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At the beginning of fourth grade,[br]I joined Peer Helpers.

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Peer Helpers is an inclusion program[br]where students like myself

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can interact with students [br]in Special Education.

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When I joined, I was looking to try[br]something new

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because, you see, at my elementary school,

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there's only chess club[br]and Peer Helpers,

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so my options were pretty limited.

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But the kids that I did see peer helping[br]looked like they were having tons of fun.

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I mean, they were missing class,

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sitting together at lunch,

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and taking trips.

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I wanted in on that, so I joined.

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At the time, I had no idea I would[br]eventually be meeting someone

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who would become [br]one of my closest friends today,

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Henley Hager.

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When I first met Henley and his family,[br]it was a disaster.

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I vividly remember talking[br]to Mrs. Hager for the first time,

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and I had no idea what to say.

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It was probably something like,

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"Hey, Mrs. Hager, I'm here[br]to work with Henley."

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So after I introduced myself to her,[br]I finally met Henley,

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the boy I was going to be working with.

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At first, I didn't know [br]what to do or say around Henley.

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You see, Henley has severe autism,

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and I had no experience working with[br]anyone like that before.

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I'm going to be honest.

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It's not like I just strolled in there[br]and was already best buddies with him.

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I was nervous, [br]nervous that I might set him off,

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or nervous that I might do something[br]to upset him,

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and since we're being honest,

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I was nervous because we as humans[br]have a tendency to feel uncomfortable

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around people who are different than us.

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Regardless, over the next three years,

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every Wednesday, I went with Henley[br]to an after-school program

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where we would on social [br]and academic skills,

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such as organization,

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doing homework,

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physical exercise,

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calming down,

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helping him understand the day's plan,

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not complaining [br]when he doesn't get his way,

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and engaging in small talk.

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But as long as I've known Henley,[br]I know what he wants to do,

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play on the computer.

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But we can't always do that.

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So I'll provide other examples[br]of what we can do,

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like walk around the track,

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use the stationary bike,

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or play basketball.

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He'll answer with yes or no,

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or he's gotten to the point

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where he will politely ask [br]if we can do this activity instead.

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Over the years, Henley's small talk[br]has greatly improved

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and it's not just with me,

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it's with every person he interacts with.

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That's one of the goals [br]of inclusion programs.

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Inclusion programs benefit people[br]because they develop friendships,

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increase achievement of IEP goals,

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and greater opportunities for enhance[br]learning are formed.

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But apart from all that, [br]we would go fun places.

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I remember one time, Henley and I[br]went to the McWane Science Center

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in Downtown Birmingham.

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We had fun watching the fish,[br]and stingrays, and sharks.

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But imagine being at the science center

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and hearing two teenage boys cracking up[br]and giggling over nothing.

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Henley and I can just let out[br]a quick giggle

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and the laugh attacks begin.

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I have the best time ever[br]when I'm with him

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and I always look forward[br]to spending time with him,

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but this trip wasn't me [br]being his Peer Helper.

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These were just two best friends[br]hanging out and watching sharks.

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Now, I can talk about how much[br]I've done with or for Henley,

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but what I really want you to hear[br]and what rarely gets mentioned

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is the fact that Henley[br]has also helped me.

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He's helped me become more patient,

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I am better at working with kids[br]with disabilities,

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and I believe I've become more [br]compassionate

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toward those different than me.

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So through my interactions with Henley,[br]I mentioned becoming more patient.

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For example, Henley takes longer[br]to learn certain concepts,

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to do school work,

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and to respond to certain questions.

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And because of this, I've learned to[br]repeat myself without getting frustrated,

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or at least making [br]that frustration visible.

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Somebody should teach my mom that.

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But let me be clear.

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Many times it was frustrating,[br]but you can't get mad at him

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because he's not intentionally [br]trying to be difficult.

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He's just taking his time and adjusting[br]to the task at hand

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the best way he knows how.

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Understanding this has made me[br]a more patient person

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in all aspects of life.

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And apart from patience,

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I've become better at working[br]with kids with special needs.

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In your everyday school,

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a majority of students pretend [br]like students in the Special Ed department

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don't even exist.

