Teacher Features

Kayla (she/her) is a senior in high school in Kansas City. She wasn’t diagnosed with dyslexia until her freshman year, and at first she thought the diagnosis would solve everything. Instead, she quickly realized it was only the beginning.

Kristin regularly draws from Learning for Justice, Rethinking Schools, and stories from disabled adults, emphasizing the importance of real voices over hypothetical “role-play,” which she names as harmful.

Aliemma’s practice is shaped by DisCrit, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and the belief that the intersection of race and disability must remain at the center of conversations about equity.

Participating in thoughtful discussions about bullying, feeling misunderstood at home and school, and academic challenges, students offered practical recommendations or just shared how they felt.

I’m so deeply proud of our students! They identified needs for access in the school community, learned about tools used in design, and then creativity built models to improve access. They are inspired to make change and to use their voices to advocate.

Through our clubs, we are discussing ideas of inclusivity, encouraging authentic self-reflection and dialogue. Our ASL and Book Clubs have brought our student body together, fostering a spirit of understanding and positivity.

My goal was to introduce the topic of self-advocacy and what it can be like to have a disability in school. More specifically, I wanted students to explore the idea that everyone has assets, needs, and areas to grow, especially in education.

Each Challenger student wrote a six-word story on a leaf (color coded by grade level) in their English class. The idea being, we are all unique and have our own individual stories; yet when combined, our stories create something beautiful.

As a former student who has CP and a teachers of students every year impacted by various disabilities, I hoped these would increase understanding of disability and create meaningful and authentic interactions.