Denison Bulletin and Review Article
Mosaic project teaches Zion students about living with disabilities
By Gordon Wolf
Students in grades 6-8 at Zion Lutheran School in Denison likely have a better understanding and appreciation for what people with disabilities go through every day.
On Tuesday the students experienced simulated disabilities through the "Disability For a Day" project sponsored by Mosaic in Denison.
Mosaic provides services, living options, work choices, spiritual nurture and advocacy to people with disabilities. In Denison, Mosaic serves 12 people with developmental disabilities. The organization is an affiliated social ministry organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Zion students experienced simulated disabilities that affected sight, hearing, speech and the ability to walk. Students were paired with a partner to help them get through half a day with their simulated disability. At 1:30 p.m., the partners switched roles.
Morgan Slechta spent Tuesday morning with patches covering her eyes.
"I couldn't do my schoolwork. I had to listen. It was difficult," she stated. Slechta had to rely on her partner, Raelyn Gustafson, and was happy she could trust the directions Gustafson gave her.
Wendy Love, the nurse at Mosaic, had seen Slechta in the hallway at one point during the morning and grabbed for her arm. Love said Slechta asked who it was, and then felt the ring on her (Love's) hand to help identify who it might be.
"That was good; she was using her other senses," said Love.
Another pair of students took turns wearing a helmet, to simulate what a person who experiences seizures might have to wear.
"My head got hot," said Jacelyn Morales. "You can barely move your head, and it bothered my forehead a lot."
She said a lesson learned from the experience was to not make fun of other people for what they may wear.
Brady Huls spent the morning not being able to talk. To communicate, he carried an electronic message board that had voice recordings of commonly used phrases.
"It was difficult not to talk," Huls stated. He added he broke the silence test once, saying "thank you" when his teacher gave him something.
Karrie Kropf spent the afternoon with her leg wrapped in a simulated cast. She had to negotiate the school's hallways and classrooms on crutches. She had never had an injury that required her to use crutches before.
"It was a different," she stated. "I wasn't used to the crutches, and it is harder to use them than it looks."
Wheelchairs, walkers and crutches for "Disability For a Day" were donated by Topko Home Health Equipment, Home Care Medical Equipment and Thrifty White.
At the conclusion of the day, each student received gifts donated by Crawford County Cinema IV, McDonald's, Subway, Family Table, Godfather's Pizza, Pizza Hut, Ben Franklin, Move Gallery, and Something Unique.
"Mosaic's theme for this project was 'inclusion'," said Mary Morgan from Mosaic in Denison. "The Denison community promoted inclusion of everyone involved. We are to be proud of our community."
At the end of the day, Morgan asked the students about their experiences. Students who spent half a day in a wheelchair said their back sides had fallen asleep and commented how difficult it had been.
Morgan told that students that people with disabilities experience the same feelings and thoughts as everyone else.
She also reminded students to remember to include people with disabilities. Morgan stated, "We want everyone who has a disability to not feel apart from the community but to feel part of the community and a part of friendship."
Students were invited to enter an essay contest to describe how it felt to have a simulated disability for half a day. Students were also invited to visit Mosaic clients in Denison for more research.
Essays must be turned in to the school by March 28. Prizes for essays will be awarded on April 1.
The top essay will be published in the Denison Bulletin and Review, and the top three essays will be posted on Mosaic's Web site.
Prizes are $75 in Denison Dollars for first place, $50 in Denison Dollars for second place, and $25 in Denison Dollars for third place.
