Patricia: A Success Story in Process

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Patricia's Big Day June 6, 2003

Patricia Michele graduated from High School on Friday June 6, 2003 to the delight and joy of her family. She was one of 350 graduates that night. Her graduating class's motto is: "May today be better than yesterday, but as good as tomorrow." What a fitting statement. It certainly fits Patricia. From the time of her birth, her parents and family have worked to make each day better than the day before so as to insure that each coming day would be at least as good as the present one. She has worked hard to achieve this goal. These pages are about her success story and what it took to get her to this date, and where she expects to go after this date.

Patricia was fully included the entire five years she spent at her High School. She was very involved in a variety of in school and extra curricular activities. She socialized with her classmates who did not have disabilities and was able to handle herself well in whatever situation she found herself in. Patricia is a public speaker and has no problem in front of an audience. She has been recognized for her advocacy for the disabled. She learned sign language on her own, and this year in school she participated in a vocational training program which had her be an assistant to two middle school students who have to use sign language to verbally communicate.

Patricia has a heart which does not stop loving the people with whom she comes in contact. If people have any doubts about including children with special needs into the typical population of school and community, Patricia will make a believer of any skeptic who gets to know about her.

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