This story was provided by Theresa, mother of Annie, from Brevard County, Florida. The Brevard County Public School District has actively pursued successful inclusion and has worked extensively with the Florida Inclusion Network to achieve their inclusion goals. The story of Annie and her best friend Micah is told below, as seen through a mother’s eyes:

Annie is seven. This is her second time around in kindergarten, and it is her first time in public school in an inclusive setting. There are a few children with IEP's in her class and the rest are typically developing. She is very excited about going to "big school" and loves being with all the children in this large school of 1000 students, Pre-K through 6th grade. Her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Stokes-Holtrop, (referred to as “Mrs. H”), enjoys teaching the class and does an incredible job of instilling kindness and tolerance for all differences. After the first couple of months I started hearing stories about Annie's "best friend", Micah. I heard many things, like how he made sure that she stayed with the class on the way to the lunchroom and helped explain her desires when the other children had a hard time understanding her speech. He protected her when some did not understand why her eyes looked the way they did after her corrective surgery and he helped her get up the ladder to the slide. Micah has such a sweet tender heart and they both love each other very much.

What I did not understand is how Annie was helping and supporting her friend Micah.

While volunteering in the classroom, I observed that Micah is a very active five year old, typically developing, but, VERY active. Micah is somewhat impulsive and has trouble keeping still—pretty typical for a kindergartner if you ask me. During Thanksgiving week, I saw Micah's mom at the Kindergarten Feast. She pulled me aside and started telling me a little about Micah's preschool days. She explained that Micah had been kicked out of every preschool he had been enrolled in. She told me that he never had a best friend like Annie, one that would stick with him through thick and thin. She said that he has never had a buddy whose face lights up the moment he walks into the room the way Annie's does. You see, Annie loves Micah unconditionally–no matter how much trouble he gets into, she loves him just the same. Micah never enjoyed a friendship like that. Micah’s mom went on to tell me that, due to his preschool experience, Micah had a very low opinion of himself. She wanted me to know that because of his friendship with Annie, Micah was thriving in kindergarten and now had good self esteem. She expressed sincere appreciation for all Annie has done to help her son be successful in kindergarten.

It took about an hour for her words to sink in. Can you imagine? She was thanking us for Annie's friendship! Wow, our kid was helping and supporting another child... making a difference in another child's life! Our kid! Our Annie has relied on the help and support of her friends since her first day of infant preschool. Now someone was telling me that she was the one helping–truly helping!

Annie is not the only one helping Micah through his first year in public school. Mrs. H sees the positive in all children and uses their strengths to help them learn. She is instrumental in pulling together a classroom full of children with many differences and is teaching them that every single child has value and contributions.

Mrs. H saw Micah and Annie’s relationship grow and described it beautifully for me:

She writes, “Since the beginning, Micah and Annie ‘took’ to each other with a warmth and joy that is obvious to others. While many of the children like to be a friend to Annie–helping her in many different ways–none of them understand her the way Micah does. Micah doesn’t see Annie as having a disability, but rather as having ‘different abilities.’ The way he rushes to her side when she needs a gentle reminder during a transition or helps zip her coat on a cold day–he does these things without hesitation and without expectation of reward, but purely because she’s his friend, and in that moment, she needs his help. When they interact with each other, there is a connection in the way they make eye contact and literally bounce around together in their happy world. Micah sees that even when he isn’t making the best choices, Annie stands by his side, ready to give that big beautiful smile of approval for all of the wonderful things that make him who he is–most notably, his genuine friendship. He can stand tall, knowing that when his other friends have turned away because of a silly impulsive choice, Annie will be there to show him that he is more than his abilities. In so many ways, they both exemplify for all of us what true friendship should be, and in the most amazing way, they give and receive from each other the very same things. Watching the two of them together, seeing the progression of their friendship and how each of them has grown because of their impact on each other has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my teaching career. A relationship like this gives me hope for the future that is being created by children like Annie and Micah.”

Mrs. H is providing a gift to Annie’s classroom–they are all learning to read and write but the most important thing she is teaching them is the lesson of tolerance, acceptance, and love. I have read study after study that shows how welcoming children with disabilities into the general education classroom benefits all. I never thought I would personally experience it in this way. What a blessing this year has been. We are so hopeful that the rest of Annie’s public education will have such a positive impact and are so grateful to Mrs. H for orchestrating this beautiful, inclusive setting where all the children can blossom!