Motivational influencer Jordan Toma visited Southern Local High School and addressed about 300 junior high and high school students March 21. Toma, who suffered learning disabilities and anxiety as a child, has built a social media following and travels the world encouraging youth to overcome adversity and find their personal strength. (Submitted photo)

SALINEVILLE – Motivational influencer Jordan Toma brought his message of belief in oneself and overcoming adversity to Southern Local High School on March 21.

Toma, of New Jersey, shared his story and how his struggles with dyslexia, anxiety and ADHD ultimately became his strengths and led him on the path to a better life. He addressed roughly 300 sixth to 12th graders in the school gym and distributed T-shirts and copies of his self-penned book, “I’m Just A Kid with an IEP,” to the students amid interactive question-and-answer sessions.

He said he grew up with a lot of self-doubt and was teased about being “the dumbest kid in class,” but his mom, Debbie, was his cheerleader and believed in him enough to motivate him. Toma said those the students believe are “annoying” and who push them to work for something are the ones to appreciate because they are positive influences.

“In my life, I struggled through everything. My mom believed in me so much. [There’s someone] who believes in you, the one who loves you the most…can see your gifts. Your struggle will always become your strength.”

He shared a video of a “Today” interview featuring him and his mother and how her love helped him overcome his personal obstacles. Toma told Southern students that his years in junior and senior high were difficult, so much so that he wouldn’t go to class at public school and received failing grades. He faced hardships when his anxiety got the best of him and caused panic attacks when he got to school and when classmates were mean and taunted him. He missed 100 days of school during his sixth-grade year and his anxiety attacks became a disruption and led to bus suspensions. The absenteeism trend continued through eighth-grade and then he attended a private school during his freshman year, but he was struck another blow when a teacher questioned whether he wrote a paper he spent so much time working on. He stopped going to class and failed out of private school but eventually transferred back to the public school system.

All he wanted was to be a regular student but believed it would never happen.

“I thought anxiety would control my life forever. I would try to run from it but the anxiety got worse,” he continued. “How many of you felt like you didn’t want to be you anymore and you wanted to change to be someone else? In your life, we always struggle. You will overcome all of the struggles and opportunities will present themselves. You are exactly who you’re supposed to be. There’s only one of you.”

He said he learned many life lessons, such as not being defined by the grades he received but by the work he did to achieve them. He worked with an individualized education plan, or IEP, and had a 1.7 GPA and little chance to attend college. Toma said he received rejection letters from 15 colleges before being accepted into the STEP Ahead program at Centenary University in his home state. STEP Ahead is an intensive summer residential program providing specialized support for students who face academic, social or emotional challenges as they transition to college. He learned of the acceptance on the same day he was suspended for committing a senior prank. Although his principal said he couldn’t walk for graduation, the official changed his mind and Toma received his diploma.

But Toma was angry about the eight-week summer transition program which involved tutors and mental health counseling, and he screamed that he hated his mother for pushing him to attend.

“I called the director, Chris, and said I wasn’t going. He said, ‘We’re giving you a chance. If you don’t take this chance, you will never change your life.'”

His mother would drive him one hour away to the campus, and his thoughts of jumping out of the car – something he had done many times in the past–were thwarted when she locked the doors to prevent his escape. Toma made it to the campus and decided to take that leap of faith.

“I said, ‘What if my mom is right?’ I went to class and sat in the front row, even though I’d always sat in the back.”

His luck would change and he received his first “A” on an assignment. He graduated the program with a 4.0 GPA and was awarded as the hardest worker, and then he eventually graduated college with a 3.3 GPA and a psychology degree with plans to counsel school students. However, his path led him in a different direction and his first job was selling windows. He was disheartened about the experience and complained to his mother, who gave him another piece of advice.

“I told my mom I didn’t learn anything that I use for my job. She said, ‘You aren’t always going to use everything you learned in college.'”

Toma said the effort students put forth in school continues in the real world, and he decided to work hard and succeed at his job. He became a top seller and would later find a new career as a financial advisor. He studied hard for the related test, which he failed, but made a second attempt and passed. He succeeded in that vocation and currently operates his own insurance business. He created his platform, I’m Just a Kid with an IEP, and spent two years writing his book, which he self-published after companies rejected it. He also decided to travel to schools and encourage youth to overcome adversity and his social media following boasts nearly 3 million people while his book has sold more than 100,000 copies.

“What got me here was all of my failures, all of my doubts,” he said as he gave more assurances to the students. “We all wind up at a different pace. I promise you that all of your time is coming.”