Kyle K.

“ My younger brother is a person with multiple disabilities, including Asperger's Syndrome and epilepsy. As a result, I grew up helping him to learn to cope with the difficulties that his disabilities brought to him. Being only 18 months apart in age, he and I attended most of the same schools and I always did my best to help him adjust and to help others adjust to him as well. I looked out for him and helped...

My younger brother is a person with multiple disabilities, including Asperger's Syndrome and epilepsy. As a result, I grew up helping him to learn to cope with the difficulties that his disabilities brought to him. Being only 18 months apart in age, he and I attended most of the same schools and I always did my best to help him adjust and to help others adjust to him as well. I looked out for him and helped him to learn to make friends and to try and step out of his comfort zone. I would help him learn his class schedule and to find the best ways to get to class. I would check in on him at lunch until he was comfortable in the environment. I was also there for him and helped explain to his friends when his epilepsy triggered a seizure. Post-high school I have been helping him explore his options and helping him try and decide what he would like to do with his life, as well as helping him look for employment, (along with my parents). I believe that growing up with my brother was a factor in my desire to help others, and to assist people who are differently-abled learn to cope with this world and function at their best. I worked at Goodwill Industries as a Program Specialist with MRDD adults. I helped them learn to do a job and the importance of good job skills. I also helped them work with others and to learn appropriate social interactions. I found the experience of working at Goodwill extremely rewarding and feel I learned as much from my clients on a daily basis as they did from me. I also worked at the South Central Mental Health Counseling Center doing case management for children with developmental disabilities. Although my departure was not by my choice or under circumstances I could control, I learned a great deal about the importance of record-keeping and documentation as it pertains to case management. As before, my experience with the clients was both successful and rewarding. When I worked at Rock Springs 4-H center I staffed the special needs camps. I taught canoeing, archery, and crafts to the campers as well as life guarding at the pool. I remember a specific camper who was about 15. He had never been to camp before and was scared. He would not talk to anyone and I pulled him aside in archery and gave him one-on-one attention to teach him how to shoot, and he opened up to me and ended up doing the best out of his group that day. The rest of the group congratulated and cheered him on. The rest of the week he was among the most social of his group. I was filled with so much joy because I was able to get that young man to break out of his shell. I have a passion for helping others, as well as personal and professional experience in working with persons with disabilities.

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