By Michael Edwards
SPRINGVILLE-- Oakridge, with its light brick exterior and plain looking schoolyard appears to be just like any other school. To the casual observer, it seems an unlikely place for small miracles to be happening every day.
'Oakridge is its own world,' said Ruth Velasquez, speech language technician at the school. 'Our goals here are very different than goals other kids have.'
What separates Oakridge from other schools is the students: 26 of them, between the ages of 6 and 22, are all severe special needs students diagnosed with disorders including Down syndrome and autism. Despite the fact that none of them are able to communicate verbally, they are given a chance to learn and interact in classrooms similar to students in other schools.
'I think that we''ve blown the socks off of everyone who has observed us,' Principal Richard Kay said.
When a person enters the three-year-old school, a picture of one of the students and parent greets them, accompanied by the quote, 'We were brought together to help each other. Physically, I hold you up. Spiritually, you hold me up.'
Historically, the program to educate special needs children was a joint effort with the Provo School District. Three years ago, Provo and Nebo school districts decided to integrate their programs into their own districts. The result was the foundation of the Oakridge School.
Kay, who clearly cares deeply about his students, openly shares stories of the outstanding occurrences in working with them.
In one of his stories, he told of a girl during reading time. The students were sitting in separate beanbag chairs, he said, just an arms reach from each other. The students usually don''t show any affection toward one another or to their teachers. On this occasion, though the girl reached out and grabbed the hand of the student next to her.
'We have to remember there''s more to these kids than meets the eye,' Kay said. 'They really find a way into your heart.'
The school currently has three teachers, two nurses, two speech therapists and 16 full-time class technicians.
Part of the success of the school is the community''s support, Kay said.
Last year, more than 18,000 volunteer hours were given to the school. Some of those came in the form of donations from a local fourth grade class that worked with Oakridge students.
Other support comes from community members each year at Christmas time when the students at Oakridge put on a play to earn funds for activities they do. Last Christmas, 800 people attended the play.
'There wasn''t a dry eye in the house,' Kay said of the event.
The curriculum students at Oakridge study is different from other students their age.
'Other kids study vocabulary and sentences,' said Jason Shelley, speech language pathologist at Oakridge. 'These kids learn to initiate and act on ideas. They learn to do things like take turns.'
Along with that, the students are taught practical skills that they will need like brushing their teeth, washing their hands, and learning to connect cause and effect.
'We''re pleased with what students are able to do this year versus last year,' Kay said. 'We''re surprised sometimes by their ability.'
Despite the help and progress, working with the special needs children all the time does have its challenges.
'It''s very hard sometimes when you see little progress,' said Misty Hamaker, a teacher at the school. 'In other schools, they grade their students on progress in reading. Here, it''s if they remember to get the soap by themselves when they wash their hands. That can be hard sometimes.
'We keep pictures of the happy times to remember those. It helps to remember the times when the kids were just having lots of fun.'
Some of the highlights she said she remembers with the students are when their personalities show through during activities like playing miniature golf.
The school receives funding from the Nebo School District along with a large portion coming from grants and donations.
'This school is able to do so well because Dr. Kay is good at finding grants,' Hamaker said.
Faculty members at the school expressed gratitude for all of the help and support that they receive.
'Volunteers are great,' Jason Shelley said. 'The key is, if you have the heart to help, please come. We love the help.'