Transcript Slide 1

Spring 2010 I’m Determined
Youth Summit
Essay
Quotes
“My passion has always been to
do my very best at everything
I do. Just because I have a
disability I do not see my
abilities as limited.”
-Thomas Allen
“I have shown self-determination
in my college classes by studying
consistently over and over
instead of going to parties on
campus.”
-Adam Amick
“I take pride in my disability as it
helps me bond closer with my
friends at college and my former
classmates from high school.”
-Adam Amick
“Commitment, passion and
responsibility; I have these qualities
and I use them every day. I use
them in community, in school, and
with my family and I am looking
forward to college.”
-Alexander Anderson
“I see myself ten years from now
enjoying my job in a salon, married
with a family and kids, and maybe
even owning my own barbering
business. I will have to work hard to
get to this point.”
-Lauren Ashe
“I figured out that to get where I
am, I had to be my own advocate.
This is a skill I will use
throughout the rest of my life.”
-Lauren Ashe
“…I can become whatever I want to in
life. I study hard and put forth my
best effort at all times. I get very
tired because I had to work so hard
but I know it will be worth the
effort.”
-Presley Ashley
“In the future, I would like to become
a registered nurse. I used to think
this goal of mine would be
impossible. The Self-Determination
Club has helped me to think
differently now.”
-Caroline Austin
“While life will always be more
difficult for me, my selfdetermination to do what I can,
the best I can, will always be
something I will work for.”
-Julius Jamal Blazer
“I show self-determination by
setting goals and striving to
achieve them. One of my goals is
going to college and I want to go
to Radford University.”
-Erica Bookout
“Disabilities are often only thought of
in a negative sense but they have
had their positive effects on me too.
I have learned a lot about myself,
and in learning to compensate for my
disabilities, I have learned what I
am good at.”
-Cody Campbell
“Often, because of my wheelchair,
people have a certain level of
expectation of my abilities, but
then I surprise them. I enjoy
surprising them.”
-Liam Cornwall
“I am currently advocating to get
my county school system to
integrate the bus system so
students with disabilities can
ride the same buses as students
without disabilities.”
-Liam Cornwall
“My teacher told me I could not take
AP history. I told her I was going to
do whatever I could to improve my
grade in her class and make AP
history. She told me I was being
stubborn. I told her I was being
determined.”
-Phillip Dollins
“The biggest hurdle I face is lack of
accessibility. My town has one accessible
parking space and everyone uses it. I
can’t get into many of the government
buildings. All of this has taught me how
to be an advocate for myself and for
others with disabilities.”
-Caroline Elgin
“I thought that I was not able to take a
foreign language because I could barely
speak and write English. But then I
looked into ASL, which is now a major
part of what I want to become in the
future. My goal is to study ASL in
college and (be) an interpreter.”
-Erica Rachael Fiel
“College is way different than high
school. I have had to learn to be
self-reliant and a self-advocate even
more. My self-esteem has grown as
I have learned to communicate my
needs. I’ve learned that if I don’t
stand up for myself, no one else will.”
-Ethan Harvey
“I feel I am a self-determined
person. I intently participate in
my IEP meeting. I set high
goals, long term and short term
and I plan how to achieve them.”
-Dustin Horton
“Self-determination has become a big
part of my life. I share my onepager with my teachers. I lead my
IEP meeting, too. This helps my
teachers understand who I am and
how my disability may affect me in
their classes.”
-John Huband
“I know that I learn different
from other people. But this
has not stopped me from
doing things I want to do in
high school.”
-Sam Hulcher
“Throughout the years I’ve always felt that
having a disability has made a big impact
on my life. I knew I had to work harder
with my study habits in reading and
spelling. It gave me the strength to keep
moving forward and not give up so
quickly.”
-Devin Jones
“I feel living with a disability has
helped me better myself in many
ways. I have discovered a lot of
things about myself through learning
and growing. I feel that I am unique
and also different.”
-Collin Knight
“Only by letting people in can you
learn new ways to be yourself. I
have learned that sometimes all
you need is to be yourself to be
accepted by others, and that’s a
valuable lesson I’ll keep for life.”
-Robert Maino
“I have accepted my disability and am
determined to succeed. I have had the
support of my parents and family,
doctors, teachers and a few good friends.
They love me and they want me to
succeed which inspires me to work hard
and be successful.”
-Michael Marzzacco
“…I like having a job because that
gives me a chance to show people
that I can do things they think I
cannot do. I have aides and teachers
that help make things easier for me.
I have goals for myself in life.”
-Adam McMillan
“I am determined to reach my goals
and not let others decide where my
life leads. I know that I need help
with some things, but I also know
that I am the one who has to make
the choices to get where I want to
be in life.”
Daniel Michael-Lee
“I made a one-pager on the computer
and presented it at my meeting. For
the first time, my teachers listened
to what I had to say. I talked about
what I wanted then to know about
me such as…my dream job and the
college I want to attend.”
-Ryan Miller
“It is my dream to drive, my dream to
live on my own and succeed as an
equal to many in this world. I believe
everyone should be treated equally
no matter who they are or what they
do.”
-Sonia Murden
“Now…I am finding my voice and
learning to advocate for my needs,
my problems, and my ides. I have a
new understanding of my disabilities
and this has allowed me to begin to
create a path to my future.”
-Ethan Reed
“When someone tries to get me to do
something I don’t like, I often show
self-determination by considering
whether or not it’s good to cave in to
the way they want me to act. I feel
like I have to be my own man.”
-JB Rintels
“The Youth Summit and other
conferences showed me how
important it is to learn about your
disability and to ‘own’ it. They have
taught me to be proud of my
disability because it has been a huge
part in making me who I am.”
-Tori Saylor
“Having just entered VCU, I am learning…it
is mandatory to have the skills required
to advocate for myself. My parents can
no longer be my voice and they can no
longer ‘help’ me through tough times; I
need to get through on my own.”
-Matthew Shapiro
“Since the day I was born I have had
people tell me I was not going to
make it and I should forget about my
dreams and aspirations. As I have
gotten older, I have become grateful
for those who did believe in me.”
-Maya Simmons
“…We need ideas to improve our
public transportation. They only
run in certain areas around town.
I just wish the world would give
us an opportunity to come and go
as we choose.”
-Ron Sims
“As I grow up, I want to be able to
drive, get a standard diploma, go to
college, have my own place and be
able to work. Some people tell me I
can do it and other people say they
are unrealistic dreams.”
-Samantha Stokes
“Every single day is a new
experience, and along with it is
the undesirable task of whether
to let people push me around or
ignore them.”
-Blair Thomas
“I want to go to college but I have
been told because of my disability I
have not had the courses a college
requires. My parents and others are
working with colleges to develop
courses that people with intellectual
disabilities can take.”
-JD Tressler, Jr.
“Each year, I mature and I learn what
is acceptable behavior and what is
not. I wish that my peers could be
forgiving and stop giving me such a
hard time for behavior I exhibited
when I was in first and second
grade.”
-Hunter Vermillion
“I learned so much at YLF and the
most important thing I learned was
not to be embarrassed about my
disability. Now I can tell anyone that
I have a disability and it feels really
good that I can say it.”
-Cameron Wilmer