The View from the Playground: Inclusive Play “Gets It Right”

Play is powerful. Anyone reading blogs about play doesn’t need convincing.

But how many of us actually get to witness the magic that happens when children with different abilities truly connect and accept each other as equals?

Here’s a quick glimpse from an email sent by Robbie Wise, an incredible Special Education Teacher at Washington School, who recently attended her second interactive field trip this year with her students at Aidan’s Place in West Los Angeles:

“Talk about ‘getting it right’. There is nothing left for me to say about the glories of this wonderfully adapted park.

And how right we got it when the decision was made to let the buddies reunite on the second trip rather than have them meet a new friend. It’s so real and moving when I hop off the bus and hear the Brentwood crowd call out to me, “Is Nadia here?” “Did Charlie come?” “Is Jazmine here today?”

I was so impressed with how the students got to know their buddies and how to have fun with them. Charlie’s buddies were able to look past all of his disabilities. They let ME know all of the nonverbal ways he communicated with them.

 Joey’s buddies experienced up close and personal how difficult life can be for Joey and his family. Last trip, Joey was able to easily play and experience the fun of Aidan’s Place. This trip Joey had lots and lots of trouble staying in a good mood and following directions. But it’s these exact behaviors that keep Joey’s family from taking him often to parks. His buddies hung right in there with him!

Some had buddies that are so similar to them but have extra challenges. Those students really respected their buddies, who are not ashamed of what makes them different. But they want to be accepted for who they are, not stared at for the things that make them different. Their buddies get that and treat them like the equals they are.

I think Jonathon said it best. As the bus pulled away and got quiet, he turned to me and said “I wish we could stay longer with our friends.” I looked at him and said, “You’re right. Me too.”


The View from the Playground: Get Your Passport to Play!

Shane’s Inspiration celebrates powerful community leaders at our 2012 Gala Passport to Play!gala-button-2012-rev.jpg

Saturday, April 21, 2012

The Beverly Wilshire

9500 Wilshire Boulevard (between Rodeo and Beverly)

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

5:30 pm – Cuisine & Wine Pairings, Silent Auction

8:00pm – Silent Auction begins Closing

8:30pm – Sweets, Entertainment, Live Auction & Awards

Co-Hosts Lucinda Piligian and Catherine Curry-Williams invite you to Shane’s Inspiration’s Passport to Play Signature Event on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 5:30pm at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Dinner will be served from wine and cuisine bars where guests will enjoy food and wine pairings from Italy, Argentina, Asia, and Down Under, while shopping our spectacular silent auction.  Silent auction begins closing at 8:00pm.

Sweets, live auction, entertainment, and a short program will follow.  We will be honoring quadriplegic surfer, Jesse Billauer and Steve King, Chairman of Landscape Structures Inc., and pay special tribute to the memory of Burt Sperber.

Our most sincere thanks to our event sponsors, Lucinda and Craig Piligian.

We hope that you will be able to join us for what is sure to be a fun and unique night!  Below is a link to our RSVP Form for individual tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and ads in our tribute book. We would be extremely grateful for your support of this event, which will impact our mission and the children we serve immensely. Thank you in advance for your support!

 

For more information about the Passport to Play, please contact Marci Moran at (818) 988-5676 or marci@shanesinspiration.org.
To purchase tickets by phone, please call Marjorie Stark at (818) 988-5676.

 

CLICK HERE to view the Gala 2012 RSVP Form

The View from the Playground: Changing Perceptions Through Art

Shane’s Inspiration celebrates the powerful life of Zina Bethune, an incredible artist, dancer, teacher, and activist that changed perceptions about abilities and transformed lives through art…

Bethune Theatredanse

Zina Bethune

Honoring the Life of Zina Bethune

On February 12, 2012, Theatre Bethune lost our friend, mentor and founder – Zina Bethune.  Zina passed away as a victim of an apparent hit-and-run car accident.  Although, Zina’s life ended tragically her endearing spirit will live on through the lives of her family, friends and over 8,000 Infinite Dreams students. 

