Posted September 12, 2014
The Mayor’s Youth Award (MYA) recognizes youth ages 13-19 who have overcome difficult situations in their lives by making positive changes and exhibiting strength and determination in the face of adversity. The young people we recognize have had a positive influence on themselves and those around them and often have not had any official recognition.
Kaitlin is a ninth-grade student with Cerebral Palsy at the Denver Online High School. Kaitlin has had difficulty at school because of the amount of time that she has needed to be in the hospital. Kaitlin has had several operations and has had several instances where she needed to be hospitalized to get a feeding tube put in. Kaitlin has also faced difficulties because of a corneal scar. She has, however, overcome this by ordering her own large print books and using technology to make the print larger. Because of Kaitlin’s choice to be at the Denver Online High School, she is able to be more flexible with her needs and appointments with doctors. Kaitlin’s speech was assessed as slow and labored; however, Kaitlin loves to converse and does well to articulate. She is patient and will repeat what she said without frustration. Kaitlin continues to overcome any anxiety that she might have about situations and persevere. Kaitlin continues to do well academically and give insight to others about her needs and thoughts.
Kaitlin is joyful and has a great sense of humor. She is very excited about being a part of a community and continues to overcome many physical disabilities to do this. She is continually giving insight and feedback to her peers. She is a positive role model with her peers as well as being our secretary’s assistant once a week and has very pleasant interactions with the entire staff. Kaitlin continues to be persistent in her speech, mobility, and educational needs.
The key factors that have helped Kaitlin to turn her adversities into advantages have been family support, a good sense of humor, determination, and school supports. Kaitlin and her family have continued to advocate for her success and equity in education. Kaitlin is a smart, kind, sensitive and dedicated student who is a tenacious learner. In addition, Kaitlin is goal-oriented and is focusing on the nursing field as a career. Kaitlin is also involved with support groups such as the CP Club and does many social activities. She is looking forward to her annual two-week skiing trip in March.
Kaitlin has benefited herself by learning how to pursue everything that is available to her. She is a great leader and wants to make the world a better place by working with children or young people. Kaitlin is always positive and is a role model for daily overcoming circumstances that are beyond our control. For instance, every year for Children’s Hospital, Kaitlin rides with the “Courage Classic” to raise money for the hospital. This will be her fifth year of doing this.
Ms Kaitlin Hooks is an excellent example of the power of self-determination and the type of person who can use online education to support her personal needs.