Gaining insight

Marisa O’Neil

Paige Larsh could hardly see a thing.

Tunnel vision so restricted the 8-year-old that she could only see

two small pinholes of light directly in front of her as she

negotiated her way through Lincoln Elementary School’s multipurpose

room. She felt her way with a white cane as she cautiously avoided

chairs and boxes littering the floor, classmate Hannah Padilla

verbally directing her around the obstacles.

After the exercise, Paige took the special goggles off, and her

vision returned to normal. The brief demonstration during the

school’s first Abilities Awareness Day gave her a new appreciation

for people with limited eyesight.

“That was very hard,” Paige said. “It’s amazing how people can do

that in their lives.”

Third-graders at Lincoln on Thursday took part in the workshop,

which aimed to get students behind the eyes and in the wheelchairs of

students with disabilities.

“I just want everybody to know we’re not any different,” said

special education teacher Meredith May, who helped organize the

lesson. “This is fun and makes kids realize, ‘If I can walk in his

shoes for 10 minutes, I can get an idea what it’s like.’”

Ten different stations let children experience speech impediments,

vision problems and mobility difficulties.

At the dyslexia station, 8-year-old Sienna Petree tried to read a

passage reflected in a hand mirror held by 8-year-old Jordan Huard.

Sienna struggled through the sentences, reading very slowly.

“Wi ... Wisconsin?” she said hesitantly, and then she sneaked a

peek at the paper the right way around. “Oooh, I got ‘Wisconsin’

right!”

Walkers and inflatable cuffs, which kept students from bending

their arms, simulated physical disabilities. Occupational therapist

Kim Bowman told 9-year-old Travis Johnson to cross the room in a

walker using only one foot -- something a person with cerebral palsy

might have to do.

By the time he made it, Travis was tuckered out.

“They look at this stuff, and they think it’s for kids that are

weak,” Bowman said. “Then they try it and get a different

perception.”

Outside the room, students jogged around the courtyard while

carrying 10-pound sandbags to see how extra weight affects mobility.

They also got a chance to take a spin in a wheelchair.

“The walker and the wheelchair were hard,” 9-year-old Alex Bensom

said. “You can’t walk normal or run or anything. People might make

fun of you. Since I know how hard it is, I probably wouldn’t make fun

of anybody now.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.