Zina had an extensive and inspirational career beginning at the age of six. Her career included dance, theatre, film, and television. She starred in Martin Scorsese’s first motion picture “Who’s Knocking at my Door,” the television series, “The Nurses,” and was also a regular guest star on the “Judy Garland Show.” On Broadway, she played the starring role in “Grand Hotel.”  Zina danced with the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and various international dance companies.

In 1980, Zina founded Bethune Theatredanse, and served as the professional dance program in America to create a participatory dance program for disabled youth, called Infinite Dreams.  Zina often said: “Infinite Dreams is for all people and is about the spirit and joy of dance –your spirit is not disabled, why should what you do be disabled?”

Zina led her multi-media company on international tours and even received a special invitation to perform at the White House. Zina achieved all of this while being “differently – abled” with Dysplastic hips, Scoliosis and Lymphedema. “Differently-abled” was Zina’s way to explain “how it feels to be disabled yet live with the fire of an artistic spirit that is in us all.”

A pioneering force for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Arts and Disability Movement, Zina’s work with arts and disability is now a worldwide movement.  She has received commendations from three U.S. Presidents, four Los Angeles Mayors, Senators, Governors, LAUSD, Actors Equity and The United Nations.

Zina touched so many lives with her art, dance and pioneering spirit.  Theatre Bethune will carry on the legacy that Zina Bethune started by continuing the Infinite Dreams program.  Currently, Infinite Dreams classes are offered in Los Angeles, Orange County and Long Beach.

The View from the Playground: A community member’s perspective on inclusion

Dreams Start on the Playground

By John Mullan, President of PlayCreation

What does it mean to a child with a disability to be accepted as is? What does it mean for a buddy with typical abilities to understand that the desire for laughter, friendship and play is universal? What does it mean for us to have a generation growing up dwelling on what makes people similar, not what makes us different?

I recently attended a community playground design workshop sponsored Shane’s Inspiration. They were helping the City of Gig Harbor, Washington voice their design ideas for their very own fully-accessible, inclusive playground. Spending just a few hours with kids with disabilities and their parents made me wonder why it has taken our society so long to realize the importance of inclusion.

Can you believe it took until 1990 to sign the ADA? Just as with women voting, or blacks being 3/5 human (the Three-Fifths Compromise is found in Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the United States Constitution)…we look back and think “how absurd that we would exclude a vital portion of the population for so long.” What I want to know is what are we doing about it now, in our parks, at these magical islands we call playgrounds?

Ever ask a six year old if she wants to go to the playground? Just watch her eyes get big and smile widen. The playground draws kids in. And no kid should be excluded from that…not only because “it’s the right thing to do” but also because dreams start on the playground. Which brings us to the dream of a playground where kids with disabilities and typical abilities have the opportunity to play side-by-side.

I was amazed, at the community design session, by how much thought and effort these children put into designing their playgrounds.  They were as obsessed as I am about detailing where everything goes, and their imagination blew me away. There were kids with disabilities and without, armed with crayon and paper, creating fantastic playgrounds. Group labels and societal classifications did not matter (and damn well they shouldn’t). 

Once this playground is open and the kids’ design ideas come to fruition, Shane’s Inspiration will continue to support the playground and the community by helping launch two programs that use the playground as a classroom for learning acceptance, inclusion and understanding. Through a simple day of play and connection, our kids will learn about themselves and others at the playground.

So when we talk about dreams, friendship, achievement and inclusion starting on the playground…it is important to consider this in the context of what it means to the future of all the kids who are afforded these opportunities and more importantly, these programs. A FOX News investigation in 2009 said that, according to several disability rights advocates, more than half of Americans with disabilities are unemployed, and the reality is that it may be as high as 80%.

Here is what Brad Thornton, the Director of Project Development for Shane’s Inspiration, said recently: “These playgrounds are the vehicle to allow the programs to eliminate bias. One study cited that 80 to 90 percent of the adults with disabilities in the workplace lose their jobs due to lack of social skills. This generation will be more accepting, more knowledgeable and more welcoming to people with disabilities.”

It’s a shame that the number one reason a worker with a disability will lose their job is a lack of social skills. It’s a blessing that we as a society are finally advocating for the rights of all and do so in such a way as to create these playground classrooms where we can learn acceptance before prejudice.

