Laurencia Schmitt

10800 Highway 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
843-650-5600
laurenciaschmitt@g.horrycountyschools.net
3 May 2016
Senior Digital Exploration Judges
10800 Highway 707
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Dear Judges:
I hope you all are doing well this evening. I would like to start off by introducing myself. My
name is Laurencia Victoria Louise Schmitt. I have attended Saint James High School for a little
over a year and a half. My first year being here was my freshman year. It was quite the struggle
for me between grades and discipline. Toward the end of the first semester, my immediate family
and I were informed that my grandfather was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. We then moved
to Baldwinsville, New York. Schooling in New York, that I can say, was by far the easiest for me.
When I completed my junior year, my mother decided to move back to South Carolina, where I
could then finish my senior year of high school where I started off at. Between coming from
New York, having to take five classes, and the essays for this project senior year has definitely
been a challenge. Thinking about graduation is an abundantly bittersweet feeling. I am ecstatic
about it but I sometimes wish I could just have one more year.
For my Senior Exploration project, I chose How ADHD Affects a Childs Learning Ability. I
chose this topic because I have struggled with ADHD in school for as long as I remember.
ADHD can seriously affect the ability on how a child learns. From the tapping of a pen, or
jumping conversation to conversation, the smallest of things could distract a child with ADHD,
including myself. Another reason I chose the topic I did, was to help myself better with this
disorder. With doing the research or even just reading various articles or watching different
videos expanded my knowledge about ADHD. Knowing how to cope with the disorder or other
alternatives besides taking medication would actually benefit me in the future as I go off to
college.
When our senior class first started this project, all most of us could think about was what our
topics would be. That part for me was a piece of cake. I looked at it as an opportunity to open up
about this disorder I have that is interfering with my school work. This whole process with
Senior Exploration was an extremely hard challenge for me. I think the papers were THE

WORST. I could sit here and talk my whole research papers and annotated bibliographies, but
once I had to put it on paper, I was stuck. I had to go to my mother for it all. The papers affected
my class grade tremendously. I handed in most of them late. But through all the challenges I had
to face, I can say that I completed my Senior Digital Exploration Project with not only the one on
one help of my mother, but the help of my English teacher, Mrs. DeBock. I cannot thank either
one enough, but I can say they are greatly appreciated.
I would like to say, in sincere gratitude, thank you all for taking the time out of your daily lives
to come out here to grade my project. I would like to thank you for giving me the time to present
my project with you and to share my perspective on how ADHD affects a childs learning ability.
Sincerely,
Laurencia Victoria Louise Schmitt
Laurencia Victoria Louise Schmitt