Having worked with a boy, aged 2, with Down syndrome, I understand what practitioners go through to support children with Down syndrome.…
I currently volunteer as a Befriender for a group that helps adults with learning disabilities become included within the community through socialization, by matching Befriendees with supportive Befrienders. I, as a volunteer for this organization, provide their service participants with the opportunity to take a full and satisfying part in their community. I also help to raise awareness of issues affecting adults with learning difficulties in community participation.…
It had been six years! Six years since my father had tricked my family into going into his perfect science experiment. My father was completely crazy, a maniac, once I realized it was only an experiment I was furious, outraged at what he had done to us. Forced us into some hole in the ground and locked it up telling us there was a nuclear fallout outside, and we wouldn't go back for fifteen years. My father is Rex Yanakakis, founder of YK Industries, maniac, and builder of my hell, he is extremely rich so he had plenty of money to build the compound. The compound was his attempt to survive a “nuclear fallout “ I later learned there was no fallout and everyone thought we were dead. We are not dead,…
After retaking the LASSI I have noticed a considerable amount of improvement as well as regression. In the beginning of the year, I vowed to myself that I would become a better student. I wanted to maximize all of my abilities in order to be successful. So, after I took my first LASSI and had my talk with Mac, I began to implement new strategies meant to help me accomplish my goal. First I had to deal with my anxiety. In past years I suffered with a lot of anxiety while learning math. I used to love math very much, however, this changed after my 6th grade year. Math became a foreign subject to me. I could no longer make connections and solve problems. As a result, my grades in math began to drop. As a person who is used to getting A’s and B’s on assignments, I had a difficult time in coping with my failure since it didn’t live up to my standards in the subject of math. My difficulty with math eventually caused me to have anxiety. I had carried this anxiety until my sophomore year in high school. It seemed as if no matter how hard I tried to concentrate on math tests my mind would always become blank. Luckily I had an…
I worked directly with families and together we figured out goals for their child in the community and personally. I worked with many families and some were more motivated then others to help their child succeed. One family in particular had no motivation. They wanted so much from their son but would often find ways to avoid our plans to help their son succeed and the hours that were given to us by the state for me to work with him would flip flop every year. I was devastated but I refused to give up on him. I worked with him as often as I could so that I could see him succeed and one day we had a break through! Reflecting on these work experiences made me believe in Beatrice Wright’s principle that “every individual needs respect and encouragement; the presence of a disability, no matter how severe, does not alter these fundamental…
Does moving to a new place change everything you ever experience? Moving to a whole new descriptive place is like being pop out of your mothers belly again. Especially, when you move to a place where the language, the food, the people, school and everything else is brand new. Those type of situations, shape your way of living in a constructive way that will affect the rest of your lifestyle. That's the same situation that made me have a life change into a whole new story. Almost 15 years ago, my mother had to make a decision that will affect her and affect the love ones around her. An option that will make her leave everything she ever loved and wanted behind forever. The option was to leave her lifestyle, her family and leave a part of her own blood made from her flesh. The own blood was me, leaving me with my grandma so she could had gone to find a job and start a new journey. To have a way to support the her baby and her own family. Departing to the U.S.A when I was only one years old. Until a sudden burdens of death that was going to make my whole story, lifestyle, my whole childhood and the rest of my life changed.…
One minute I was laughing having a great time with my best friend, and the next the two of us were staring at each other; fear in our eyes, tears running down our checks.…
Have you ever been through an experience where you moved to an unfamiliar location by yourself? I had the opportunity to do just that when I left my hometown in Hong Kong and come to America for a better education. I was only thirteen years of age at the time. Giving me the chance to come the U.S was the greatest gift that my parent has ever given me in my life. I appreciated them for providing me this valuable and precious chance for my thirteen years old birthday present.…
“Graduation, the hush-hush magic time of frills and gifts and congratulations and diplomas.” You weren’t lying when you said that Maya Angelou. May 19th, 2013 I had dreamt of that day for almost four years. I know I can’t be the only person who feel this way. I remember it as if it was just yesterday. So many different emotions going through my mind all at once. Happiness, Sadness, I felt relieved because it was almost over but at the same time I felt anxious and overly excited to just leave and go far away. 389 seniors were going to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. After all, our class had the biggest percentage of graduates who were actually…
As I was writing my personal narrative for my composition 1 class, it easily made my mind boggle. After I had got started on my personal narrative, it was easy for me to keep writing and keep following along the story line. The main strength of mine that the essay played to was my creativity and my flexibility for different writings, because I have never written an essay as serious and sad as this one, but I did have to add my happy ending when I finished the story. I wanted it to be very attention grabbing with a twist, but I also wanted it to be very emotional.…
Growing up in Kokomo, Indiana there wasn’t much to the daily life in my hometown. I’d like to believe this is me telling the story of how through hard work and perseverance I could achieve my goal in high school. A goal that many told me was unachievable and stupid to pursue. What is this goal you wonder? My goal was to play Basketball at Kokomo High School.…
When I was only five years old, my older and younger brothers joined an ice-skating program for people with special needs. I looked forward to watching them skate every Sunday. In fifth grade, I became a volunteer and have had the privilege to work with an amazing little boy with down syndrome. Though I have helped my star learn to skate, he has taught me patience, courage to try difficult things, and so much more through his love and friendship. By serving others, we will gain an appreciation for all individuals who are assets to our…
When I started writing this I realized that Cheri and I have known each other for 12 years. In those 12 years, a couple of memories have somewhat stood out. Our friendship began in primary school.…
Early on in my life I learned that life is not easy and that there are bumps in the road that may throw you off track, just like Tess did.…
Most teenagers do not have a clue about what they want to be when they grow up. Most young adults also do not know where their path is in life. Even some full-blown adults are still trying to figure out their purpose. I was lucky. I knew exactly where I belonged from about the time I was seven up until now, at the decently young age of nineteen. I do not see my path changing anytime soon; in fact, I know it will never change. But, I did not just wake up one day as a child and know what my path was, while that would be impressive. Defining moments in one’s life defines who they are. There were lots of things I experienced in my life that made me realize my purpose, my absolute passion. I had four of these defining moments in my short span of…