T hank You for your continued suppor

You want to connect and celebrate – to see long-missed friends, celebrate a milestone with colleagues, or have a full-blown birthday celebration. There’s no better place to do that than over a shared meal at a local restaurant. We’re ready.

For the latest restaurant and safety updates, visit our website at www.dineinvb.com skills in those first two manuals. So they go out of here having learned how to use all of the tools you see here and then some.

“When we talk to the shipyards, we talk to contractors. Do you know what they say? They say ‘hey, that’s all relevant.’ They seek employees who will show up on time every day, can read a ruler, and can do basic math. All of the other necessary skills we can train them to do. Good employees are hard to find these days. Those who repair ships are desperately needed. Shipyards are hurting for people.”

As I left the workshop, I found my time spent there to be quite encouraging to me as a tradesman. I could write another article on my personal feelings of our culture failing the trades of the bluecollar workforce. I am thankful that organizations like TWBW exist. A little sweat equity and a desire to learn something and work with your hands is a good thing in my opinion. Your parents and their parents before them did it and built our nation! We can’t stop now.

But I think Lisa Staggs, mother of students participating in TWBW, summarizes it best: “This program allows kids to not only see that final project—what they made and accomplished—but it teaches them to read blueprints, use their math skills, and apply background knowledge learned in school. This program furthers that knowledge, and gives them [the students] that sense of accomplishment that they can do it. Even if this may not be something they do later in their lives, these skills can be carried forward and applied to any job whether at home or in their chosen careers.”

In July 2014, Tidewater Wooden Boat Workshop was granted 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit. If you’d like more information, would like to volunteer or if you’d like to make a donation, visit them at twbw.org

Boulevard photography editor, David Polston, is also the scenic designs, carpentry and production supervisor for CBN. He is an internationally published freelance photographer, blogger and writer, and the resident professional photographer for Seven Venues, LiveNation, Hampton Coliseum, The VaArts Festival and the Virginia Symphony, among others.

By Rick Polston

Photos Courtesy Of The Jackson Family

rian was a shy, soft-spoken second-grade boy assigned to my caseload as a special education teacher. Our bond was not instant, but developed more quickly than most of my students. As I worked with other students in the classroom, he was the one who commanded most of my attention. Early in every new school year students are given an assessment in reading and math entitled Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). The results on that fall test were of major concern to me: Brian’s score indicated that he was below that of a beginning reader. Every strategy possible was utilized to improve his reading score, yet on the spring test he had barely moved up the scale. His grandparents (and legal guardians) assured me that they would encourage him to read over the summer, if only for a few minutes a day. At the beginning of his thirdgrade year, he began to read about topics that interested him instead of the typical books in our classroom library. We worked on decoding unknown words, reading with fluency and concentrated on his comprehension of texts. The spring assessment was a huge breakthrough for Brian. As a third-grader the scores now indicated that he was reading on a level as that of a first-grade student. This was monumental.

Brian’s annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting at the end of the fifth grade was a bittersweet one. He would be moving on to middle school and I was remaining behind. His grandparents wondered if I could transfer with him and continue as his case manager. If only that were possible. Funny thing is that during the middle of his year in seventh grade, I was transferred to the middle school where he was attending. Since his case manager was already working with him, I would lend my support as needed. As an eighth grade special education teacher, I was able to choose him for my caseload and was very excited about getting him prepared for high school.

As we worked together, I saw a new Brian. No longer was he shy; his confidence had grown, and he was reading everything in sight. The day of the last MAP test I saw his determination. He worked so hard on his reading and I was more nervous than he was.

During lunch I walked the class down to the cafeteria while his general education teacher remained in the classroom to monitor the scores as they came in. We had barely started lunch when she walked in. She motioned for me to join her and I noticed how red her eyes were. She was too emotional to speak so she handed me the class roster with the test results. Scores are broken down into years and months. This means that if a student’s reading level was a 5.4, this student was reading on a fifth-grade level during the fourth month of the school year. As I sat down across from Brian and a few of his friends, I found that my eyes were as watery as Joan’s and my voice was quivering. Brian’s score was a 12.5— the highest in the school. “Thank you, Mr. P, for teaching me how to read,” Brian said. I responded, “No, Brian. I may have provided the tools, but you built that score with all of your hard work.”

Brian has autism. Not different. Not less. He is unique.

Lauren was an eighth grader confined to a self-contained classroom. All of her core classes were with the same teacher all day long. The exception was that she attended exploratory (health/physical education, art, music, keyboarding, etc.) with her grade-level peers. After some discussion with the school administration, Lauren was going to begin the second semester in an inclusion world geography course.

