PROTECT FARMERS. A HOOVER HIGH JUNIOR LEADING THE CHARGE TO OVERCOME STIGMAS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH DISABILITIES. JAYDEN SMITH, WHO LIVES WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, SPEARHEADED A CAMPUS WIDE AWARENESS WEEK. OUR 米兰体育 13 JON PAEPCKE SHARES HER INSPIRATION TO CHANGE MINDS. GROWING UP WITH A DISABILITY, JAYDEN SMITH KNOWS FIRSTHAND WHAT IT鈥橲 LIKE TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY FOR WHO SHE IS. IT鈥橲 NOT MEANT TO BE HARMFUL, AND SO USUALLY I TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. AND THEN LAST YEAR I WAS LIKE, OH, MAYBE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. AND THEN THAT鈥橲 WHEN ALL OF THIS STARTED. LAST YEAR IT WAS A DISABILITY AWARENESS POSTER CONTEST AT HOOVER HIGH. THIS YEAR, AN ENTIRE WEEK DESIGNED TO BROADEN STUDENTS MINDS. EACH DAY HAD A THEME. TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTED VISION AND HEARING DISABILITIES. WE HAD TABLES THAT TAUGHT KIDS HOW TO DO SIGN LANGUAGE. WE HAD A BRAILLE MACHINE THAT COULD TURN YOUR NAME INTO BRAILLE. TODAY, STUDENTS LIKE TONY MCGEE WERE INTRODUCED TO TOOLS THE SCHOOL HAS TO HELP THOSE WITH SENSORY ISSUES. PEOPLE CAN BE VERY JUDGMENTAL WHEN THEY DON鈥橳 KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT鈥橲 DIFFERENT. SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS DEFINITELY HELPING THAT. SMITH SAID SHE COULD NOT HAVE PULLED OFF THE DISABILITY AWARENESS WEEK WITHOUT THE RIGHT SUPPORT FROM HER FRIENDS, CLASSMATES AND HER PRINCIPAL. JUST LEARNING EMPATHY THIS WEEK AND REALLY SEEING IT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. JAYDEN IS BEHIND ALL OF THAT AND IT鈥橲 JUST SHE鈥橲 AN INCREDIBLE INSPIRATION. AND SMITH HOPES HER INSPIRATION RUBS OFF ON CLASSMATES WHO DO NOT YET REALIZE THEIR UNLIMITED POTENTIAL. JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIMITATIONS DOESN鈥橳 MEAN THAT THINGS CHANGE FOR YOU. YOU鈥橰E STILL A NORMAL TEENAGER. YOU鈥橰E STILL GOING TO BE A NORMAL ADULT. AND SMITH IS NOT DONE YET. WHILE LAST YEAR AND THIS WEEK WAS DESIGNED TO OPEN THE EYES OF STUDENTS HERE AT HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL, SHE HOPES TO ACTUALLY TAKE HER WEEK LONG MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NE
'You're still a normal teenager': Hoover High student spearheads Disability Awareness Week
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Updated: 8:59 AM CST Feb 14, 2025
Growing up with cerebral palsy, Jadeynn Smith knows firsthand what it's like to be treated differently for who she is.鈥淚t's not meant to be harmful. And so, usually, I would take it with a grain of salt. And then last year I was like, maybe we need to do something. And then that's when all of this started,鈥� Smith said.Last year, there was a disability awareness poster contest at Hoover High School.This year, she spearheaded an entire week designed to broaden students' minds.Each day had a theme.Tuesday highlighted vision and hearing disabilities.鈥淲e had tables that taught kids how to do sign language. We had a Braille machine that could turn your name into braille,鈥� Smith said.Thursday, students like Tony McGhee were introduced to tools the school has to help those with sensory issues. 鈥淧eople can be very judgmental when they don't know anything about somebody that's different. So, this right here is definitely helping that,鈥� McGhee said.Smith said she could not have pulled off the disability awareness week without the right support.That includes help from her friends, classmates and her principal.鈥淛ust learning empathy this week and really seeing it from their perspective. Jaden is behind all of that and it's just he's an incredible inspiration,鈥� Dr. Jennifer Hogan said. Smith just hopes her inspiration rubs off on classmates who do not yet realize their unlimited potential. 鈥淛ust because you have limitations doesn't mean that things change for you. You're still a normal teenager. You're still going to be a normal adult,鈥� Smith said. While last year and this week were designed to open the eyes of students at Hoover High School, she hopes to take her weeklong message to the rest of the school district next year.
HOOVER, Ala. — Growing up with cerebral palsy, Jadeynn Smith knows firsthand what it's like to be treated differently for who she is.
鈥淚t's not meant to be harmful. And so, usually, I would take it with a grain of salt. And then last year I was like, maybe we need to do something. And then that's when all of this started,鈥� Smith said.
Last year, there was a disability awareness poster contest at Hoover High School.
This year, she spearheaded an entire week designed to broaden students' minds.
Each day had a theme.
Tuesday highlighted vision and hearing disabilities.
鈥淲e had tables that taught kids how to do sign language. We had a Braille machine that could turn your name into braille,鈥� Smith said.
Thursday, students like Tony McGhee were introduced to tools the school has to help those with sensory issues.
鈥淧eople can be very judgmental when they don't know anything about somebody that's different. So, this right here is definitely helping that,鈥� McGhee said.
Smith said she could not have pulled off the disability awareness week without the right support.
That includes help from her friends, classmates and her principal.
鈥淛ust learning empathy this week and really seeing it from their perspective. Jaden is behind all of that and it's just he's an incredible inspiration,鈥� Dr. Jennifer Hogan said.
Smith just hopes her inspiration rubs off on classmates who do not yet realize their unlimited potential.
鈥淛ust because you have limitations doesn't mean that things change for you. You're still a normal teenager. You're still going to be a normal adult,鈥� Smith said.
While last year and this week were designed to open the eyes of students at Hoover High School, she hopes to take her weeklong message to the rest of the school district next year.
