Office of Administration
Governor's Council on Disability
Missouri Poster & Journalism Contest

Third Place – Middle School Division

Nathan Olson
Willard Middle School
Willard, Missouri

Inclusion: Today and Tomorrow

I have been around kids with disabilities since the second grade. Through the years I have learned to accept them for who they are. Lindsey, my first friend with a disability, taught me many things. We have remained friends for six years. In fifth grade I met Kyle. Kyle was older than me but we had a lot in common. In sixth grade, I met Logan in an after school program. We became friends listening to music together. All three of my friends have great attitudes that set them apart from their disabilities. They have taught me that it doesn't matter who you are or what your disability, you can still do the same things as everyone else.

The first day of second grade I looked across the room and saw Lindsey. She was sitting at a table with some other kids. I noticed when everyone stood up, she was a lot shorter. Then I saw she was in a wheel chair. We were in the same class for the next three years. It wasn't until fifth grade that we became close friends. WE would talk at recess and sometimes race each other across the basketball court. I was surprised how fast she could go in her wheel chair. In sixth grade we went to middle school for the first time. I ask Lindsey to come to the first school dance with me and my friends. They were surprised that she would even attend and even more surprised when she danced in her wheel chair. WE all learn from Lindsey that people with disabilities are just like us.

Besides getting to know Lindsey in 5th grade, I also met Kyle. Kyle cannot speak or hear. My mom had Kyle in her advisory class. One Saturday my mom, brother and I watched Kyle compete at Sporting Chance. Then we went to Silver Dollar City with all the Sporting Chance kids. When Kyle and I met the only thing we could communicate about was roller coasters. So we rode them all. The first sign language word I learned from Kyle was "scared". Kyle taught me that I could have fun with someone even without talking.

In sixth grade, I met Logan in an after school program. We both love music, dancing, and laughing. Logan has Down syndrome but he is just like any other kid I know. Sometimes he is happy and sometimes he is sad. Sometimes he doesn't want to go to class and I have to race him to the door to get him there. Logan always smiles when I see him. Logan is a friend I can always count on to make me smile.

Including kids with disabilities in all kinds of activities is easy. The hard part is knowing how to act when you see them. Thanks to what I have learned from Lindsey in elementary school, I am not afraid to approach someone with a disability. I know I can help others include kids with disabilities by setting an example. Asking kids with disabilities to attend a dance, share a lunch table, or just hang out after school allows others to become comfortable around them. Lindsey, Kyle, and Logan have made a difference in my life. I hope I can make a difference in their lives by appreciating them for who they are and I hope others can too.