When we do the Best that we can, We never know what Miracle is wrought in our life,or in the Life of Another......Helen Keller

Greetings! It's the Holidays and many out there need encouragement. What great life stories are  outthere to uplift others and to reinforce that everyone who has a disability are very special people.

Any awesome inclusion stories or overcome stories? Have you recently advocated for someone or a service and there was a victory?

My son recently started a series titled Defining ( his name):I am ( his name) I am not autism (copyright pending).

So stop by and share!

Inclusion

Hello. I'm a disability rights advocate. I know this blogs owner. I'm honored she asked me to post here.

My Website is www.ivykennedy.com

on 6/7/11 I gave this speech on inclusion:

Hello. It's a pleasure to be here tonight. My name's Ivy Kennedy. I live here now but grew up in Williamsburg James-City County. I was included in class with my non-disabled peers Kindergarten through 12th grade. I had an assistant write for me and handle my books in class. I graduated with a regular diploma.

I believe if you're included in school, you will stay included throughout life. Inclusion is not impossible. I am proof.

Many of my friends with disabilities have told me they were not challenged in Special Ed. To quote they were given, “Busy work”. The bar of expectation needs to be raised for students with disabilities. All children in public schools deserve a quality education. I believe by including kids with disabilities it will benefit all kids.

Schools are mirrors of our community. By not including students with disabilities you are saying it's ok to segregate. This has to end. We as a society can do better.

The disability employment rate is horrible and will remain horrible until students with disabilities are included with their peers in school.

I had lots friends in school. I'm sure that I would not have had as nearly as many of them if I had been kept in a Special Ed classroom. Friends are the most important in life if you ask me and by keeping children in Special Ed you are depriving them of that gift. Young kids are so opened minded. If you start inclusion young bonds will develop. These bonds will protect kids from bullying and build a strong community.

I realize every child is different. I believe we have the brain power to be creative so every child can be included in the classroom. In the inclusion process adults will be challenged to give their best and that effort will positively benefit every child in the school.

People with disabilities have been around since the beginning of man. It's way pass time to stop segregating them. …..and it starts with our children.

________________

on 6/21/11 I went back to the school board.

I spoke at the last meeting on my experience with inclusion. I'll read a condensed version of what a few of my peers had to say about sharing the classroom with me. I have left their comments in their entirety with the clerk.

Joseph - If it wasn't for "Inclusion", I would not have had the chance to meet and work with such a wonderful person. Ivy was not the only person that had a disability or mental challenge that I attended classes with. It is amazing how well she got along with her fellow students, what she had learned and with her disability.

Joshua - I know having you in my life has affected the way I've treated disabled folks up to this point in life, and will for the rest of my life.

Danita - You showed and continue to show me a life full of friends, activities, education! Now as a parent of a child with a disability I look at (Ivy) as an example of how full my own disabled daughter's life can be.

Katie - Having you in class was beneficial to me, in that I did not look at you as being different from my other peers, which in turn, helped to mold my opinion of disabled people that I would meet later in life. You were part of the class, while you might have had different learning obstacles than I did, so did a lot of people in class.

Shannon - As I was growing up, I've always let what people say about my differences shadow my confidence. I am so glad that Ivy and I shared a couple of classes, lunch tables and graduated together. She has shown me that no matter what our differences, we can take the opportunities we've had and make them blossom in our own way.

Brandie – Others.... mainly adults viewed her as having a disability but not us! Being friends taught me life skills that not even the best college could have taught me … to have compassion and not turn a blind eye to those with a disability.

Stephanie - Just because people are in a wheelchair or are different doesn't mean they aren't awesome people. In fact most of these folks just as Ivy taught me are way cooler and more awesome than most other folks!

Christopher - No mater how bad of a day I had, seeing Ivy smile and the way she tackled life. Always made my day better.

Bertelle - (because of Ivy) I was inspired me to go into the career field of Rec. Therapy. My favorite part of that job is showing others with disabilities that they can do anything they want if they put their mind to it, just like (Ivy) showed me.

Billy - (Her disability) was no big deal to her...always positive. That positivity transcended through me and the rest of my classmates in ways immeasurable. She essentially provided me with the social gift of equality that I now use on a daily basis as an adult.

Loving Who your children are and seeing the bright future that awaits!

When we do the Best that we can, We never know what Miracle is wrought in our life,or in the Life of Another......Helen Keller

Hello Everyone! My Deepest apology for not talking lately. My child and I have been going through a whirl wind of IEP  trials and the school not wanting to see and help the potential that is inside come out. I often look for the good stuff and this time I had a bad turn.  the harassment from the school has become much worse and the list goes on, But what I fail to see this time was how it was affecting my son. Recently we had guess in our home they were his cousins visiting for the summer. One girl and one boy all within one year of each other teenagers so the boy vs. girl issues was in the sound waves of my home.  Well my son has been very angry about the things from school and the fact one of his passion playing football may be taken away for good due to a recent incident where a another child choked him into a seizure that left him paralyzed for a Short time.

Back to the home issues well I thought that as normal they had settled things between them and we had move on well not soo. last night during a brief fourth of July celebration the Walls came tumbling one remark after another end with the girl crying on parents shoulder my son with his arms wrapped around me until he could squeeze no more crying and the other out on the porch not knowing what had happen.

My son explain it this way, I have people at school telling me what I can not do and taking things away from me, I have the doctors telling me what I can and can not do and then she comes in my home and does the same thing that is just wrong I am angry and can't take it any more.

After we cry ed together and we talked about everything we were able to move forward with apologies etc....

I shared this because some time as parents we may fail to see how the situation is affecting or children ex specially if they are quite or non verbal. I too was reminded this holiday that my child is not broken he is a strong young man who hears, sees , feels and forms his own opinions and every now and then we have to be reminded that yes children are resilient but they are loving warm human beings and life affects them too.

I love you  Mom will never forget the lesson learn !

I encourage you to share your stories , lessons learned and tips.

Until next time

Success is in the heart , mind and Soul~

Whats on your Heart Today?

When we do the Best that we can, We never know what Miracle is wrought in our life,or in the Life of Another......Helen Keller

GoodAfternoon,...

Today I stop by to encourage everyone to share there experience yours may help others. When was the point you realize you heart your child wasn't broken and that there is a bright succesfull future inside them?

Mine was when my child was two he was lining his cars up in a perfect line and something click inside me as he looked up for the approval of his car line. With tears in my eyes I got down on carpet and pledge to him that life would not pass by that success was ours. I placed my head on his forehead and said today I promise you  that I will never place you in a insitution, and you will have your dreams and be successfull now mommy just needs to know what they are... That week I hear for the first time momma. You have the keys to unlock keep following the heart beats...

Until next time

Welcome Heart Beats equals a Bright Future!!!

When we do the Best that we can, We never know what Miracle is wrought in our life,or in the Life of Another......Helen Keller

Welcome!

Today is the first day the site goes live.... It is my hope that people will stop by and share their story. your story may encourage the next person. There are many things out there like the ah ha moment. There is not much out there ro give families with disabilities a soft place to fall on a hard day. I am going to come back everyday and share how its going with my child and or family members with disabilities please and so the same. There maybe services and or techniques that may help so share share share.....whats on your heart beat today.

see you tomorrow!
Success is heart and mind