Samuel, 18

My name is Sam, my pronouns are he/they, and I just graduated high school as part of the class of 2022. My high school is in a small town in Northern California. It is an outdoor school, which is important to note the difference. I have a genetic condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which, for me, causes chronic joint pain and instability, fatigue, weakness and a comorbid condition, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome that causes dizziness and orthostatic intolerance. I’m also autistic.

Being disabled intersected with every part of high school to some degree. I missed a lot of class, and even when I was at school it affected my performance and how well I could get through the school day. It affected my school experience a lot.

Overall, my experience as a disabled student was neutral. There were plenty of bad and good. Some teachers were absolutely amazing in accommodating me and some might as well have put me in front of the class and mocked me.