The Coming Generation-It’s All About the Kids!
October 20th, 2008
My church is currently going through a capital building campaign to raise money for new facilities for the children and youth areas. I am sure many people think, “Why do they get the new things? They are little. More kids can fit in their rooms than adults. Besides, the adults are paying for it.” All of this is true but I love the vision and passion that my pastor has for the “coming generation.” He believes in providing tools to help the next generation grow strong in their faith so they are ready to step up and take over when it is time. As I sat in the pew on Sunday, I couldn’t help but think of the mission for Head 2 Toe Publications. Head 2 Toe’s mission is to bring honor to God and help children with exceptional needs reach their full potential by providing developmentally appropriate learning tools that focus on skills in the following areas: communication, cognition and motor. It is all about the kids.
When I first started my career as a speech therapist, my mom, a children’s media specialist, introduced me to a book called “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney. The story is about a little girl that was challenged by her grandfather to figure out a way to make the world more beautiful, so she did. Everywhere she went, she scattered lupine seeds. Over the years the seeds grew into beautiful blooming plants. If you have ever seen a lupine, then you know how beautiful they are. As I was reading this story to some of my 5th grade language delayed students, I asked them, “How would you make the world more beautiful?” That question hit me hard. Even though I was the one asking, I had never thought how I would answer that. I remember sitting for a moment and before I even knew I was speaking, I told my students, “I would do something to help them.” They sat there and looked at me like I was crazy. I thought, maybe I should have said, ‘World Peace or fix world hunger.’ But that wasn’t my heart. Yes, I would love those things; however, I want to help these kids that I work with everyday have a chance to make it in this great world.
I didn’t know how to do it but I knew that I had to help these kids learn at their developmental level so that they can grow and feel successful so that they continue to learn. They aren’t always going to have Miss Duncan around to help them. I had to help them know how to figure out their learning strategies. I had to try to reach these kids where no one else had time or understanding. If you know a child with autism or any other disability or learning challenge, then you know how difficult it is to reach them right where they are. But they should be given a chance. After changing my career to become a product development specialist for a wonderful special needs company, I knew this was “How Karla Duncan was going to make the world more beautiful.”
As I listen to the presidential candidates talk about the economic crisis, I get frustrated because no one is really looking very far down the road. Sure you might hear that we need to provide a better place for our kids but do they really mean it? All I see is a “quick fix” and a continued attitude of how is this going to help ME. Yes, I think about how this might affect Head 2 Toe but my first concern is helping children grow up to be successful individuals. Honestly, what are we doing to help our kids grow into adults who can make logical decisions and continue the work that needs to be carried on? Are we going to be ready to pass the baton when it is time? Are we teaching the children to think how they can make the world more beautiful?
I wish I could see some of my former students like George, Ubshelah, Jarvis, Travis, and Samantha and see what they are doing to make the world more beautiful today. I see this process as a race that is continuously going on and Head 2 Toe is teaching and training kids to get ready for it. As their family and friends sit in the stands cheering for them, they are going to hear their names announced over the loud speaker to line up at the starting line. The gun is going to go off and they better be ready to take off running. I know Amy and I are committed to helping them get ready for the race. And we are going to cheer for them like everyone else to GO! I can’t wait to be at the finish line to say, “Well done. You did it. Now go and start training your team.” I love watching the former Olympian medalists come home and start working with children to get them ready for future Olympics. That is what this life should be about-passing on skills that help the coming generation succeed and they will pass their skills on to the one behind them, and so and so….
I encourage you to think how you can make the world more beautiful. Will it help the coming generation?
Karla
