Jordan has overcome incredible odds to be where she is today. “I didn’t start speaking until I was five years old and didn’t start speaking in proper sentences until I was 11," said Jordan. “I have a learning difference called Auditory Processing Disorder which means I have a hard time processing things auditorily. When I was in elementary school, I had a hard time responding to people even though I knew what they were saying to me. I felt like I was living in a fishbowl.”
In addition to not being able to communicate easily during her younger years, Jordan struggled to find a group with whom she could identify with. “I am biracial and bicultural so it was hard for me to find a group that I could ethnically identify with,” said Jordan. “Since I wasn’t able to communicate well and didn’t know where I fit in, I always sat by myself at lunch and had really low self-esteem in elementary school.”
Things started to change for Jordan when she entered Gateway Middle School in 6th grade. “My teachers started to include me in my Individualized Education Program (IEP) and we would work together to set and achieve goals. I started to feel powerful instead of unsure of myself.”
The small class sizes at Gateway High School empowered Jordan to feel confident speaking up and using her voice. “I always feel heard and seen in my classes,” said Jordan. “I wouldn’t be here without my teachers and IEP leaders who believed in me.”
In the fall of 2018, Jordan will attend Lehigh University and aspires to major in biological sciences so she can be part of the medical community, a community which has played a pivotal role in her life. “When my mom had cancer, the doctors were kind and took the time to explain her cancer diagnosis to me in simple terms,” said Jordan. “I want to help people in the same way they helped me and my mom.”
Being part of Posse is a dream come true to Jordan. ”The thought of going to college has been instilled in me since middle school and now it’s becoming a reality,” said Jordan. “I’ve worked so hard to be here and it feels so good to be on this path with people who will support you along the way.”