Our Ambassador

Day 6 of the 31 for 21 Challenge

I ate lunch with Lindsay yesterday. 

She was chatty and excited and more than a little nervous about today. She barely touched the corn on her plate so I urged her to stop talking and take a few bites.

As she chewed, I wrote in my notebook, “So passionate and well-spoken. The perfect choice for an ambassador at the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk in Neenah.”

Lindsay will be greeting and welcoming people who attend today’s walk, and then – the reason for her nerves and cold corn - giving a speech in front of “the whole Fox Cities area.”

I asked her what it’s like to have Down syndrome and what she hopes to accomplish as an ambassador at today’s event. The rest of this blog is hers:

“I have an extra chromosome that gives me a slow learning in my brain. It’s called Down syndrome. It also makes my feet function differently. I walk on the balls of my feet. It hurts to walk flat-footed. It gives me cramps in my legs.

I went to a public high school, but I was in Special Education. My friends were mostly teachers because the other students weren’t like me. They had the ability to learn faster than me. The students didn’t talk to me much – usually just ignored me.

At home, my dad really understood my disability. I could talk to him and he knew what I was trying to say.

As an ambassador to people with Down syndrome, I want people to know that Down syndrome is just an ability for us to grow in our knowledge. We don’t like to be called ‘retarded.’ Down syndrome is just something that people have because it is part of their purpose, part of what they were designed for.

Other people need to know that it’s important to treat people with respect, and act with integrity. And responsibility also comes with having Down syndrome. When people see good character in us, hopefully they will give it back to us.

Many people are willing to support people with Down syndrome, not just ignore us. People with Down syndrome should not give up on themselves.

I want to say to the people with Down syndrome that my main purpose is to let them know that I can be a voice for them if they need one. I know about their situation in life. We are a part of God’s purpose too. He put us here, so we can have more hope and confidence that we can succeed in the future.

There is more to disability than taking it seriously. Our personalities should show too. We need a sense of humor in life. We need to show who we are, not just the disability we have.

There are things that make me feel bad about having Down syndrome - emotionally, in my heart. I see people treating people like me badly – bossing them around and picking on them. We don’t always know how to respond when people act like this to us. There is lots to like about Down syndrome. We’re easy to be friends with and friends are there forever. I also think it’s easy for us to be loving, caring and helpful. Many people with Down syndrome are blessed in a special way like that. I just want peace between people with disability and people who don’t have disability.

I’ve never done this before – being an ambassador for people with Down syndrome. I’m nervous, but I’m going to show confidence and faith. I know I can achieve my goals of being more confident, getting an education, understanding my emotions and growing spiritually.

I not only want to be an advocate, I want to be my own guardian as well. I want to be trusted with my own life. I want my ideas to be taken seriously, and I want to work at a place like Shepherds College to help other people find their ability. These inspirations come from my heart.

The most important thing to tell my friends is that God is the biggest thing to look for. Find His character and put it in your heart.”

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Final Boarding Call

Goodbyes are some of the worst things in this world.

Saying goodbye is sometimes accompanied by tears or uncertainty. It’s often painful, and it’s certainly not easy. But we have to say goodbye in order to say hello.

After the Shepherds College 2012 Commencement, all of the students were busy packing up and heading for home. They knew they would be missing their friends and teachers, but they were also excited to be off for vacation. It was a time for bittersweet goodbyes to school and eager hellos to summer.

I was sad to see them leave. The rooms seemed so quiet and empty without all of the students and their personal belongings. I knew that when the students left so would the laughter and the energy, the smiles and the hugs. I didn’t want that to happen.

When it was time to leave, Codi took a moment to come and tell me goodbye. She gave me a hug and one of her beautiful smiles. Codi and I had worked together on her final speech in Personal Development. She is an excellent public speaker, and I was honored to work with her. I miss her smile and her passion for life.

Nicole, Codi, and Josh

Christi also visited with me before she left. We had worked together on her speech, as well. Christi loves to talk about sports and music, so we chatted a little bit about her favorite things before saying goodbye. Christi asked me to come back to Shepherds College again next year. Who knows? I may just have to oblige.

Christi and Daniella

It was difficult to say goodbye to these students and especially these girls. I didn’t want to let them go. But goodbyes and letting go are necessary parts of life.

And now, as the students prepare to come back to school in just a few weeks, I am preparing to leave Shepherds College and return to my home. My internship is almost over, and it is time for me to say goodbye. This is bittersweet, too. I’m returning to all things dear and familiar to me, but I’m leaving behind a place that holds a piece of my heart.

I say goodbye to Shepherds for now, but as I leave, I say hello to something new. Now that I have experienced Shepherds College, I have a new, self-made responsibility.

I am now an advocate for Shepherds College, as are all individuals who have visited this school and been enchanted by its program and people. I have the desire to spread the word about the unbelievable things that are happening here and the success that Shepherds College students are experiencing. I want to make others excited about this program, too. Believe me, I don’t want anyone to miss out.

Readers, I thank you for coming along with me on this journey. I hope at times you found my posts to be a little interesting, stirring, motivating, inspiring, and perhaps even a bit entertaining. Most of all, I hope I was able to paint an accurate picture of all that Shepherds College is. I feel so privileged to have had this opportunity, and I will never forget it.

Keep visiting this blog for exciting updates and beautiful insights of Shepherds College. Trust me. Once the new school year starts, you will not want to miss out on all of the action. It will be a time of nervous, excited hellos to a place that is full of new possibilities.

I plan to leave you with one final post tomorrow, but after that, with a heavy heart and a wistful smile, I must say goodbye to Shepherds College. For you see, it is now my time to fly.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.org.