APhiO... I'm Back!

So as my more avid readers my know, at the beginning of my first semester here at BG I decided that I was going to pledge for a service fraternity called Alpha Phi Omega.  Well, I decided at the time that I needed to get settled, try to find a job, and then maybe I could consider it.

Now I'm back.  I decided over my winter break that I was going to give APhiO a chance.  APhiO is a coed service fraternity that has a focus on none other than: SERVICE.  We do all sorts of community service for all sorts of organizations including: dog walking, boy scout events, Relay for Life, non-profits, and local abuse organizations.  I am so excited to finally become a part of this family.  I've been waiting for my chance to really make a difference in the world and this is the first step.  I can feel it in my bones.  This is what I'm meant to do and nothing is going to stop me this time.

Also, completely changing the subject here, I am enrolled in a class called Teaching students with exceptionalities, AKA teaching special education children who are mainstreamed and children who are on IEPs.  Last night, while in class from 6-9 (UGH, right?), we watched a video from the 80s that was about inclusion or mainstreaming (which means a special ed student is put in a regular classroom with non-special ed students).  This video was about Heather, a little girl with down syndrome, and how she interacted in the classroom with her peers(video at the bottom).  After I finishing the video, I looked around the lecture hall (about 60 students were in the class with me) and every single person had a smile on their face.  Some had tears in their eyes.  It was so inspiring to see this video, a video that wasn't even meant to inspire really, just a video that was the cold hard truth.  After a minute or so, the professor continued to lecture and I couldn't help but get lost in my own thoughts.  I kept thinking about how awesome it is that our society excepts and respects those with disabilities.  And then it hit me: no matter how badly that video made me want to change my major to special education, I could not.  Harsh, I know.  But Heather's story made me feel so emotional that I knew I could never put myself in that environment.  I know that not every child with a disability comes from such a supportive family or has the opportunities that Heather did, and because of that, I knew I would spend my life crying over the special cases that I could not control.  With that being said, I would like all of you to watch the video I watched and then seriously consider volunteering for great program to help people with disabilities.  Help out with the special olympics, hold a fund raiser, volunteer at a school for the disabled.  Do something. Love them like Dobby loves socks.  (sorry, I had to. :P)

Here's the video link: Heather's Story

Thanks for reading.. More to come. :)