On her first day in the classroom, I met with her and assured her that she would not be left alone to do her work. The general education teacher was beginning a project on various African countries that could be represented with a poster, a brochure or pamphlet, a tapestry, or via a PowerPoint presentation. Lauren was thrilled to know that she could learn how to use a computer and PowerPoint. The general education teacher brought over a large poster board and some colored pencils and told her to do her best. Lauren’s smile quickly left her and she shut down. Honestly, I was furious. Discussion with that teacher ultimately resulted in me taking full responsibility for Lauren and her project.

Every bit of instruction given to her was thoroughly absorbed. She worked diligently and finished well ahead of her classmates. However, there was a setback. The students were required to give oral presentations to the class regarding their chosen countries, and Lauren was deathly afraid to speak in class. After some coaxing she agreed to a deal: I would read and explain seven of her slides, but she would be responsible for three of her choosing. Lauren was a champion the day she presented and her smile shone brighter than ever. Her mother shed a lot of tears as she was told of her daughter’s accomplishment and we both could not be more proud.

Lauren has autism. Not different. Not less. She is unique.

According to multiple sources in 2021, approximately 61 million adults have been diagnosed as living with a disability. This breaks down to 26% of the population of the United States, or about one out of every four adults. Some of the major disability categories include blindness or low vision, significant hearing impairments, mobility issues, and various intellectual disabilities. School-aged children (three to seventeen years old), account for 17%, or one out of six children with disabilities.

Caring for people with disabilities has seemed to come under the “it takes a village” mantra. First and foremost is the family. Yet there comes a time when more professional care is the only option.

Adult centers can provide viable options, and our school systems and institutions of higher learning are continually seeking better methods to accommodate this ever-growing population. One area that seems to be lagging behind—and the one this article highlights—is that of the role of faith-based ministries.

Faith Inclusion Network

The most concise description of their ministry is that they seek to support people with disAbilities in a faith community. If you noticed already, there is a capital “A” in the middle of the word disAbilities. The intent is clear: When assisting ANY individual living with a disability, we should focus on what a person CAN do, not what they CANNOT do. Celebrate every victory beginning with the small ones. In the stories featuring my former students Brian and Lauren, accentuating the positives was my intent.

One contribution that seeks to draw attention away from the disability and to focus on the individual is the creation of People First Language. The pledge addresses eight areas as follows:

The People First Pledge

1. We Promise to put People First in all our business dealings.

2. We Promise to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

3. We Promise to hire and promote more women and minorities.

4. We Promise to support our local small businesses and community.

5. We Promise to show leadership in our respective disciplines.

6. We Promise to be nice and practice kindness to each other online and offline.

7. We Promise to appreciate each other and always say Thank You!

8. We Promise to serve humanity positively.

Promise #2 is the one that ties into the Faith Inclusion Network (FIN) most prominently as it speaks of diversity, equality and most importantly inclusion. The tendency is to say that there is a disabled child rather than ‘she is a child with a disability’ or ‘he is a person who has autism.’

According to an excerpt from “Loving Samantha,” by Karen F. Jackson—mother of Samantha: “As I have read many stories shared by parents of children with disabilities, it occurred to me that a pervasive theme running through the best books is simple: We want everyone to know that our beautiful, special child who has challenges—whether it be Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or fill in the blank—makes a difference in the world. Our child is here for a reason and we want the world to know about him or her. Not only has our child influenced their parents and siblings, but often the entire extended family, friends, and community. And just because they may not have their own audible voice, or have a limited ability to communicate verbally, like my daughter, Samantha, it doesn’t mean God doesn’t have an important purpose for their life.”

I recently spoke with Karen Jackson for more details and background of the Faith Inclusion Network.

Boulevard: Where can people get copies of “Loving Samantha?”

Jackson: There are still a few copies on Amazon, but my best bet is Kindle. We also have a dozen or so copies at our FIN office at Second Presbyterian Church in Norfolk and we usually sell them at events.

Boulevard: Can you provide a brief biography of you and your family?

How did Samantha inspire or lead to the founding of FIN?

Jackson: My husband, Scott, and I have lived in Norfolk for 26 years and have raised three children. I have been a band director for more than 30 years and currently work as the fine arts department chair and the director of bands at Norfolk Christian Schools. I am also the founder of Faith Inclusion Network and currently serve as the president of the board of directors.

My daughter Samantha was my inspiration for getting started in disability advocacy. She was diagnosed at four years old with autism and now, at 25 years old, does need 24/7 care and supervision. She lives at home with us in Norfolk and is a blessing and joy in our lives. Samantha’s behaviors and communication challenges when she was young made attending worship extremely difficult for our family. My husband and I often had to take turns bringing our boys to church. This was not how I wanted to worship and participate in my church. I wanted what most families want, to worship together and to be a part of the various opportunities to serve and enjoy fellowship and social time with others.

In 2007, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Norfolk, welcomed Samantha and our entire family. They did not know how to include Samantha but were willing...and that is all I needed to hear. I eventually realized that I needed to find a way to help others find a place to worship and belong. I became passionate about finding resources that would help faith communities including individuals and families affected by disabilities participate in the life of their congregations.

