NEWSDEPTH QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What are some ways you make your friends or family members with special needs feel more included?
Zoe, Woodland Elementary: I have a family member that has a special need. My grandma has a prosthetic leg. It is hard for her to get around much, but she still does it! We go out to eat Mexican with her every once and a while, and she has a walker, and a wheelchair she uses. She uses her walker when she goes out, but when she is at home she uses her wheelchair. Me and my family all love her very much.
Alan, Ankeney Elementary: Without any disabled family members, I can't hope to understand how it feels to have a disability. I believe disabled kids should be able to have the same opportunities as normal kids including the chance to have fun and play just like everyone else. Newsdepth's section about the playground that was built so everyone could play together was an inspiring one that reminded us that disabled people still have hope.
Lauren, Rock Creek Elementary: I said Yes for this week’s poll. My brother that is now in kindergarten has Scoliosis, which is where your back isn't fully straight and is very common. My brother goes about every four month to get a new cast or a brace to have on until he get his new brace or cast. My brother is wearing a brace right now and he can take it off for two hours each day. The way we show our support is wearing shirts that have "We have your back" on the back of the shirt and Team Landon on the front. I like that people have now started to notice that kids born with spine injures can't do as many things as other kids especially swimming in the summer on hot days.
Allyson, Preston Elementary: I answered "NO" in the poll. Since I don't have any family members with special needs, I would like to tell how I would help them. People with special needs don't always get to do things like sports that regular kids get to, so I would want to make a soccer, basketball, etc. team that would be able to have special need kids on it. I was really inspired by the segment about the dance team. That made me think of ideas on how to make these kids more active and not feel left out all the time. I really think they should make more inventions that let these kids do more with their life.
Ally, Eastview Elementary: I know a student with special needs in my school and I help him feel accepted and included. The kid that I know is in my grade, third grade. He is in a wheelchair and has trouble speaking. I help him feel accepted and included by playing with him at recess. I also know a kindergartener, who was going to go to my school, but she got cancer and now she stays in a hospital. She recently got her leg cut off. I help her feel accepted and not like a huge scary monster by sending her gifts and get well cards like she’s one of my closest friends. By doing these things, I truly became a better person.
Hannah, Chagrin Falls Intermediate: I recently saw the movie hidden figures and it is very inspirational to young women like me. I love space, science, math, and social studies and would like to be an engineer. I never got to meet my grandfather but, my mom told me he was an engineer. I hope to help people create the magnetic train you talked about. I just love engineering and building Legos! I want to say to all the other girls out there, you can do anything as long as you try! A salute to our astronauts and NASA! Thank you!