My schooling

     I started going to school in 1982 and finished in 1996. I think disable person can go to the age of 21, but I had a different situation. I was in Special ED until a teacher saw my BFF and I should go to regular classes. So, we tried one class. I started in 4th grade, and I can remember crawling to class with a wagon! Because I couldn't write, I had a tape recorder for notes, and I took tests in Special ED so somebody could write my answers down, and they had to write my answer if it was wrong. I can't remember if I had one or two classes in the 5th grade, but by the 6th, I was in Special ED in the morning and rode the bus to Camden Middle to take classes. By then Ms. Belton took the job helping me, and she stayed when I graduated! Ms. Belton was a teacher assistant in Special ED, and she was hired full time when I was mainstream. We grew into a mother and daughter relations, and we still talk today. By the 8th grade through the 12th, I only went to regular classes. Most of the teachers were great and understanding. The students treated me like another person. I wasn't picked on, and if I did, some classmate would stand up for me, especially another BFF. I went to a birthday party and both of my proms. Getting to graduate was VERY hard with passing the exit exam. I got good grades to pass, but I couldn't pass the writing part. With my fourth and my last shot, I PASSED!!!!!!!!!! Most of my family came to my graduation. My Granny was sick, but I made a point to dress up when we saw her, and she was proud. Sorry if I'm bragging, but I graduated with an B average. That night of graduation, Dad was putting me in the van, and we forgot about the wheelchair's legs! I couldn't wear my slip-on shoes without my footrest. I was really anxious because if we hadn't followed the required dress code, we wouldn't have been able to graduate. I hid my feet under the wheelchair and prayed!!!!!!!!!! I got by with it!