A beautiful story about inclusion

http://www.morningsun.net/stories/110507/loc_215012438.shtml

Down Syndrome... can't keep this boy down
By Nikki Patrick | The Morning Sun

A little anxiety is normal when a mother takes her child to school for the very first time, but Kristy Rasnic was more worried than most when she took her son to kindergarten at Meadowlark Elementary School.

The youngster, Steve Melton, now 10, was born with Down syndrome.

"One of my biggest fears when he started school was that I did not know how others would accept Steve," Rasnic said. "But now I can leave him and not worry. I don't think the other kids see him as being different."

Steve's educational program is one of inclusion. For around 25 percent of his school time, he receives special services in Lynn Martin's classroom, including speech and occupational therapy. The other 75 percent of the time, he's in Abby Graham's primary class, accompanied by Jesse Bartley, a paraprofessional.

"Just about any lesson can be adapted to find something that Steve can do," Martin said. "Right now he's learning to read, learning to print, learning some easy addition."

"I have him answer with us, reading from his book with us, looking at the pictures and answering questions," Graham said. "I'll walk over and look as his work, just as I do with the other students. Having him with us is a very positive thing."

"Today it was really fun," Bartley added. "They did a lunchroom survey and asked about favorite foods in the cafeteria. Steve said ‘cheeseburger.' When they voted, he raised his hand when they said cheeseburger."

"We have a community-based program, and a teacher takes the students out into a community setting to practice social skills and manners," Martin said. "For example, they went to a restaurant with a buffet, and now Steve has no trouble at all going through a buffet line."

Steve is also a favorite in the school library, and currently loves "Clifford" and "Curious George." "He knows right where those books are," said Vicki VanBecelaere, library medical specialist.

October was Down Awareness Month, and VanBecelaere put up a special exhibit on Down syndrome in the library, using books and materials provided by Rasnic. "I couldn't tell them everything about Down syndrome, but I could introduce it to them," she said. "I think it's important for the kids to understand that all children are the same — but some are different, too."

Rasnic provided materials from the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City, including some very special bookmarks featuring a picture of Steve and the slogan "Friends don't count chromosomes. Be a team player support people of all abilities."

"I ordered 450 bookmarks, and they're all gone now," Rasnic said. "I've got to get more."

She said that she became associated with DSG after her son's birth. "I had known people with Down syndrome before, but I really didn't know anything about it or what caused it," Rasnic said. "At first I thought I had done something wrong that made this happen."

She became an advocate, not only for her own son, but for others with disabilities. "I do case management, and through Families Together, I advocate for children with special needs who don't have families," Rasnic said. "And I don't back down — don't tell me no."

Inclusion was the biggest thing for her, and for the rest of Steve's family, including his father, Steve Melton, and older brother Seth, 15. "We all agree that Steve has to be treated the same as any other kid, because it's a rough world out there," Rasnic said.

It got a little more difficult when Steve was diagnosed with diabetes five years ago. Now he's doing well with an insulin pump. A recent hospital stay showed Rasnic just how well accepted her son is at school. "He received three balloon bouquets and 42 cards," she said. "Some days I can't get him to school fast enough."

"Sometimes I can't get him out of the classroom," Martin added. "I think the school has become an extension of Steve's family."

She noted that inclusion isn't appropriate for every child with special needs, but works beautifully for Steve. "It's worked well for the other students, too," Martin said. "They've learned a lot from Steve. He has helped them become better people."