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They walk through the halls,

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talk to their friends,

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and ignore those with special needs.

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Rarely do people interact with these[br]students in a positive and helpful way.

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But I've learned that through[br]interacting with students like Henley,

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when you ignore those with[br]special needs,

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you're missing out on a gift.

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So from fourth to seventh grade,[br]I worked exclusively with Henley,

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and that partnership,[br]that friendship,

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is one of the best things[br]that has ever happened to me.

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I have loved working with Henley,

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and becoming a Peer Helper[br]was one of the best decisions of my life.

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But sadly, not all students[br]have this opportunity.

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After researching, I was shocked[br]to find that people with special needs

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do not have enough, if any,[br]Peer Helpers in their school.

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And what's worse, not all schools[br]provide enough teachers or teachers' aids

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to students in the special ed department.

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So get ready for this part.

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Many students in the Special Ed department

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don't receive the adequate services[br]they deserve.

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And of the schools who don't provide[br]the adequate services to these students,

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I believe the most common reason

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is because they don't have [br]enough funding or staff,

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but if they're not up to standard,[br]it's the students who suffer.

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Think of all the kids [br]with learning disabilities

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and how they need help[br]to thrive in their learning.

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Without it, jobs may not [br]be available to them,

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or they may not learn social skills

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needed to live in the environment[br]we live in today,

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their autonomy won't develop

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and these rich relationships[br]will not be formed.

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All of these concepts rotate [br]around each other,

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and are things that I work with[br]Henley to improve on.

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I can tell that Henley [br]has greatly improved

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with communicating with [br]people throughout the years,

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and this is because he's fortunate enough[br]to live in a community

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that has a very respectable[br]Special Education program

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with many staff members[br]and a thriving Peer Helper program.

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But, like I said before, not all schools,[br]a majority in fact,

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adequately support the Special[br]Education department,

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which is making it harder for these kids[br]

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to become the most successful version[br]of themselves.

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But now, let's say schools [br]do start providing

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the help they should [br]be giving to these kids.

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Let's say that these students thrive.

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I mean think of the possibilites.

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They'd be prepared for the work force,

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and they'd learn stronger social skills.

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If the schools are not providing[br]enough teachers or teachers' aids

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to students in the Special Ed department,

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I say that job is passed to us,[br]the students.

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I say the students should step up[br]and support their fellow classmates.

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Every student in here [br]has the ability to help.

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The hardest part is acting on the problem,[br]but I know everyone can do it.

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One of the best and most effective ways[br]you can help Special Education departments

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is by creating or joining [br]a Peer Helper program.

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Once you join of these programs,[br]you'll feel like a different person

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because you realize how much of[br]an impact you have on other individuals.

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Because helping others impacts you.

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It turns you into [br]a "glass half full" person

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and essentially, build stronger[br]friendships with those who need it.

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So aside from lunch, being a Peer Helper[br]is the best part of school by a landslide.

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For those of you who enjoy learning,[br]just wait until you become a Peer Helper.

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Every Tuesday and some Thursdays,[br]I help,

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and when I get to school, I am so excited.

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I'm excited for the time of day[br]I can walk into that room

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and say hello to all my friends[br]who I enjoy helping.

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Becoming a Peer Helper should[br]be considered a privilege

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because not only are you positively[br]impacting your fellow peers,

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they also help you,

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and you'll build [br]long-standing relationships

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from this as well.

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It is hard work sometimes, and you're[br]definitely not going to get a trophy

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saying you're a good Peer Helper.

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But really who needs a trophy[br]when you're gaining a friend?

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That's the best reward.

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Being a Peer Helper helped me[br]realize who I am as a person

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and my purpose in not just my life,[br]but other's lives too.

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So I challenge my fellow students[br]in the audience

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to strongly consider becoming[br]a Peer Helper.

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You will love it.

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And if you don't have one, talk with[br]your principal or Board of Education

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and make one because these[br]students really need it.

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And to you parents listening out there,

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encourage your son or daughter[br]to participate in Peer Helper programs

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because all it takes is eight words to[br]change your life and the lives of others,

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"I would like to become a peer helper."