Among the daily stories of disasters, destruction and
general bad news, we want to create a space where people can
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Here you will find stories that make your heart sing and
you face light up. These stories are about the joys of
diversity and difference and the fullness that is the human
experience.
If you have a story that you would like to see here,
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22 August 2009
Teenager Shaun Turner has triumphed in his A-levels
after refusing to let his cerebral palsy hold him back at
school.
The 18-year-old studied at St John Fisher Catholic
College, in Newcastle, and was given a laptop and scribe
to help him cope with the demands of essays and other
written work.
Now he has achieved B, C and D grades at A-level after
taking English language, philosophy and ethics, and law.
He is now preparing for university next month and hopes
his success will inspire others. Shaun, who lives in
Gillow Heath, near Biddulph, said: "I've done brill. I'm
really chuffed. It's been quite hard work, but really
worth it. I was predicted Cs and Ds, so getting a B has
been a big achievement."
Cerebral palsy, which is linked to brain injury and
causes movement problems, affects people in different
ways. Shaun has remained relatively mobile, but seemingly
simple physical tasks can prove tricky. "I struggle to
write quickly and to make it legible," he said. "The
other main problem is tiredness. Later in the day, I've
tended to be really tired. It was a bit of a challenge in
the exams.
"I was given extra time in the exams and also had a
laptop, which the school provided." Shaun joined St John
Fisher half-way through his first year at high school
after finding it difficult to settle at his previous
school. He said: "My mum and dad and I were very
impressed with St John Fisher when we first spoke to the
staff.
"They have made me feel like my disability is not an
issue which can't be overcome. I have felt really valued
at the school. "The teaching staff have also been
brilliant and offered me a lot of support." As well as
providing the equipment to help with his writing, the
school teamed him up with a mentor, who helped him with
the transition into the sixth form.
Shaun, who also has 10-and-a-half GCSEs, has now
landed a place at De Montfort University, in Leicester,
to study English and journalism. Staff at St John Fisher
say he has contributed much to the life of the school
during his six years and he fully deserves his academic
success. Joanne Hughes, head of the school's sixth form,
said: "Shaun was deputy head boy last year and has played
a fantastic role. He was also one of our senior prefects.
He's a top young man."
Source: www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk
Cherie Rodriguez, Miami Herald
USA
Oscar Ortiz, a 10-year-old who attends Treasure Island
Elementary School, came to the United States two years
ago from Puerto Rico. Besides suffering from cerebral
palsy, he had to learn a new language and make new
friends.
"At first, it was hard, but my teachers helped me,"
Ortiz said.
Ortiz once was known as a student who hid from
schoolmates and teachers behind a language barrier. Now
they recognize him for his persistence and outgoing
personality.
"I never give up," Ortiz said. "I keep on trying."
This past school year, Ortiz was awarded the Award of
Excellence for Students with Disabilities. Oscar won the
county-wide award in the elementary school division. The
award is given by Parent to Parent of Miami, a nonprofit
that advocates for kids with disabilities, and the
Superintendent's District Advisory Panel for Students
with Disabilities, made up of parents of children with
disabilities, school officials and other education
advocates. The award is given to students with
disabilities that have demonstrated a high level of
independence, effort and progress in classes.
"We are looking for students that have made progress,
and develop friendships,'' said Isabel Garcia, executive
director of Parent to Parent of Miami.
Oscar's special education teacher Alexis Schonfield
and inclusion teacher Jilian Herrera sponsored his
application for the award, citing his significant
attitude improvement.
"When I first met him, he would refuse to speak to me
and only spoke in Spanish,'' Schonfield said. "He got rid
of his wheelchair and now only uses it for field trips.''
His mother, Jenniffer Del Valle, also noted a change in
Ortiz's personality.
"He has changed a lot because he was frustrated and he
cried,'' Del Valle said. "Now he tries to do everything
himself.''
Ortiz struggled with his academics at first, but he
later learned to thrive in the classroom, according to
Schonfield. With hard work, he became a member of the
Accelerated Reader Club, which recognizes students that
achieved an 80-percent score or higher on quizzes of
specified books.
"Before, he couldn't do anything on grade level,''
Schonfield said. "And now he is doing everything on his
own and you never hear him complain.''
The perseverance that Oscar shows also makes him stand
out to his classmates, Schonfield said. Now he proudly
sports a green walker instead of the wheelchair he
started school with.
"The kids see that he is a leader because even a walk
to the computer is hard for him,'' Schonfield said. "The
other kids see that he has to work twice as hard to do
basic things, and that they have nothing to complain
about.''
Ortiz continues to dream big, and his next goal is to
become a Hollywood actor.
"According to the application's description, when he
comes into a room, everyone knows he has arrived.''
Garcia said. ``He doesn't see his disability as a
barrier."
