By Daniel Smrokowski
My friend Chloe Young, 18, of Warrenville, stands in the middle of an ice rink at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge as her figure skating lesson takes place this past week. She sports a brown headband with sparkles, a blue skirt, ice skates, and a light blue fleece jacket with the words “U.S. Figure Skating” embroidered on the upper left of the jacket.
Chloe, diagnosed with Williams syndrome at 3-weeks of age, was told by her doctors that she was not going to make it. Williams syndrome is a deletion of the first copy of the gene #7. Chloe defied her doctors’ expectations by rising to become a figure skating champion, soon-to-be high school graduate firmly on the road to a higher education. To her proud parents, Jennifer and Marcus Farmer, Chloe is their “little miracle and star,” her mom proclaimed.
This is the time to celebrate the accomplishments of those with Williams syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. It is time to educate our communities about how to accept and include those of us with special needs in college and in career planning.
Families of students with special needs have a passion for their child to be included and accepted by their peers without disabilities. Often times, those of us with special needs are excluded from certain activities within the community or in a regular education classroom.
“Our passion for inclusion was that Chloe wasn’t always included, so that’s where it started for us,” said Jennifer.
Chloe’s parents had always given her all the extracurricular opportunities that any other child could receive such as competing in figure skating or cheerleading. One afternoon in the eighth grade, Chloe came home and sat her parents down for “the talk.”
“I want to go to college,” said Chloe.
And, with that dream that Chloe shared with her parents, this then became her mother Jennifer’s new research project. Jennifer searched for the various programs that offered support for students with special needs in college. Thankfully there were many programs that are available these days. Jennifer had to research the cost, where they were located, and what would be needed for Chloe to accomplish in high school.
Many students with disabilities have an Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.) that helps the special education teachers, school, and parents to know how to best help the student in school and for the future. There are many special education teachers that care and want the best for their students with special needs but they may not always know what the student wants for their future.
“I don’t think that in an I.E.P. situation it’s always what the school wants,” said Jennifer. “I think it’s what the student wants and that’s what should drive everything.”
Similar to Chloe, my special education teachers did not necessary believe that college was the right choice for me. When I was in high school, my parents and I spent lots of time in I.E.P. meetings encouraging my case managers to include me on the education track for college. In 2012, I earned my degree in journalism from Roosevelt University. Even now that ten years have passed since I was a high school senior, as Chloe is today, there might still be special education teachers unconvinced to put our college dreams first.
Today, more and more special education teachers take into account what the student wants. In doing so, this gives those of us with disabilities equal opportunity to achieve a higher education.
During Chloe’s college visits, there was one university that she very quickly chose as her No.1 school of choice— Vanderbilt University. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt is rated as #15 in the nation and, according to Chloe’s mom, Jennifer, has a history of inclusion within the “Next Steps” program that Chloe will be a part of. “Next Steps” is a program for students with intellectual disabilities providing them with an individual program of study in the areas of academics, social skills, and vocational training.
“I wanted [Chloe to] go somewhere they’ve done inclusion and they’ve done it well,” said Jennifer. “What Vanderbilt offers people with Williams [syndrome] is amazing.”
Chloe and her parents looked at other university campuses, including South Carolina and the University of Tennessee but the high quality level of inclusion that Vanderbilt brings to their students with intellectual differences was the perfect match for Chloe. During a “trial day” at Vanderbilt, Chloe had an opportunity to sit in on classes to see what a typical college day was like. It was then that Chloe and her parents saw an amazing poster in front of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. It was a poster showcasing a little boy with a cowboy hat who had Williams syndrome. Jennifer explained how the university does a tremendous amount of research and even offers a music camp.
Come this fall 2017, Chloe will be a pioneer as Vanderbilt’s newest freshman. She will be the first person with Williams syndrome to be a student at Vanderbilt and actually be living on campus. Chloe loves studying science and hopes to have a career in this field. Jennifer says Chloe’s love for studying science has made college a default option for furthering her education.
“Training in college will lend itself to a career as opposed to a job,” said Jennifer.
One of the reasons why Chloe chose Vanderbilt was she wanted a school that had a study abroad program and also football so that she could hangout with friends and “tailgate,” as Chloe excitedly told me. According to the Williams Syndrome Association, people with Williams syndrome are extremely social and friendly. Chloe will have no problem making friends when she begins her collegiate studies.
Many of us with special needs, like Chloe and myself, want to be included in college. The number of universities today that have disability programs is on the rise. Today, many higher level institutions are able to bring inclusion into their college classrooms. We want to have the same pathway to have a career as our peers without disabilities.
Many students with special needs want “to be included in classes instead of rejected from classes,” said Chloe.
Readers can also listen or watch my awesome conversation with Chloe and her mom, Jennifer, on Special Chronicles at stg-specialchronicles-staging.kinsta.cloud.
Join me in reaching for the stars and including those of us with special needs in college.
Daniel Smrokowski was born three-and-a-third months premature and was diagnosed with learning disabilities and a severe language disorder. He is an award-winning columnist covering special needs stories. Daniel is the founder of Special Chronicles, a pioneering nonprofit media platform that gives respect and voice to people with special needs. Daniel is also involved as an athlete and global messenger with Special Olympics Illinois. Come join us at www.stg-specialchronicles-staging.kinsta.cloud.
Editor’s Note: This Special Voices column originally appeared in the May 1, 2017 issue of The Bugle newspapers and is Reprinted with permission of the author. All rights reserved. Print/E-Edition (PDF) | TheMighty.com
