A Disability Awareness Day event was held at Findlay’s Glenwood Middle School for all sixth graders and involved having the students rotate through six stations to simulate what it could be like to have a disability (such as autism, an intellectual disability, or a physical, visual, hearing or communication impairment).

The event began with a powerful speech from the mom of a special needs child about what it’s like to have a child with special needs and the importance to be kind and inclusive.

The Glenwood counselors talked to the group about the importance of having positive mental health, qualities to look for in a friend and to reach out if help is needed.

Trisha Klausing is an occupational therapist for Findlay City Schools.

Special needs classes at Glenwood also assembled snack bags to hand out to everyone at the end.

The school says it was a great day of education and building awareness.

The month of March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

(in the pic above, University of Findlay Physical Therapy student Kayla Zelle assisted a Glenwood 6th grader on the difficulty of using a wheelchair at the Physical Disability station)

(in the pic below, Hearing Impaired Intervention Specialist Andrea Suter explains how it would feel to have a hearing impairment, and described the challenges these students feel in the classroom)