By Angela Howard

Each time our report cards go home, the students at Westwind wear college t-shirts to remind them of their goal of having the opportunity to attend a college of their choice. Five-year-old Amaya Williams had a shirt made especially for this day. She plans to either attend Harvard University or John’s Hopkins University to become a doctor. She wants to attend one of these universities because they “teach how to be a doctor and how to be smart and always listen to a teacher.” Ever since she walked in the door at Westwind this fall and noticed that our theme is “Dreams,” she has told her teacher, Mrs. Ivie, that she dreams of becoming a doctor.

She wants to become a doctor because she “can help people with their health – like if they have cancer of the lungs, brain, or whatever. I can help them if they are sick.” She says she would like to treat babies and be a neonatologist. She wants to “change their diapers, change their clothes, give them a bath, feed them, teach them how to walk, and provide toys for them to play with while they are getting better.” But more importantly, she plans to “give babies their baby medicine (or a shot if they need it), give them lots of rest, check their temperature, and surgery (if I have nurses in there to help me.” She wants to do anything to heal the babies and make them feel better. She also really likes the doctor bags with all the doctor tools in it – “light for the eyes, medicine, stethoscope, reflex hammer, etc.” That is a cool side benefit.

Westwind talks about dreams and setting goals for the future. This little girl has her heart set on attending Harvard or John’s Hopkins and becoming a neonatologist. We have no doubt that she will turn this dream into a reality.