"Dorm Rooms to
Boardrooms"
Victoria Pilate "Dorm
Rooms to
Boardrooms "Dorm
Rooms to
Boardrooms"
Victoria
Boardrooms"
Victoria Pilate "Dorm
Rooms to
Boardrooms "Dorm
Rooms to
Boardrooms"
Victoria
This page contains
copyright protected
material. License is
granted without prior
permission to
teachers and
librarians for
educational purposes.
copyright protected
material. License is
granted without prior
permission to
teachers and
librarians for
educational purposes.
Victoria Pilate, Ph.D.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Disability Awareness Month
Jason Kingsley
Jason Kingsley has proven that Down syndrome is not a roadblock to
achievement. Although people with Down syndrome take more time to learn, they
can and do learn. Kingsley benefitted from early intervention techniques and his
accomplishments have continued to add up.
At 19, Kingsley co-authored Count Us In – Growing Up With Down Syndrome with
Mitchell Levitz. He acted on TV in shows like All My Children and The Fall Guy.
Contradicting every stereotype of Down syndrome, Kingsley is multilingual and
plays violin and piano. Today, he is a career employee in county government in
New York state.
Nannie Sanchez
Sanchez won 38 percent of vote in New Mexico Board of Education race in 2000.
In doing so, she became the first person with Down syndrome to run for public
office in the U.S. As a child, her mother had to sue to get her mainstreamed into
public schools with other students then sued to get her into college even though
she passed the entrance exam. She would later graduate and now is self
employed as motivational speaker and works for New Mexico state government.
Kellie Lim
In spring 2007, Kellie Lim entered history books as the first triple amputee to earn
a medical degree. She graduated from UCLA's medical school with plans to focus
on childhood allergies and infections disease. She will complete her residency at
UCLA Medical Center.
Lim was raised by her blind mother and became an amputee as a child when
meningitis claimed her legs and arm. She also lost three fingertips on her
remaining hand. At the time, doctors had given her a 15 percent chance of
survival. However, five months after the amputations, Lim returned to school.
Lim manages to perform most medical procedures -- including giving injections
and taking blood -- with one arm. She walks on a pair of prosthetic legs.
(based on an Associated Press article)
Bob Love
Robert Earl (Bob) Love grew up in the segregated South in a troubled household.
His stutter made him the target of an abusive stepfather and the taunts of children
at school. Eventually moving in with his grandmother, she consoled him saying,
"Robert Earl, there are no perfect people in this world. People are not always nice
about things that they don't understand. You can talk or do anything else you
want to do in your life, as long as you work hard and believe in yourself. Find
yourself a dream and always hold on to it."
He excelled in school and athletics and graduated from Southern University with a
bachelor of science degree in food and nutrition. He was drafted in the fourth
round by the Cincinnati Royals, but he did not make the team. He played
basketball and, to make ends meet, he worked at a hospital.
He made the Royals in 1966, and after two seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks
selected him in the expansion draft. He played well, but he was told he had no
future with the team because he did not communicate well. He ended up with the
Chicago Bulls, making the All-Star team three times. A back injury ended his
career in 1977.
A bitter divorce left him nearly penniless. His wife left him taking the furniture, his
rings and their joint bank account. She left a note saying, "I don't want to be
married to a stutterer and a cripple."
Afterwards, Love could find only menial jobs. He found that anything else required
the ability to speak clearly. He became a dishwasher and a busboy in a
restaurant in a Nordstrom's department store. After some time of excellent work
performance, he was offered a promotion only if he learned to speak more clearly
and easily. Fortunately, Nordstrom would pay for the therapy. Love threw himself
into speech therapy and after a year and a half was able to talk with little speech
impediment and earned to promotion to become the head of Nordstrom's health
and sanitation for the 150 restaurants nationwide.
His life continued to take a different spin. In 1988, he was promoted again and
became Nordstrom's corporate spokesman. In 1991, Love was invited by the
Chicago Bulls to return and become their director of community affairs. Love
makes 300 to 400 speeches a year, in schools, churches, hospitals and
community centers. (based on a Chicago Tribune article by Ira Berkow)
Jason Kingsley has proven that Down syndrome is not a roadblock to
achievement. Although people with Down syndrome take more time to learn, they
can and do learn. Kingsley benefitted from early intervention techniques and his
accomplishments have continued to add up.
At 19, Kingsley co-authored Count Us In – Growing Up With Down Syndrome with
Mitchell Levitz. He acted on TV in shows like All My Children and The Fall Guy.
