Lawrence Driver '19 Recruiting Profile

I would identify myself as a “purpose driven student” and let me explain why I say that.  As a student, I started off going to private schools from pre-k thru third grade and for some unknown reason at that time, I struggled.  My mother was very supportive and involved from the very beginning.  She told me that she witnessed me trying my hardest, but something just wasn’t quite right.  I had a slight speech impairment and had to attend therapy daily; but there was defiantly more to it.  My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Hall told my mother that she recommended that I be tested for a learning disability because I had some educational tendencies that I should have already outgrown by that grade level. 

Confused and in total denial, my mother did just that.  The following school year, she enrolled me into public school, requested the testing and the story of “purpose driven” begins.  Fourth grade was a year of total chaos as I continued to lose more and more confidence in myself.   That next summer, my mother decided to quit her job of thirteen years to do whatever she could and educate herself on how to help me.  She worked countless hours with me on reading, writing and arithmetic, but even more importantly she encouraged me to never quit trying.  Despite my unwillingness to do so, I returned to public school in fifth grade and the situation got worse before it got better.  Midway though the fall semester, my mother finally received the long-awaited test results and it was determined that I was Dyslexic and boarder line Dysgraphia.  No wonder why I couldn’t read fluently or write clearly!

I can still remember the very evening my mother set me down at the kitchen table and said, “this is what the report says, but together we will overcome this”.  After she researched these conditions and inquired for resources, my mother decided that she was going to homeschool me.  We began this process the spring semester of fifth grade through my eighth-grade year.  She was right, together we made great strides in catching up, but still had not gotten back on grade level.  During these years, my mother allowed me to continue participating in sports.  I played football, ran track and played baseball.  Being able to play sports was my outlet!  I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of learning a sport, perfecting my skills with repetition, as well as competing; which allowed positive character to be built.

Therefore, I am a “purpose driven student athlete”!  I am now a senior in high school within months of graduating; something that many thought I would never accomplish.  Athletics has not only built my body, skill set and mind, but my personality, self-worth, maturity and passion within myself to remain confident, strong and determined to be successful now and in my future.  I might have been dealt a hand of challenges since the beginning of my education, but I have and will continue to overcome them as I strive to become the best me, I can be!