Guest Blog: High School (1983-1986)
Our National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (NDDAM) series from self-advocate Kim Hudson continues with her reflections on an inclusive high school setting and finding the social and personal resources for success.
“Glory Days” was a popular Bruce Springsteen song while I was in high school. Fortunately, unlike the characters in the song I never felt as if my life peaked in high school. I spent my high school years with my friends studying, testing some limits with my parents, and wondering where I would go to college.
I went to Venice High School which was the high school that LAUSD had designated as the accessible campus for all the kids with mobility impairments in the district. This meant that the school had an elevator and an accessible bathroom in the nurses’ office. Venice was my neighborhood high school so many of my friends from middle school remained the same. I think the thing that saved me socially was that most of my friends were not in the “in crowd”. We were all engaged in our own interests like theater, science, debate, and community service. We all allowed each other to be who we were and enjoyed each other’s company.
As a teenager with Cerebral Palsy I did wonder when and if I would ever find a romantic partner. I spent my time pining for boys that only thought of me as a friend. I might have had better luck dating in high school if there were other guys my age with disabilities at Venice. However, all my friends with disabilities were girls and we all found ourselves in the same boat-stuck in the “friend zone”.
As a young person with a disability I had no role models in my family or close community who were adults living successfully with disabilities. As a result, I had fears in high school about what my future look like. My parents had always been supportive, but I wasn’t sure what my life would be like once I left the security of my family home.
During my senior year I was chosen to participate in the “Other Voices” mentoring program at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. This project matched a group of young people with disabilities up with adult mentors who had disabilities as well. Together we created a short play based on our experiences growing up with disabilities. The director, Victoria Lewis who had a disability herself, selected mentors for us who had a variety of disabilities and lifestyles. For example, some mentors were single, some were married, and some had children. All of the mentors were perusing various careers.
By interacting with this group, I could see that it would be possible for me to live a full and active life as an adult. I also recognized that I wanted to be a part of the disability community and specifically to support youngsters with disabilities. I thought I might become a special education teacher. My grandmother was a teacher , and my mother was a principal, so I thought I would also carry on our family’s commitment to education as a career.
I feel so lucky to have been able to attend my local high school. Venice High was one of the most integrated high schools in the district and it had a variety of curriculum choices to enhance my learning experience. Venice gave me a firm educational and social foundation to face my adulthood.
Selecting a university is always a huge part of the high school process. I was always a person who thrived in smaller educational environments with more individualized attention. Although I was accepted at a couple large universities, I decided to go to Pitzer College in Claremont California. I left high school feeling both excited and scared about what lie ahead-what an adventure awaited me…
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About Kim Hudson, MSW
I have Cerebral Palsy and I use an electric wheelchair to get around. I am a Social Worker with over 20 years of experience working with people with disabilities and chronic health issues.
Read more from Kim and her husband Tom at https://www.loveonwheels.net/.