Esme, 15 years old, VA | 1 DAY WAITING | NEEDED BY 11/06

Wish submitted by:

Esme is legally blind, and she experiences the world through touch, sound, memory, and the bold colors and shapes she can see most clearly. Every new place she lives requires her to learn a whole new map: where the furniture is, how many steps lead to the kitchen, which drawer sticks. When she entered foster care, she had to relearn those maps again and again, each move taking away the familiar layout she had worked so hard to memorize. It takes patience and courage, and she has a great deal of both. Esme is sharp, funny, and endlessly curious, with a memory that amazes her teachers. She loves audiobooks, music, and anything soft and cheerful, especially Hello Kitty, whose bright colors and gentle face make her smile. She dreams of becoming a teacher for students with visual impairments, someone who shows other kids that blindness doesn’t have to limit their dreams.

A tablet with adjustable text, magnification, and screen-reading features would open up a world of learning and fun for Esme. She could enlarge text to read her own schoolwork, listen to audiobooks, and use apps designed for accessibility, all at her own pace. It would help her complete assignments independently, explore her interests, and stay connected with friends. For a girl who has worked so hard to navigate a world that isn’t always built for her, a tablet that works the way she does is a powerful tool for independence.