Highly Special

From Disability Scoop:
"Teen Goes From Special Ed To Valedictorian"

For Chance Mair, sometimes emotions are hard to express. And it was certainly an emotional night in suburban Seattle at Marysville Arts and Technology High School’s graduation earlier this week, where the students filed into the auditorium in black gowns and royal-blue stoles. Not only was Mair graduating with the 50 seniors in his class, he was the class valedictorian. And he would be giving the valedictorian address, a momentous occasion for a student who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at an early age. Mair had never told most of his classmates he has Asperger’s. Never told them he had started his schooling in a special education classroom, or that he received social therapy treatment when he was younger. “It’s one of those things that for the longest time I didn’t want to tell people,” he said earlier in the day. “But now that I’m graduating, I don’t want to hold it back. I want people to know me for who I really am.” Growing up in Marysville, Wash. Mair spent his childhood learning how to overcome sensory struggles that come naturally to other children. Having Asperger’s meant he didn’t talk much, and he had difficulties understanding the nuances in body language. He was overly sensitive to loud noises and strong flavors. His parents recount stories where he would struggle to tell his peers he wanted to play with them, standing quietly by their side. “I can know that I need to say something and I can feel the confidence to say it when I’m playing it out,” he said. “But then when I get to that step where I actually have to do it, like the execution, that’s when I tense up and get really nervous, really scared. “Sometimes it’s not even a shyness, sometimes it’s like a fear, a fear of socialness.” His parents knew his success depended on finding a place where he could build his social skills — and have fun doing it, too. One way he did that was through bowling. He became fascinated with the sport when he was about 5 years old, playing with different teams in bowling alleys around the Marysville area. “Diversity is one of the reasons I like it. There’s no one kind of person, there’s no one way you can bowl,” he said. “There are so many possibilities, I guess.”His family chose Marysville Arts and Tech because it was a small school where he could continue working on his social skills, as well as receive extra attention. “At a smaller campus those teachers are getting to know you,” his mother said. “They’re learning about your learning style and you’re having them again year after year.” And he thrived there, with a GPA high enough to earn the valedictorian’s medal. In August, Mair will attend Washington State University for free through a Distinguished Regents scholarship. He chose WSU over Central Washington University, where he was also accepted. A member of the honors college, he plans to major in mathematics and join the intramural bowling league. “I’m really happy that I’ve achieved so much and that I’ve gotten to this point in life, but I’m also really sad that all the time has gone by and now I have to say goodbye to all my friends,” he said. When he told them about his Asperger’s, some in the audience audibly expressed surprise. His struggles, he said, are similar to the struggles everyone faces in their lives. To him, everyone has something they need to overcome, and it’s just a matter of how to learn, persevere and move forward.

 

^ This is a cool story that everyone can relate to in one way or another. ^


http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/06/12/teen-special-valedictorian/20377/