When a class of Grade 6 students came to call the pre-holiday hike Operation Leave No One Behind, it was clear this would be no simple winter walk.
Chris Mieske鈥檚 class at Trafalgar Middle School in Nelson includes Todd St. Pierre, who was born with bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria, a genetic disorder that affects his mobility.
So if they were going to spend a day stomping through snow outside Nelson, they needed a solution for including Todd.
鈥淏ecause he鈥檚 our classmate,鈥� said student Koen de Jong. 鈥淏ringing him helps us learn about empathy.鈥�
The answer was a sled, designed and built just for Todd. The students solicited local businesses for supplies and took about three weeks to complete the finished product.
Koen said building the sled meant learning all about Todd鈥檚 needs. Pool noodles, for example, were cut and added to the sides of the sled to pad his legs, which tend to lean out.
鈥淲hen he gets upset or excited he throws his head back, so we needed to put some cushion on his head,鈥� said Koen.
鈥淲e had to think about him going to the bathroom, him being able to have fun at the camp when we get there and we eventually came up with the idea to put people in life jackets, hook them up to the sled and pull it along and then have people in the back pushing or act as a break if you鈥檙e going downhill.鈥�
Mieske said he wanted his students to learn that even though Todd can鈥檛 walk, he is still journeying through school with them.
鈥淢y big message to these students is Todd鈥檚 going to be walking across the stage at graduation with them in six years and I want them to feel like he鈥檚 been part of their education and I want him to feel like he鈥檚 been part of the bigger group,鈥� he said.
鈥淛ust because he鈥檚 got difficulties with moving around and he has difficulties communicating, he鈥檚 still one of them and they need to see he is an equal to them in our school.鈥�
When the class travelled to the Nelson Nordic Ski Club鈥檚 Clearwater trail on Dec. 19, four students put on snow shoes and attached themselves to the sled before Todd was carefully, and happily, lowered in.
Some classmates cheered, others high-fived Todd, and when it came time to hike all 27 students marched into the woods together without anyone left behind.
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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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