My Purpose

     

My sister and I

   Before I begin posting campaign successes, I wanted to explain why I am doing what I am doing. My sister has Down syndrome, my uncle has Williams syndrome, and my mother is a special education teacher. Therefore, I have been surrounded by the "special needs" community my whole life.

My uncle and I

My junior year of high school, I began my two-year journey in the Independent Study and Mentorship program at my high school where I have had the opportunity to study in-depth the profession of speech-language pathology. While shadowing speech-language pathologists, I fell even more in love with children and people with intellectual disabilities and felt that that speech-language pathology was my calling. When the special education coordinator at my school came to one of my extracurricular club's meetings asking for ideas and volunteers to help her with coordinating White Ribbon Week (national disability awareness week), I gladly stepped up to help her. I made signs, involved my fellow cheerleaders, hung white ribbons around the school, ran disability simulation activities at all lunches, created a banner for students to sign pledging to never use the word "retarded" derogatorily, and made a video advertising disability awareness including testimonials from people with disabilities that was played on Liberty's weekly broadcast. More information can be found on the Frisco ISD website at the following link:

http://www.friscoisd.org/news/inside/inside-frisco-isd/2012/12/07/white-ribbon-week

           Moreover, after I saw the change the pledge and the entire advertisement had on my classmates, I knew I had to take the campaign to the next level as part of my Independent Study and Mentorship speech-language pathology product. I named the campaign "Special Perceptions," and I will be posting pictures, videos, and updates on the status and success of this campaign on this blog. Hopefully, through special perceptions, others with understand how people with special needs need to be perceived and treated. Using the word "retarded" derogatorily, even if not meant in a negative way, hurts the person with intellectual disabilities as well as his or her family and friends. Thank you for your support!