NORTHWEST R-1: He wants others to know: His sisters are 'cool'
Student with two Down syndrome sisters to lead disability awareness effort
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| ANDREW JANSEN PHOTO From left, Erika, 14, Spencer, 17, Carli, 2, and John Maucher, 12, pose for a photo at their home in Cedar Hill. |
The 12-year-old Northwest Valley Middle School student hopes to tell others how he feels about Erika, 14, and Carli, 2-who both have Down syndrome-through a program he is developing with help from the Albert Pujols Family Foundation and the district.
"I want people to learn they should not make fun of people with Down's syndrome," John said. "I'm looking forward to giving presentations. I think my friends will listen to me."Not everyone has been nice in talking about his sisters, however, which is why the topic of disability awareness has come up at the Maucher household in Cedar Hill. John's parents, Stefanie and Roger, are encouraging their younger son to communicate about the inappropriateness of what some youngsters have said to him. Their other son is Spencer, 17.
John hopes to get through to others how mean-spirited they can be through the use of certain words.
"I want people to stop using the word 'retard,' because it's offensive to me and my sisters," John said. "The other outcome I would like is for people to take time and not judge them by what they look like and also get to know how cool they are."
Stefanie noted that John has had to endure rude comments from other children about Erika and Carli. She said she completely supports any disability awareness program that can be implemented in the district.
"As a parent of children with special needs, we really focus on protecting these kids," she said. "In the process of that, we lose sight of how their disabilities affect our other kids.
"So, basically, the program is coming about from Jeanne Rothermel (the school district's director of student services), John and myself putting our heads together. We were trying to come up with a program to educate kids on displaying good character toward disability awareness."
The details of the program are being developed, Rothermel said.
"The only thing definitely planned now is allowing John a column in the school newsletter that goes out four times a year to parents," Rothermel said. "There is a possibility he will do some kind of speaking."
Roger said that a disability awareness effort in schools can only help those with disabilities and their loved ones.
"I think this is a good program," he said. "Kids need to understand we're all created equal and that (those with disabilities) are typical kids with special needs. Awareness of this is what we're all in this for."
Stefanie hopes this is the start of a disabilities awareness effort that will spread throughout Northwest schools and, eventually, to schools across the county.
"We'd like to be a pilot program for the other districts," she said. "This program is being designed to reinforce the good character and the things that they learn every single day. You can't expect kids just to understand."
The Albert Pujols Family Foundation, for which Stefanie is a volunteer, is interested in what the Mauchers are doing.
"As we look at the school system as it is, school districts do an amazing job with kids with special needs," said Todd Perry, the foundation's vice president/executive director. "But, socially, there are a lot of things that do exclude kids with special needs.
"With this program, we want to make kids aware through their peers, instead of the school system. I think this approach is very unique in that a young man is willing to stand up and say, 'These are my sisters and they are awesome.' We support him. We celebrate this. It's very important."
Having the foundation behind the effort is a big plus, Stefanie said.
"They are going to donate two items a year that Albert Pujols has signed to be used in an incentive program," she said. "They'll also give John testimonial cards that are pictures of Albert and have information about the foundation.
"The foundation promotes Down's syndrome awareness and supports an orphanage in the Dominican Republic, Albert's native country."
Pujols and his wife, Deidre, have a daughter, Isabella, who has Down syndrome.
For more information, go to the Albert Pujols Family Foundation Web site at www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org.
