Me

From one of my earlier posts I mentioned that I was in a Leadership class at I.D.C.I, and one of the interesting things about this class is all what I like to call the "mini" stories we learn about in the class. For example we learned about Jason McElwain, an autistic boy who always sat on the side lines and watched his team mates play basketball, but when finally given the chance to play he managed to score 20 points in 4 minutes, which I must admit is pretty spectacular.







We also learn and hear about many other amazing people and stories. From stories of classmates personal lives, to stories that just hit close to the heart.







Then today we learned about a boy, who played for his highschool football team, and scored a touchdown. This wouldn't seem very outstanding to people, sure he scored a touchdown, but the thing is this kid had down syndrome. Now that seems very heart warming to people, but there's more to the story that meets the eye.







In the video ((linked below))



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ylwXOxKb7I







It shows a stereo typical American highschool football game going on. The white team, is getting severally beat by the other team. So the white coach asks the green coach since they are getting so badly beat that if he puts on his one team member that has down syndrome if he would tell his team to lay off so this kid could get a touch down.







The coach complied, since he knew he had the game, and allowed this kid to score a touchdown.





Was this okay?

Many kids know what they are getting into when they sign up for a sports team, they understand that things might get tough, that the games will be long, and that sometimes they might get hurt. With all this in mind, they still go out for the love of the sport. So just because a player on a team has some form of a disability, doesn't make them any different then the player next to them.

What can be done?

Honestly, treat someone on your team just the same as you would treat anyone else. While working with Todd and Alex Alves I have come to notice that, even though they can't communicate with words to me (one of their workers and friend) of what they want to do, or what might be bothering them, they are the prime example of the saying

Action speak louder then words.

Even though they can't speak up and say, "Hey I don't like that", or "I want to go do this.." what they do instead is their way of communicating.

People know.

Like anyone who doesn't have special needs can say, if a situation changes, they notice. For example, if you get into a sports game, playing or watching, and the rules are changed; your going to notice something different about this game.

Same thing with kids with special needs. They notice if there's a change in a schedule, no matter how sever their disability is.

Change the game for them?

With the above being said, why do people "baby" things up for others who have a special need? It seems like they make things easier, just because they're "different". What are they really learning from this? What many people lack to realize is the fact that kids with special needs are more then capiable of handling day in and day out situations, and that they don't need things to change and are more then capable of doing things just like how we do.

For example, the one boy I work with Alex nows how to perfectly use a microwave and cook his own food, sure he needs some guidance sometimes, but with more and more repatition he needs less and less. Same for his brother Todd, with the more repition he is starting to need less and less guidance.

So like the boy in the video posted above, one has to think when someone trys out for a sports team they know WHAT they are getting themselves into. So just because he has a disability doesn't mean he doesn't know the risks of what could happen during the game of football. It might seem like a nice gesture to most people of how they allowed him to attain a touchdown, but at the same time he was made "a charity case", because they changed the rules and way of play just for him.

Like in this video of, the boy who has autisim and scored 20 points in 4 minutes left of his highschool basketball game, nothing changed. They didn't "baby" up the game for him, he played a regulation game just like any other player would and look at what he accomplished.

So food for thought...

If we are in 2010 why do we still "change" things for kids with special neeeds?

Why do we "assume" that things need to be softened for them?

We still label people, and point out there flaws..

When will we be able to leave the labelling for soup cans?

Man's best friend

We, for centuries, and even longer then that. Have seen dogs as "man's best friend". Many people can relate to this, especially if they've had a pet dog throughout their child hood that they grew up with. They're there for when were sad and need a hug, when were sick and need something to cuddle with us, and when we just need a laugh they can be there to amuse us to. Sometimes, man's best friend can be there for even more then that.





Pepsi, is a black labrador retriever. He's just like anyone else's pet dog, bouncing around, tearing up toys, and eating any sort of food that could possibly be left out and un attended. He's a great house hold pet to the family he lives with, but he serves a greater purpose as well in the family.






Pepsi is an Autism Service Dog.



What is an Autism Service Dog? May be some people's questions, and the best way I can explain it is, they are one of the best living versions of mans best friend. He helps keep the boy he works with Alex safe, and on time, he helps to relieve anxiety, and make life easier for Alex and his family in some aspect.



Pepsi, like most service dogs helps insure saftey for Alex, and is a reliever of anxiety. Some places where Pepsi helps out the most is to give Alex a type of independence when going out on the town with his family, and at school showing that he's capiable to do anything.

Coming from a third party, I remember a time when Alex didn't have Pepsi around. A 5 minute walk for me could be a 20 minute walk for Alex because of his constant tapping along the way. There was always the worry to that when Alex's parents turned their back, or when they least expected it, he could run and could end up getting seriously hurt.

When Alex's mom had her urekia moment the day she thought that Alex could use a service dog, there was an immediate change in Alex's behaviour.

Alex was able to make that walk faster then I could, and in one fluid motion without having to go back and tap things. It also gave his family a reassurance that if anything did happen, that Pepsi would be there to help control the situation.

Like most families with service dogs now, service dogs don't come cheap.

For a service dog like Pepsi it costs $18, 000. Not exactly the cheapiest thing in the book.

