Jan. 15, 2015 A Big Thank You to Mrs. Bush and her 3rd grade class at
Stansberry Elementary School in Loveland, Colorado
Nick Roussos presented “Walk in My Shoes”, his disability awareness workshop, to 33 eager and active 3rd graders. Nick, and assistants Audrey and Sue, had a great time interacting with the students as they learned how to use a wheelchair and try out a communication device. We also had a discussion about Disability Etiquette which is: Good manners in our actions and speech with people who have a disability. This was a large class, but they were very respectful and attentive. Thank you for being such great participants!
Nick told them, “I hope that I can open your eyes today, and give you a perspective on what a person who is differently abled can achieve. Remember, people with special needs are just the same as you. Everyone has something that makes them feel different than others; shyness, clumsy or uncoordinated, too tall, too short, too thin, too heavy, language differences, color of skin, etc. We shouldn’t treat anyone different than we would like to be treated.
The words and actions you chose can really affect the people who hear them. We all live in one community, one world, and we can make it better for everyone if we show each other the same amount of respect that we expect for ourselves and our loved ones.
I challenge you to leave here with a new perspective that is two fold; first, do not limit yourself. You are capable of amazing and great things- nothing can stop you from pursuing your dreams. And second, do not place limitations on others especially those who are differently abled. When allowed to soar, you will be surprised how far a person, even one faced with great challenges such as myself, can go.
Remember Life is Awesome!”
Nick Roussos is the author of Helping in Action, a children’s adventure based on his childhood as a boy with cerebral palsy, growing up in Africa. He conducts workshops, in Northern Colorado, for any age group on the topics of disability awareness, anti-bullying, and self-esteem. Please email with interest in a presentation at your school or service organization!: nick@totalspeed.com
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March 5th was the national day of “Spread the Word to End the Word”, a program that promotes respect to all individuals, especially those with disabilites. Nick’s friend Phoebe invited him to bring his audio visual presentation to her classmates at Poudre High School in Fort Collins, Colorado. Nick challenged all the students to pledge to stop using the word “retard” as a label for individuals who have intellectual disabilities and to share the new ‘R’ word RESPECT. To join Nick and make your pledge online go to: http://r-word.org/r-word-pledge.aspx
Awesome in Action, Co 