Here is what I am advocating for this generation: use these incredible communities to lead and influence the Parks and Recreation landscape. Let’s show our kids how independence, self-understanding, confidence and a sense of contribution can all start on the playground, as long as we all have access to and are included on it.

Yes, build it. Then show them, at the human level, we all want the same things and that we all have dreams. And they will come…kids and parents of all abilities.  Because Dreams Start on the Inclusive Playground.

Photos by: Akiko Oda

To read the full article about Gig Harbor’s Design Workshop, please visit:

http://gigharbor.patch.com/articles/inclusive-playground-in-gig-harbor#photo-9003947

The View from the Playground: A mother’s perspective on inclusion

Shane’s Inspiration has been given the gift of meeting over 29,000 children, teachers, and parents through our play programs since 2002, witnessing inclusion in action on a weekly basis.

Here’s a reflection from Kimberly Glasing, who attended her son’s inclusive play field trip two weeks ago:

My son Cade is a student at Washington Special Education School, which is one of the lucky schools that gets to take part in an absolutely amazing inclusion experience at Aidan’s Place with 5th grade students who are typically developing.

Cade has taken part in this field trip for 4 years now and every time I am moved to tears by the joy that pours out of him from being with these other children. If I had to list my most memorable moments with my son, this experience would be at the top of the list.

Cade is unable to speak and uses a device called a ‘talker’ to communicate. The two beautiful girls that Cade was paired up with on our most recent trip to Aidan’s Place were very interested in learning how the talker worked and how they could use it to communicate with Cade.  By the end of the day the girls were pros with it. Cade was responding to them and the girls learned about something they never would have otherwise known.

The moment that stands out the most in my mind is when it was lunchtime. The students all ate together.  Some were being fed through their feeding tubes, some were being spoon fed and of course, some were eating normally.  I heard a number of children asking and had questions answered about the various feeding methods that they were seeing.  Without this experience, they may never have been exposed to such different ways of playing, communicating, eating.

The thought ran through my mind of what if this inspires just one of these children to pursue a career in the future that they may have never thought of - Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Special Ed Teacher. What a valuable lesson learned by all because of inclusion.

These trips are so important to both sets of children.  It’s a day where these special children can play amongst their peers, and their physical limitations do not matter, and more importantly, are not noticed.  It is a day that the able-bodied children learn that just because a child has special needs does not mean they can’t have fun. There are no stares or glares at the differences.  They are just a group of kids playing, and it is a beautiful lesson in humanity for all involved, young and old.

Thank you for allowing Cade to be a child. It means more than words could ever express.

The View from the Playground: A sibling’s perspective on inclusion

By Nadav Senensieb,

Before we found out about Shane’s Inspiration, my sister, Adina, and I would go to a park near my house where I would have the time of my life going on the jungle gym, slides, and swings.  What I wasn’t paying attention to was that my sister, Adina, needed help from my parents to get up to the slides or get pushed on the swings.  Then we found Shane’s.  On the accessible playgrounds, Adina could get her wheelchair up and down the ramps and play with the playground equipment that was made to be used by everyone, disabled or not.  Shane’s Inspiration meant I could play with my sister on the playground instead of having her watch me play while my mom or dad pushed her on the swing.

I think inclusive play is important for everyone to be a part of, whether they are disabled, know someone who is disabled, or just want to play with a kid and make their day.  If they are disabled it gives them a chance to play with able-bodied kids as equals and just enjoy being independent on a playground.  For people who know someone who is disabled, especially a close family member, like my case, Shane’s Inspiration gives us the chance to play with them rather than having to help them with what seems like ordinary tasks for us.  And for people who don’t know someone that is disabled, it is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and learn that just because a person can’t walk doesn’t mean that they don’t think the same or feel the same way that we do.

In my mind there are two extremely important things about Shane’s Inspiration and inclusive play.  The first one is gaining the knowledge of disabled people.  Playing with them helps us realize that we are all the same, whether we are able-bodied, in a wheelchair, or have another disability.  The second thing is it gives disabled kids a chance to feel like everyone else.  What I realized by going to the Shane’s parks with Adina was that although she loved the playgrounds, that wasn’t her favorite part.  The best feeling for her was that she and I could play together, and not be separated by physical boundaries.