Through fundraisers and donations, being able to afford a dog and make them the families own.

Service dogs help reassure saftey, and are a very key tool in helping kids with autism to relive anxiety, or just be that close pal.

**IF You wish to learn more about Pepsi and help fundraise. or learn more about autism dogs in general visit these sites**

Pepsi Fundraising Information --> www.autismdogforalex.piczo.com
--> http://www.facebook.com/#1/group.php?gid=140312424576&ref=ts

More about Autism Dog Services --> www.autismdogservices.ca

Change?

We say were the generation of change. Change in technology, change in communication, change in just about everywhere we can think of. That's what the media wants us to see; there are changes in style, and changes in music. There's change everywhere, but at the same time there's barely any change happening.

In my leadership class we had one of the head directors of education come in and talk to us about what leadership is, as students went around and said what they thought characteristics of leadership were, he nodded his head in approval. He then said to my class, "Have you heard the saying that you are the people of tomorrow? Well in reality, you are the people of the today and now".

Many of my classmates stopped and listened and it sunk in, that we are the era of change, but for us to be the era of change; we still have to go through older people, like him to change things, and sometimes these people aren't always that cooperative.

I wanted to, if I could ask this man, who seemed more then influenced to help change the schools he helped oversee; if you want change so bad, then why don't you start where change needs to happen the most? Change always happens in the classroom, with the new textbooks, new curriculums, new teachers; all meant for the change for the better, but there's always one place which seems to be forgotten.

"You guys get a diploma, I get a little certificate"

My friend told me this, and who was the person who answered, and what was the discussion about? My friend asked another one of our close friends whose in my schools "D.C." class, if she liked being in the class and she said "No" , and that she much rather be in what are considered "Regular" school credit classes. This friend of mine doesn't receive credits like me, or any other student who attends school every day. (Hence the reason for the "Certificate" and no diploma) which makes me wonder. . .

"If a student is fully capable of being able to attend a class without an E.A, Why can't they be in regular classes?"

The fact that members of my generation "The Change" generation, are sick of the way their treated, when it comes to some developmental programs at the school. Not saying that these programs don't do good work, just saying that things have been run there to gnerically for too long.

"So why is it in 2010, kids are still segregated because of their disabilities?"

This is a question that still boggles my mind. The fact they get made fun of because they "look" or "dress" differently from the rest of the high school community, doesn't mean they don't have feelings. They can hear when other students laug at them, and when kids point and call them names; sure they'll deflect it, and make it look like it's not bugging them, but in reality ther ARE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, who doens't like it when people call them names. The fact that kids think that "D.C." stands for "Demented Children" really hits that nerve of pure disgust in my body. The fact that kids laugh at the boy I work with who has a form of autism, which affects his communcation skills; is one of the happiest kids I know. He is usually smiling and very rarely has a bad day; he is always more than willing to help out in whatever way he could.

When I was walking down the hall at school and heard him I turned around to give him a smile, just in time to see a group of kids turn around. . . and laugh. Sure he makes noises and yells, but that's his way of being like, "Hey I'm here, I'm happy". Why these kids laughed, make me sick. They just don't understand, and the change hasn't happened to make them understand.

This boy I work with, Alex Alves; even though he can't hold a conversations like me or anyone else could, has feelings, he gets hurt. He knows when someone is making fun of him, and just like anyone else his feelings get hurt.

A prime example of this?

As soon as those kids laugh at him, he got upset.

So if I ever could sit down with the man who walked into my leadership class, what I would want to ask him is...

"Whis is it that, thes kids have to be "trailed around" by their teachers?"

WHY CAN'T THESE KIDS JUST BE KIDS?

If the men and women above us always tell us to "Be the change" and "Carpe Diem" (Sieze the day), how can we be able to attain that when they always stop us and say, "Oh that's not possible". Or come up with some other clever excuses to discourage the change,

"It'll take to much time out of classes, and can't be done"

Excuse me, Board of Education workers? How can we be able to do what you keep telling us to do when you keep coming up with excuses to stop us?

Look, there's many kids who believe in this change, your just the ones stopping us

Is it really necessary?

Kids walk the hall on a day to day basis at my school, friends laughing, couples spending time with eachother. Typical highschool as what we are "meant" to see. We see the football players, the volleyball team, the partiers, the stoners.. whatever label you want to use.. it's all obvious in highschool.

But what we NEVER see, what is NEVER brough to the attention of the school is the one group of kids we all see, but never do anything about. Some now it as Spec ED, some now it as the D.C. class.. some don't even realize it exsists.

Is that really what our society has come down to? Not wanting to make it aware to students that these kids exist? Has it come down to the fact that the education bored just doesn't want anything to do with them just becuase their "not normal" or "at the same learning level".

It sickens me to think. that in this classroom there are kids, dieing to be heard, wanting to be in the everyday math class, or foods class.. classes we take for granted, and they wish they were able to get into.

Why..why can't they be in my class? their not allowed to.. why? that's my question.. and the answer that is given now is not correct, and very disturbing.. if someone can give me a solid answer and correct answer that isn't discriminating or un-eclusive.. then maybe I will accept it.. but I will NEVER accept the answer I'm given now