Jersey, where she is pursing coursework that will lead to her dream of becoming an occupational therapist. She is a 2011 graduate of Ocean City High School. In 2007 and 2011, Jordan was invited by AARP to a Grand Rally on the Capitol Lawn in Washington, D.C., where she spoke to grandparents and guests about the opportunities for all grandchildren to attend college.
