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Among the daily stories of disasters, destruction and general bad news, we want to create a space where people can come and feel good.

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, please email us mdaa@mdaa.org.au


A Level results: Shaun hopes he'll be an inspiration

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


Student with disability awarded for perseverance

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."

This website last updated Wednesday 6 January 2010

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