![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
Amniotic band syndrome is a rare disability that only appears in one in every 10,000 to 15,000 pregnancies in the world.
Most babies do not survive this phenomenon because of the severity of it. ABS (Amniotic Band Syndrome) occurs when the lining of the amniotic sac is damaged during pregnancy, creating fibrous, string-like strands of tissue that entangle the fetus, parts of the fetus and or umbilical cord, the survival rate of ABS is 74%.
I was lucky enough to survive this. Unfortunately I lost most of my fingers on my left hand causing my hand to become deformed and all of my toes on my right foot and one toe on my left foot. To most people this sounds super unlivable but I am living proof that you can conquer it.
I basically had to learn how to do everything that normal people do but just in a different way.
This disability made me super insecure and scared of what people thought of me, especially since most of my life people either bullied me or pitied me and I hated. As I got older I decided to not care about what other people think of me and to let my personality shine and I learned how to stand up for myself and to not let people treat me badly.
There are many ways that my disability affects my life but it’s not too major. I just can’t really tie my shoes normally and I drive with only my right hand, just waiting to get myself a car. I can dress myself like normal and I eat like a normal person.
Typing was difficult at first but with lots of practice I can type pretty fast now. I can do my own hair and makeup easily. There are some things that are still pretty difficult for me to do like putting on a necklace, this is still extremely hard for me and earrings are also a challenge but I’ve found a way to do it that works for me.
I only have two more years of high school I plan on graduating and studying film and editing in college.
After years of being in and out of hospital since I was a baby, I can finally say that I am fully fine and comfortable with who I am. I am so proud of myself for never giving up and always trying my hardest and not letting anything stop me.
I hope my story inspires you to never give up even when life throws huge obstacles at you. Always be your unique self like my mom always says. “Haters are gonna hate no matter what you do,” so take my advice and be yourself.
This story was originally published on LHStoday on February 11, 2025.