The View from the Playground: Perspectives on Inclusion

Happy New Year! Shane’s Inspiration is starting a month-long series on inclusion perspectives from children of all abilities, parents, teachers, care givers, play workers, and more.

We are reposting the following blog, as it highlights inclusion on a larger scale: one company’s choice to create an ad that features kids with and without disabilities.

Visit http://noahsdad.com/target-down-syndrome/ to read the full post and learn more about this great blog!

Target Is ‘Down’ With Down Syndrome: 5 Things Target Said By Saying Nothing At All

January 2, 2012 in Resources with 251 Comments

target ad down syndrome model kid child

If you were browsing through this week’s Target ad you may have passed right over the adorable little boy in the bright orange shirt smiling at you on page 9!  And if so, I’m glad!

The reason I’m glad?  Well, that stylish young man in the orange shirt is Ryan. Ryan just so happened to have been born with Down syndrome, and I’m glad that Target included a model with down syndrome in their typical ad! :)

This wasn’t a “Special Clothing For Special People” catalog.  There wasn’t a call out somewhere on the page proudly proclaiming that “Target’s proud to feature a model with Down syndrome in this week’s ad!”  And they didn’t even ask him to model a shirt with the phrase, “We Aren’t All Angels” printed on the front.

In other words, they didn’t make a big deal out of it.  I like that.

5 Things Target Said By Not Saying Anything

down syndrome model target ad boy ad

Even though Target didn’t make a big deal out of the fact they used a boy with Down syndrome as a model in their ad, they said plenty.  They said the same things that Nordstrom said when they used Ryan as a model in their catalog this past summer.  I could list a hundred things Target said by running this ad, let me give you 5 that immediately come to mind: 

  1. They said that people born with Down syndrome deserve to be treated the same as every other other person on this planet.
  2. They said that it’s time for organizations to be intentional about seeking creative ways to help promote inclusion, not exclusion.  (It’s no accident that Target used a model with Down syndrome in this ad; it was an intentional decision.  If want the world to be a place where everyone is treated equal we can’t just sit around and watch the days tick away.  We have to be intentional.  We have to do something.)
  3. They said that companies don’t have to call attention to the fact that they choose to beinclusive in order for people to notice their support for people with disabilities.  In fact, by notmaking a big deal out of it they are doing a better job of showing their support for the special needs community.
  4. They said it’s important for the world to see people born with disabilities with a fresh set of eyes.  That it’s time for us to lay down all the inaccurate stereotypes from the past and move forward embracing the future with true and accurate ones
  5. They said you don’t have to spend a lot for your kids to look good!  (I mean come on, that shirt’s only five bucks!)

The View from the Playground: Toyota’s Inspiring Volunteers

Shane’s Inspiration’s inclusive playgrounds and programs are possible because of the passion and commitment of our volunteers…individuals like Sheila Swanson who gives her time, talent, and incredible financial contributions.

Sheila has also been instrumental in building a powerful corporate partnership with Toyota Motor Sales. Read more about the impact one person and one corporation can have:

Grants of Gratitude: TMS Rewards ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Winners’ Organizations

December 15, 2011 | Posted to: Associates, Community
Shane s Inspiration Kayla and Brenda holding hands2-lw
Shane’s Inspiration — Playmates enjoy a fully accessible playground built by a non-profit organization supported by Sheila Swanson, a TMS Volunteer of the Year award-winner.
For Sheila Swanson and Doris Bax, giving time and talent to charitable organizations that are near and dear to their hearts is the payoff, in and of itself. But there’s no denying that Toyota Motor Sales’ (TMS) willingness to acknowledge their efforts through cash grants has made those volunteer commitments even more rewarding.
 
