The GOLD
Program
This is Ed Kelly
(my father in law)
Background
This is Kevin (human)
How this started
I met Kevin 12 years ago, and
he taught me something: pity
is derogatory, while living with
challenges is a part of life!
Every year, Kevin came in to
visit our school
We started with educating the
students about Special
Olympics
Then it transformed into
“Meeting Kevin”
Now it is GOLD!!!
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He and I go into
every team in the
building
Usually during the
last couple of weeks
of school (May)
We speak, do
activities, and allow
the kids to
experience
differences
We teach:
 Down Syndrome
 Autism
 Tolerance
 Acceptance
 Differences are the
spice of life
What is Meet Kevin Day?
How important is
Kevin and people
like him?
Kevin is the face and the voice
of what is right with the world
even though something is
wrong with him
He lives a life just like the kids
we teach
He visually shows the signs of
disability…
But he lives a life that is iconic
to the students
Just by being himself, he
shows just how not scary
different really is!
Every kid loves him, he is
ultra popular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why we do this?
Because I am uniquely
qualified to…
Because if I don’t, no one
will
Because I am a role model
and what better way to
model behavior than by
living it
The students we help
might never be able to say
“thank you” or “help me”
but they deserve
everything I would want
my own children’s
educational experience to
be!
The GOLD Program
1.
Our Goals:
To enhance the lives of the students
with disabilities by creating an
atmosphere of friendship, compassion,
and generosity by educating, allowing,
and mainstreaming each of their lives
while demonstrating abilities not
disabilities
2.
Create a community outside of school
for the students, their parents, and
anyone else to have an outlet to
interact, to have fun, and relax in a
safe adaptive setting
3.
To positively effect every person in our
building through services provided,
opportunities offered, and random acts
of kindness by a group of students
who have so much to offer through
various abilities
Goal 1: Enhancing the lives of our students with
disabilities!
We started with Flex. We took
three Life Skills students and
put them with 6 regular
education students.
The Life Skills students led the
activities: doing experiments
they had seen in Curious
George, engaging in activities
they liked (walks, vacuuming)
Next, we focused in on lunch:
We sat with them, ate with
them, created parties for
them, helped them leave the
table they sat at for two years
Finally, we moved into their
curriculum and rooms going
on field trips, assisting in
study hall, and helping in
exploritories.
Goal 1: Enhancing the lives of our students
without disabilities
Through Kevin, we teach
the students about
Down’s, Autism, tolerance,
and embracing difference.
We give the students ways
to meet, assist, and cope
with the differences in our
buildings.
We show the human face
of humans
Goal 2: Creating
Community
We started a website and
twitter to publicize our
activities
We invited the community into
the building (Halloween and
Easter)
We went out and did good
things for others (Polar Plunge
and Hearts of Gold)
We are hoping to work with
businesses and members of
the community to give more
opportunities to the students
and their families to just
spend time together
Goal 3: Positively Effecting ALL our students
We ask students to join us in
our fun
Friday Study Hall is now “Beat
Eric at DDR” for anyone with
enough PBIS tickets
Offer Pizza/video game Parties
for study hall assistance
We are identifying the kids
that don’t eat breakfast so we
offer it on Fridays and on test
days
Snack Cart and Breakfast Club
to give students a snack and
teach our students store
skills, but more importantly
make us completely selfsustaining.
Where are we with our goals:
Goal 1:
Enhance our
students’
lives
Goal 2:
Create a
community
Goal 3:
Effecting ALL
students
Current
We educate 66% of reg
ed students
Our Life Skills students
are more involved and
accepted
Early stages of building
the infrastructure
We have give most
students the ability to
interact with our
students in a positive
manner
Hopes
We can open a GOLD
program in each
grade’s flex and study
hall schedule
Have at least four
events each year for
the community and
four events for the
students and their
families
We make the GOLD
program so attractive
that the students will
start and continue the
idea without our
assistance
Dreams
Through education and
experience, our
students will not even
realize there are
students in their
classroom from a
variety of programs
Having monthly
meetings at school or
local establishments
where parents and
students can meet
without the stresses
involved with raising a
child with disabilities
Every student in our
building is a partner in
the education and
success of each other’s
experiences in our
building
Why have I spent an hour talking?
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All of our kids deserve
this.
I feel this is just as
important for students
to learn as math and
reading!
We are seeing real
success and change!
I need you!!! Spread
the word, follow us, and
please feel free to
support us!
Website:
http://www.district158.org/m
stahl/GOLD%20webpage.htm
Twitter:
@heinemangold