APS Student Presentations at TASH Conference A Success!

Last month, we reported that three Arlington Public Schools students had been selected to present at an upcoming TASH conference in Portland, Oregon. TASH is a national disability rights organization striving for fully inclusive schools, workplaces and communities. One of the most amazing facts about this very special opportunity was that these three high school students, all of whom have special needs, are unable to use their voices to speak. Instead, they communicate by pointing to letters on a letter board.

We’re now happy to report that the conference took place during the first week in December, and the presentations went very well! For a detailed, inspiring summary of the students’ panel, which was titled, “Voices of Exclusion: Nonspeaking Youth Advocate for Inclusive Education,” check out Growing Kids Therapy Center’s December 10 post highlighting its students’ participation.

Also courtesy of Growing Kids Therapy, here is a photo of APS students Huan Vuong, Emma Budway and Benjamin McGann ready to take the stage with speech-language pathologist Elizabeth Vosseller:

We’re so proud of these spirited, hard-working, bright young students for accepting the challenge to advocate for a more inclusive world, using their own unique voices on a national stage. Way to go, Huan, Emma, and Ben!