I am going to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Roughly 2100 miles, the trek will take about 5 months. I recently graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, which is one of the 5 federal academies. You may have seen it in the news as the President spoke at our 2006 graduation. I hugged him at the graduation and because of a face he made I got some unexpected publicity—the Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Fox Day-side, MSNBC, Local News stations, a couple radio show. Numerous articles were written in newspapers nationally, including the NY Times who called the next day for an interview and eventually a small part in 2 episodes of the soap opera Passions. The main topic of the whole ordeal was about was my lackluster performance academically and regimentally at school and then my sudden popularity post-hug. What no one knows is what happened before all this.

I was a “set-back” my freshman year for poor academic performance. The Commandant of the school, Vice Admiral Stewart, was the man with the final decision of whether or not I would return to school or be kicked out. (USMMA has the highest attrition rate in America) After he let me stay, I went through 4 more years and accumulated the most regimental demerits in the school’s history. About 3 months before graduation, I was again in front of the Admiral and an Evaluation Board on the chopping block. After he had already gone on the line for me once, I was asking him to do it again. Only this time there were a large number of people advising him to not make the same mistake twice. I also had a considerable amount of people supporting me, but the humanities dept. and athletic dept. don't have much clout at a federal academy.

Again, Admiral Stewart backed me and decided to let me have another chance if I agreed to a contract outlining several stipulations — a break of five months filled with school work assignments before returning to work towards graduation. I was truly blessed to have such an outstanding leader believe in me. It was during this time I went home and found out (in my last year of college) that I had a learning disability with the filtration of sound in my ears. So while I went to get treatment for my ears at Project Child in Beverly, MA, the counselors there suggested I get tested for dyslexia. Sure enough, they were correct and I was diagnosed with dyslexia. They said that because I was very intelligent, I had adapted and found ways to get by without showing the normal obvious signs. When I returned to school, I was armed with a better knowledge of myself as well as some new ways to do things. On the Licensing Exams for my certification to receive my Mates License (kind of like a driver’s license for three football fields long / 300 yard-long ships) I was part of 51 % of the class who passed all the four-day long 7 tests the first time. This was a shock of everyone, especially all of those who had pushed to have me expelled and were hoping for failure to prove themselves right.

Every year growing up in school, my teachers told my parents I needed to be medicated, but my parents refused despite everyone’s suggestions. I always was an extremely slow reader and worked up a disdain for it over time. Since I was diagnosed, I have become extremely more patient with myself and have made a strong effort to improve.

So I recently decided to raise some money for the International Dyslexia Association to help them help educators everywhere recognize dyslexia symptoms at early stages. I have been fortunate to have exceptional support from friends and family and was able to succeed in school and in life. Now, I hope you can help me by helping those who might slip trough the cracks. I am hiking the Appalachian Trail and would appreciate your help with a pledge … you can pledge per mile (I hope to be part of the 10% who begin the trail and actually finish) … you can pledge per state (I hope to make it through all 14 states) … or you can make a pledge for completion of the entire trek. I do so appreciate your help. My family will post pictures as we progress.