I've loved school.

Until the time I took my first test.

I loved my teachers and I loved my friends.

But I hated reading. It made my head hurt.

Specialists started pointing me 
out of my classroom

and labeled me "reading and writing disabled."

And for years I was totally freaked out 
and anxious about school.

And in middle school it got worse.

Until I started home school.

That's when I realized I just needed 
an alternative way to learn.

So I studied ancient civilizations in Egypt,

biology on safaris in Kenya,

and real life math at grocery stores, 
currency exchanges on Craigslist.

After homeschooling, 
my grade point average came up,

my self esteem came back 
and I felt empowered.

And once I became responsible 
for my own time management,

and I kinda got used to that,

I couldn't imagine a future 
on somebody else's schedule.

So last year I created my own business.

The idea came to me in Liverpool

when I was watching amphibious 
World War II vehicles called ducks

giving land and water tours.

Back home at Homer Alaska.

I came up with...
I researched and wrote a similar tour

even though there was no way 
I could afford a duck.

Two years later though, I came up
with a more affordable tour.

Entered a business idea contest,
won some cash,

and became the owner of a replica 
of a San Francisco trolley.

I've learned about regulations, 
marketing and ordinances,

and what it takes to get
old moving parts moving again.

The morning before my first tour,

I was underneath the trolley 
fixing a fuel leak,

gas dripping down my elbows.

And I remember thinking to myself

"I could be sleeping in right now."

Well, aside from worrying about 
an occasional fuel leak

or work interfering 
with my fishing schedule,

I'm happy to know how empowering 
it is to start with a dream

and end with something tangible.

I have learned 
that I can't let people label me.

And my own limits are the limits 
that I set for myself.

Alternative thinking has made it
that I can reach my dream.

And I hope that some day 
by alternative thinking

I can be a part of a greater dream 
to create positive solutions

for the rest of the world

(Applause)