From the nomination letter written by Special Ed Instructional Assistant Susan Young:
"Every morning Brendan Kelly and Mikie Rice start their school day with
a visit to Room 212. They drop their backpacks and greet each of our students with a smile and a high five. All of the children in our classroom have special needs. Three are nonverbal and several are working on their daily struggle to learn appropriate behavior and develop meaningful relationships with others. Our classroom could intimidate some adults, but it doesnít seem to bother Brendan and Mikie.
Our students have benefitted tremendously from their daily visits. The
opportunity to interact socially with older students who demonstrate
positive behavior (especially when problems arise) is invaluable. As with all volunteer endeavors, Brendan and Mikie have learned a lot, too. They have learned to wait patiently for the answer to a question from a child whose voice comes from an ipad. They have learned to be patient when working a puzzle with a child can mean picking up the pieces off the floor again and again. They have learned to give children time to do things for themselves because independence is a wonderful thing.
They know who likes Pop Tarts and who watches the Penguins. They know
who loves to play 3-D Safari and who is having success with toilet training. They know who loves to play dress-up, and they accommodate her desire by donning the police officer and letter carrier costumes to join in the fun. They know the joy of reaching out to others who need our love, support and acceptance.
If you define good citizenship as looking after and caring for the place where you live, Brendan and Mikie demonstrate everyday their desire to care for the needs and happiness of others, and they are definitely at home in our classroom."
Perhaps most impressively, Mikie and Brendan began assisting Room 212 entirely by their own initiative. No authority figure or other adult initiated their first visit, nor has anyone required or compelled them to continue visiting and assisting throughout the entire school year, as they have done. Principal Rowe often says that "Respect, Responsibility, Integrity" mean doing the right thing even when no one is looking, and when you do not expect reward. Mikie and Brendan fit that definition to a "T". And while the Straw family is happy to give them this small award, we know, especially after meeting them, that these two fine young men realize that kindness and compassion are their own very rich rewards.
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