Testimonial – Volunteer
“I have been a volunteer reader with the iCARE Program for many years. I think my favorite part of the program is in knowing that it was founded for Jamie, an amazing young lady, who has touched so many young students in our Mansfield School district. We are privileged to know Jamie and Kim and their family personally and are impressed by what they have accomplished in these past 11 years, educating typical children about children with disabilities.
When I go into a classroom, students know why I am there, they know iCARE, and they are eager to learn more about disabilities and to engage in discussion. We usually have a brief discussion about visual clues that help us know if a person has a disability and then I try to direct the students to thinking about other disabilities that aren’t visible. Many of them are so very familiar with a variety of disabilities already and I definitely credit that to the many years that disability education has been in the Mansfield schools.
Having three children in the Mansfield School system, they have all been experiencing the impact of the iCARE Program since entering kindergarten. The progressive elements of the leveled books allows for all grade levels to continue to develop and learn. I believe that the iCARE Program has greatly enhanced their acceptance and understanding of people, particularly children, with disabilities.
I volunteer to read and look forward each year to meeting new students and new teachers, because each time I do it, I also continue to learn. My goal as a volunteer is to make an impact on some of the children and to continue to nurture in them the acceptance that we all need to foster. At the end of the reading, we talk about the importance of recognizing that our differences are what make us each a special person. I hope that the students will take something away with them…..maybe remembering to ask questions…..maybe remembering not to make assumptions….maybe remembering to respect each individual. I believe that children in Mansfield have developed respect, tolerance, and acceptance and I attribute this to what they learn year after year from the books and discussions in the iCARE Program. I believe this to be true because our high school now offers multiple special needs and awareness programs including Common Connections and Project Teammate. Not only that, last year Jamie was named Homecoming Queen by her classmates…..where else does that happen? That is a SPECTACULAR tribute to the hard work and dedication of Kim Piro and her dedication to making a difference and that speaks volumes about what disability education can do for a classroom, for a school, and for a community! “
Christine Dumouchel, iCARE Volunteer