Contradicting every stereotype of Down syndrome, Kingsley is multilingual and
plays violin and piano. Today, he is a career employee in county government in
New York state.
Nannie Sanchez
Sanchez won 38 percent of vote in New Mexico Board of Education race in 2000.
In doing so, she became the first person with Down syndrome to run for public
office in the U.S. As a child, her mother had to sue to get her mainstreamed into
public schools with other students then sued to get her into college even though
she passed the entrance exam. She would later graduate and now is self
employed as motivational speaker and works for New Mexico state government.
Kellie Lim
In spring 2007, Kellie Lim entered history books as the first triple amputee to earn
a medical degree. She graduated from UCLA's medical school with plans to focus
on childhood allergies and infections disease. She will complete her residency at
UCLA Medical Center.
Lim was raised by her blind mother and became an amputee as a child when
meningitis claimed her legs and arm. She also lost three fingertips on her
remaining hand. At the time, doctors had given her a 15 percent chance of
survival. However, five months after the amputations, Lim returned to school.
Lim manages to perform most medical procedures -- including giving injections
and taking blood -- with one arm. She walks on a pair of prosthetic legs.
(based on an Associated Press article)
Bob Love
Robert Earl (Bob) Love grew up in the segregated South in a troubled household.
His stutter made him the target of an abusive stepfather and the taunts of children
at school. Eventually moving in with his grandmother, she consoled him saying,
"Robert Earl, there are no perfect people in this world. People are not always nice
about things that they don't understand. You can talk or do anything else you
want to do in your life, as long as you work hard and believe in yourself. Find
yourself a dream and always hold on to it."
He excelled in school and athletics and graduated from Southern University with a
bachelor of science degree in food and nutrition. He was drafted in the fourth
round by the Cincinnati Royals, but he did not make the team. He played
basketball and, to make ends meet, he worked at a hospital.
He made the Royals in 1966, and after two seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks
selected him in the expansion draft. He played well, but he was told he had no
future with the team because he did not communicate well. He ended up with the
Chicago Bulls, making the All-Star team three times. A back injury ended his
career in 1977.
A bitter divorce left him nearly penniless. His wife left him taking the furniture, his
rings and their joint bank account. She left a note saying, "I don't want to be
married to a stutterer and a cripple."
Afterwards, Love could find only menial jobs. He found that anything else required
the ability to speak clearly. He became a dishwasher and a busboy in a
restaurant in a Nordstrom's department store. After some time of excellent work
performance, he was offered a promotion only if he learned to speak more clearly
and easily. Fortunately, Nordstrom would pay for the therapy. Love threw himself
into speech therapy and after a year and a half was able to talk with little speech
impediment and earned to promotion to become the head of Nordstrom's health
and sanitation for the 150 restaurants nationwide.
His life continued to take a different spin. In 1988, he was promoted again and
became Nordstrom's corporate spokesman. In 1991, Love was invited by the
Chicago Bulls to return and become their director of community affairs. Love
makes 300 to 400 speeches a year, in schools, churches, hospitals and
community centers. (based on a Chicago Tribune article by Ira Berkow)
Congress designated each October as
National Disability Employment Awareness
Month (NDEAM). It began in 1945 when
Congress enacted a law declaring the first
week in October each year "National
Employ the Physically Handicapped Week."
In 1962, the word "physically" was removed
to acknowledge the employment needs
and contributions of individuals with all
types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress
expanded the week to a month and
changed the name to "National Disability
Employment Awareness Month."
National Disability Employment Awareness
Month (NDEAM). It began in 1945 when
Congress enacted a law declaring the first
week in October each year "National
Employ the Physically Handicapped Week."
In 1962, the word "physically" was removed
to acknowledge the employment needs
and contributions of individuals with all
types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress
expanded the week to a month and
changed the name to "National Disability
Employment Awareness Month."
There are 30 million working-aged adults with disabilities. About half are classified as
nonsevere. 90 percent of them want to work and the Social Security Administration
estimates that 70 percent can work full-time. Nearly 19 percent of the U.S. population
between 15 and 64 years old has a disability. Slightly more than 41 percent of those
with a mental disability are employed. Of those who have difficulty seeing, nearly 44
percent are employed.
nonsevere. 90 percent of them want to work and the Social Security Administration
estimates that 70 percent can work full-time. Nearly 19 percent of the U.S. population
between 15 and 64 years old has a disability. Slightly more than 41 percent of those
with a mental disability are employed. Of those who have difficulty seeing, nearly 44
percent are employed.