Swanson, a finance and analysis manager in TMS Marketing, and Bax, a procurement administrator at the North American Parts Center in Kentucky, are two of nine associates selected to receive Volunteer of the Year awards in TMS’ “Get in Gear Volunteer!” program. They are joined by:
  • Denise Jacobson, national market representation manager, Lexus Division  – Our Lady of Fatima School
  • Donna Johnson, regional business management analyst, Toyota Division – Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department
  • Pei Pei Kelman, senior business analyst, Information Systems – Friends of Weaver
  • Scott Kesselring, business operations manager, Toyota Division – Hope Chapel Hermosa Beach
  • Steve Silbiger, dispute resolution administrator, Toyota Customer Services – Boy Scouts of America, Los Angeles Area Council
  • Dave Shambaugh, technology manager field operations, Information Systems – U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Ghostriders Squadron
  • David Statham, technology manager enterprise systems, Information Systems – Preemptive Love Coalition
Since its debut in October 2009, “Get in Gear Volunteer!” has offered cash grants to non-profit organizations supported by TMS associates on a volunteer basis.

Doris Bax
Crazy About Cats — Doris Bax tends to her feline patients at Save the Animals Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio.
For example, Bax first offered to help the Save the Animals Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio, after looking to adopt a cat through the organization in 1999. Over the years, her involvement has grown from cleaning and feeding the animals, to serving on the foundation’s adoption committee and Board of Directors, to administering medication under the supervision of a veterinarian. The foundation provides a sanctuary to some 600 domesticated animals that have been abused, abandoned or injured.

Bax began logging her volunteer hours at the“Get in Gear Volunteer!” website soon after it went live. When she reached the 100-hour mark, TMS rewarded the foundation with a $500 grant. Then Bax applied for a “Volunteer of the Year” award and claimed a $1,000 grant for the non-profit. As such, Save the Animals Foundation benefitted from Bax’s commitment to the cause as well as the generosity of her employer.

“The grants make a huge difference,” says Bax, a 14-year NAPO veteran. “The money goes directly to food, medical expenses, maintaining the building—a little bit of everything. Our operating expenses are high, even with a 100 percent volunteer staff.”

Swanson’s volunteer commitment dates back to 2003. At the time, she served on TMS’ Charitable Contributions Committee that was charged with evaluating applications for grants submitted by community organizations. The committee asked Swanson to learn more about Shane’s Inspiration, an organization that strives to create playgrounds that are accessible to children of all social, physical and emotional abilities.

“I remember meeting one of the co-founders at Griffith Park in the rain,” says Swanson. The two-acre Los Angeles facility was the first of what is now more than 40 playgrounds the organization has developed. “At the time, they were looking for grants to help transport kids to and from the playgrounds. They don’t just build the parks and walk away. They collaborate with local officials and schools to make sure they are used and maintained.”

Shane s Inspiration Adina and Nadav at AP
Open Access — Two kids share a play structure at one of Shane’s Inspiration’s more than 40 playgrounds.
Swanson helps out with at least one event per month and serves on the organization’s corporate advisory committee. She also takes the lead on organizing a women’s tea in June, one of Shane’s Inspiration’s major fund-raising events.

In addition to grants earned by logging her hours, Swanson also secured a $1,000 grant for Shane’s Inspiration through the Volunteer of the Year awards.

“That money goes a long way,” she says. “It costs about $300 to transport kids to a playground for a play date. And it costs another $100 for the crafts and snacks. It only took me about 10 minutes to fill out and submit the application. But the kids who will get to take advantage of the playground because of that funding will come away with memories that could last a lifetime. It really does make a difference.”
By Dan Miller

The View from the Playground: The Inspiration to Play

Shane’s Inspiration was selected as one of Toyota’s Halftime Hand-Off Winners!

In addition to a 15-second spot that aired during Sunday Night Football on December 4th, Toyota created a great two-minute video highlighting the inspiration behind our play.

We are grateful for and inspired by Toyota, a fantastic corporate partner committed to making playgrounds inclusive for all!

The View from the Playground: Why the City of Los Angeles Makes Inclusive Play a Priority

Cole Massie, inclusive play advocate, interviews Jon Kirk Mukri, General Manager of Recreation and Parks for the City of Los Angeles, who shares what inspired him to make inclusive play a priority.