It is with great pleasure that I can say I was able to view the Olympics this year. Perhaps I did not travel to Canada, but I did get a chance to see the Andrew High School Special Olympics team play basketball.
I substitute teach at Andrew High School. I admit, I was taken aback when my assignment was to work in "Ultima" for the day. This is a division of Special Services, in which I feel I know very little about. The students in Ultima have severe disorders such as downs syndrome, autism, mental retardation, etc. Let me tell you how great each and every one of these kids are. At first, I'll admit, I was scared. I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing. The students had aides which were a big help in leading the class. Each and every task brought a smile a a great sense of accomplishment to the students' faces. Language Arts class consisted of being able to copy a sentence from the board and them being able to read it back to me. It was a huge accomplishment for them. They were so proud of themselves, as I was of them. Then came math. They were able to add the amounts of the coins to tell how much money they had. It was just like a regular schedule of classes, but we worked differently.
When it came to lunchtime,. the kids warmed up to me, as I warmed up to them. They were so excited to tell me about their upcoming basketball game at Richards High School on Saturday. I heard all about their practices, and who was a good player, and past accomplishments. To top that off, many of them were going home after basketball to get ready for the Turnabout dance. Some of them even showed me their dance moves. The energy and excitement was contagious.
After my day ended, I was exhausted. These students drained me, but left me with hugs goodbye and invitations to their game.
Could I resist? Nope. They played their hearts out and won. The excitement was overwhelming. How can these children take such joy in every ounces of life? The other students in the school grumble and complain about so many things, when these challenged students rise above their disabilities and shine like superstars. They students really made me think twice about the small things in life that we take for granted. I have chosen to look at everything as a small task, and not be overwhelmed by the large picture. Each time I complete something small, I will make it my own personal victory and take pride in it. I learned from my kids something deep within themselves: Overcome, and succeed.
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