We found 293 posts for Special Needs
Chrysa Nowell – Bringing New Meaning to the Words "Competitive Athlete"!
15-year-old Chrysa Nowell is a competitive athlete, swimming on her high school’s swim team. When Chrysa gets in the pool, she doesn’t outswim anyone, and she never places in any of her meets. Yet she is one of the most dedicated and beloved competitors of all. That’s because Chrysa has a disease called arthrogryposis that…
Why Can't Playgrounds Be For Special Needs Kids Too?
“How come we never see a child with a disability at a park?” This casual remark from the parent of a child with a developmental disability inspired the idea of Kilikili, an organization dedicated to creating play spaces for ALL children, including those with disabilities. The founders of Kilikili realized that while some parks have…
Benjamin's Hope – A Place Where We All Belong
At 15 months old, Benjamin Mason was a typical toddler with a budding vocabulary and an active curiosity. But then, over the next few months, Benjamin started to withdraw, losing his vocabulary and turning completely inward. Doctors diagnosed Benjamin as having profound autism. Despite his autism, the Masons tried to give Benjamin a normal life. However, his severe autism made it hard for him to participate…
Jacob Barnett – A Real-Life Boy Genius!
At first glance, Jacob Barnett looks like an ordinary 13-year-old kid. He wears sweatshirts and backward baseball caps, goes to school, and hangs out with his family. But the reality is that Jacob is anything but ordinary! You see, Jacob is a genius………. As a toddler, Jacob was diagnosed with autism. But as he got older, he began to show signs of incredible intelligence. And now, as a 13-year-old college…
Gridiron Heroes – Offering Seeds of Hope to Fallen Athletes
In 2001, Chris Canales was a star athlete on his high school football team. On November 2, 2001, he was having an incredible game, playing in top form. However, with one tragic hit, that all changed in an instant. That hit paralyzed Chris, ending his football career and altering his life forever. After his paralysis, Chris and his family felt…
Michael Milton – Unstoppable, Even on One Leg!
For Michael Milton, skiing was almost second nature. Born into a family of skiers, Michael learned to ski by the time he was three years old. But then when he was nine, tragedy struck. Michael was diagnosed with bone cancer, and as a result of the disease he lost a leg. At the time, Michael’s only question…
Amy Purdy – Surviving and Thriving, One Step at a Time!
Amy Purdy is a snowboarder, skateboarder, wakeboarder, public speaker, fundraiser, actress, model, and make-up artist! The list things she has already accomplished in her life is amazing. But what’s even more amazing is that Amy has achieved all of these things despite having her lower legs amputated at age 19! When Amy first had her…
Glee's Imagine: An Inspirational Song Sung in an Amazing Way
The television show “Glee” is very popular, and the music it plays each week makes its viewers laugh, cry, and feel good all over. Never has this been more true than in the episode of the show in which the characters sang the song “Imagine” by John Lennon. The song “Imagine”, with its message of peace, is…
U.S. Iraq Veterans Find New Hope As Paralympic Athletes
Melissa Stockwell and Scott Winkler are two U.S. veterans who became handicapped in Iraq. Upon their returns home, each found a new lease in life by pursuing a sport – Melissa began swimming and Scott took up shot put. Both athletes not only pursued their sports, but even went so far as to compete in the 2008 Paralympics! This video tells the story…
Shining Bright Through "The Sparkle Effect"
On the outside, Sarah Cronk and Sarah Herr were typical teenage girls – they were pretty and popular and cheerleaders on their high school varsity cheerleading squad. But on the inside, these girls were something much more. Instead of simply enjoying their cheerleading squad status, the Sarahs wanted other kids to be able to share in the special feeling as…
