You make a difference.
Sometimes we think we hear a whisper, or feel a nudge, or just know down deep, “I need to do this.”
The National Catholic Board on Full Inclusion is just that.
A big old nudge…a push…a neon sign.
We all make a difference every single day. How we treat our people that spend our days beside us…that’s a choice and it makes a difference.
How we speak to ourselves when no one else is around.
How we choose to spend our money.
Or our precious free time.
Or our energy.
Every single day, we get to vote on what matters to us.
In our words, in our actions, in our deeds.
So, when Patrick (my son with Down Syndrome) was finishing up 8th grade at his Catholic school, I just couldn’t bear the idea of having no one come after us. Having the inclusion experience end right there.
In my heart, I knew it was a dot and it needed connecting.
Connecting to other families.
To other schools and teachers and principals.
This website was a message in a bottle and I was hoping the message would be found.
Meet Bella.
Her story is our Easter miracle.
She is proof that what we do makes a difference.
Her story is incredible.
Here are her mother, Ana’s, own words:
I wanted to share my daughter’s story with you since it was your organization’s non-profit website that prompted me to actively pursue inclusion.
My daughter Bella has spent the majority of her early years suffering from refractory epilepsy. Her life consisted of many doctor visits, hospital stays, therapies and medications. It took a toll on her development. Once she reached school age, it appeared as if her needs could only be met in the most restrictive of placements. As a non-verbal autistic, her lack of purposeful speech and motor difficulties meant she was greatly misunderstood. She could not speak, she could not write – it was as if she was trapped in a body that just wouldn’t cooperate with her. Because of this, her educational goals were low, repetitive and boring. Year after year very little changed.
It wasn’t until she was able to learn and communicate through a teaching methodology called Rapid Prompting Method did we see the most dramatic change in Bella. In the span of a little over 3 years Bella has learned to type to communicate. She is insightful, incredibly brave and inspiring as she challenges others to view disability in a completely different light. The first thing Bella spells for most people is “I am smart”.
As I prepared for Bella’s last IEP, she shared with me these words, “I belong with my neuro-typical peers”. Yes, those were her exact words! And so began my advocacy for Bella to attend her home school Jr. High. It didn’t take long to realize by the tone of the administrator’s voice on speaker phone that inclusion was not a concept they either believed in or practiced.
While Bella began the 2015 school year at yet another Non Public School, my search for an inclusive school began in earnest. I found your website and felt it was a sign when I saw St. Pius V Catholic School listed as it was just a little over a mile away from the school Bella was attending. When I initially called St. Pius V Catholic School I really doubted that anything would come of it. I had called another Catholic school not listed on your website and never received a response.
All it took was that one phone call that led to Bella being included. It almost seemed too good to be true. I expected to have to convince them, or at least listen to all the reasons why it wouldn’t work. Instead what we experienced was love and acceptance. I attend school with Bella as her communication partner and support.
Several weeks ago, as I was attempting to finalize this letter, the Most Reverend Bishop Vann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange visited St. Pius V Catholic School. Bella had the opportunity to ask him a question. From her iPad, she typed:
“Is it possible for all students to get a catholic education despite their differences?”
Here is part of a letter that Bella wrote in response to the visit…
“The few months I’ve been at St. Pius have been the most rewarding months since I learned to communicate by typing. You have no idea how it feels to finally learn like a typical student. It feels amazing to be included and loved.”
In closing I would like to thank you for playing a key role in making my daughter’s wishes for inclusion a reality. Bella and our entire family has been blessed by your efforts to raise awareness and inspire more Catholic schools to be open to welcoming all of God’s children. Many continued blessings to you.
WOW!! Bella, you have been included for only a few months and yet here you go advocating for others in the most powerful way.
Straight to the Bishop.
Thank you.
Your words are so moving.
Your strength and resilience so inspiring.
Yes, everything we do makes a difference.
Every day you are at Pius V Catholic School, living your life — learning and growing and making friends — is another dot connected.
A dot of inclusion.
A dot of possibility.
A dot that says YES.
Your message is one of courage and advocacy…because none of this would have happened if your mom didn’t advocate on your behalf…
until you could ask the questions yourself.
Thank you Ana and Bella for sharing your story of inclusion and letting us in on the beautiful miracle that is transpiring at Pius V.
We are all better when we learn together.
Your story is proof.
