Beaming with Pride

Matt and I have enjoyed being a part of the TOP soccer program, Blake's team, this past year. We have watched it grow this past year and have been lucky enough to be a big part of St. Joseph's High School integrating their boys' team with the program. Blake and our entire family has felt so welcome at each soccer practice, at the SJHS half-time clinic, and as special guests of SJHS's regional game. The local paper, The Greenville News, has also reached out this past year giving Blake a beautiful collage of pictures taken of him by the photographer (and signed by the head coach) and now today publishing an article highlighting the program including a picture of Blake with some buddies from SJHS. *See link below.

Words cannot describe how much this means to us and how proud we are of Blake. We have had a rough week with Blake's IEP which is still not complete and we are still at odds with the school district. Matt and I are firm believers in inclusion, which the school district has unfortunately not come to in this modern era of education. BUT, this article exposes a program that does believe in children with special needs and integrates them with typical kids who serve as buddies and play and teach along side them. A quote from another parent, Beth Nichols, at the end of this article says it all to me..."She is highly motivated by normally developing peers and always will be." This is true not just for her daughter and Blake, which we as their parents know, but for ALL children with special needs. As a professional in the area of serving and knowing children with special needs, I see differences in progress between the midwest and here. The model used in South Carolina is lacking and certainly does not benefit anyone. We are in hopes that with increasing awareness and more articles like this one things will progress in this state...

Click on link below to read article...
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20120524/SPORTS/305240010/TOP-Soccer-program-about-being-buddy?odyssey=tabtopnewstextSports