Meet Drew
Age 12
💬 “I know I need to do it. I just don't know how to start.”
💛 A Little About Me
I'm Drew, and I'm 12. I have a big imagination. I'm curious about pretty much everything, and I'm funny. I know a LOT about science, space, LEGO and comic-book characters. I can spend hours building something complicated… and then get stuck on one worksheet.
I live with my parents, who are really supportive, and my older sister, Emma. She's 15 and naturally organized. I look up to her — though sometimes I compare myself to her.
My bedroom is full of big ideas and creative projects. Some are finished. A lot of them aren't… yet. Teachers sometimes see a smart kid who doesn't finish his work. What they don't always see is how hard I'm actually trying.
⚡ Something That Happened
Last year, I had a big school project, and I was really into it. I collected so much cool information. I made drawings.
But when it was time to put it all into the format we were supposed to use, I couldn't figure out how to make it fit together. As the deadline got closer, it felt more and more impossible.
I turned it in incomplete. My teacher said, "Drew, you had weeks to do this."
I had spent weeks thinking about it. I started wondering if something was wrong with me. (There isn't. But that's how it felt.)
🏫 In Our Classroom
On Monday, our teacher told us to finish our research, organize our notes, make slides and get ready for a presentation on Friday.
I opened my laptop and kept switching between my notes, the directions and a blank slide. I couldn't pick where to start. Twenty minutes went by.
When my teacher asked why I wasn't working, I was embarrassed. I said, "I don't know." Then I was told to stop wasting time, so I closed my laptop. "Whatever. I don't even care."
I did care. A lot.
🌱 What I'm Learning
I'm learning to break a big project into small steps and choose just one first thing to do. A visual checklist helps me see what comes next. I'm practicing asking questions when I'm not sure what's expected, and noticing when I need help.
Knowing what to do and figuring out how to get yourself to do it aren't always the same thing.