Boulevard: The mission statement of FIN is to promote awareness of and provide support for the inclusion of people with disabilities and the families in the faith community. Can you elaborate a little bit on the phrase “and the families”?

Jackson: Individuals with disabilities are part of families. If a person affected by a disability is not welcomed or included, the entire family will feel left out. Making efforts to include a person affected by disability means that you are including the entire extended family.

Boulevard: The foundation of FIN consists of three essential tenants:

• Accept! ALL individuals affected by disability should feel welcomed and accepted in the faith community of their choice.

• Include! Inclusion takes intentional effort.

• Celebrate! Members of FIN believe that all lives should be celebrated. Can you address the goal that you feel most pertinent or the most essential to the network?

Jackson: It would be difficult to choose just one. The first goal, to help individuals connect to faith communities, is extremely important. It has been exceptionally challenging during COVID-19 and after, to reestablish our connections with faith communities because so many of the people in our network have moved or changed positions. That being said, our new Hampton Roads Coordinator, LaFondra Jaring, is working on this aspect of the local organization and we are hopeful to be able to help individuals and families in this way moving past COVID-19.

FIN is super passionate about training and developing materials for faith communities that desire to become more inclusive. Every time we host a conference, we develop important resources that can be found on our website www. faithinclusionnetwork.org or on our YouTube Channel.

If I had to choose one goal that is relevant at the moment, it is our goal to support and connect leaders around the country in the faith and disability field. We found that during the shutdown of the country, we were able to pivot successfully to online meetings, connecting easily with the national network we have been developing over the past 14 years. This success moved us quickly into the blossoming of FIN as a national organization, which was launched officially in fall of 2022. Our board of directors currently includes people from Hampton Roads as well as leaders in the field from Texas, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Minnesota, New York and Ontario, Canada.

Boulevard: Do you actively seek board members for the organization and what role do volunteers play within the organization?

Jackson: We are definitely open to accepting new board members. Our board members are quite diverse and do many different kinds of things for the organization. Some serve locally and help volunteer with local events and some present and help raise funds in their parts of the country. As you might expect, we have several people who experience disability themselves who participate on our board, as well as people who are strong advocates for members of their family.

Boulevard: Can you relay a story about Special Audience Night within the Virginia International Tattoo? How does one go about getting vouchers if families want to attend?

Jackson: Samantha was also the inspiration behind Special Audience Night at the Tattoo. When she was young, she could not tolerate sitting for too long and definitely did not like crowds, so going to a regular performance at Norfolk Scope Arena was out of the question. My husband, who is the producer and the director of the Tattoo, suggested I bring her to the dress rehearsal. We also invited a few of our friends who had children with disabilities to join us. And the rest is history, as they say. Last year we had 800 people attend Special Audience Night.

Boulevard: What are some of the significant events for FIN and how can people donate to the organization?

Resources

Jackson: Our signature event is our annual national conference. This year it will be virtual only (we have established that every other year we will have the in-person conference). Most of the conference will take place on March 10, 2023. Donations can be done via our website.

Boulevard: What does FIN offer in the way of preparing churches of all faiths to make individuals and families with disabilities more user-friendly? Do you provide consultation to faithbased organizations?

Jackson: Yes, we have a list of consultants who are experts in providing consultation services in the faith and disability field. Michelle Munger is our local HR consultant, but we have others listed from around the country that specialize in specific denominations.

Jackson attended a service where a group of second graders received their Sacrament of First Holy Communion. Daughter Samantha was also in attendance and her thoughts and reflections on this event were beautifully captured in her article “Let Us Rejoice!” posted April 7, 2013 on the FIN website.

Jackson: “While these families celebrated this special time with their second graders, I silently and joyfully

“Loving Samantha” was published in 2015 via KöehlerbooksTM in association with IngramSpark. For Faith Inclusion Network information, membership and donations visit faithinclusionnetwork.org

Special Audience Night at the Virginia International Tattoo—Vouchers are usually available in late March through Nikki Nieves at The Virginia Arts Festival office—757.282.2801 or via education@vafest.org

People interested in being on the Faith Inclusion email list can contact Executive Director Tom Jones at tjones@faithinclusionnetwork.org or follow FIN on Facebook for updates.

The PeopleFirst Academy: www.thepeoplefirstacademy.com

Disability Is Natural: www.disabilityisnatural.com celebrated a special moment in time with my only daughter Samantha. Because today, after more than six years of preparation, advocacy in our church and a succession of ‘almost’ and ‘not even close’ experiences in worship, my precious 15-yearold daughter with autism sat in the sanctuary with me for the entire Mass, beginning to end.”

Jackson continues to explain the moment and that day at Mass. “For those who have children on the spectrum, I probably do not need to say much more than that. For those who do not live with or work with children with autism, let me try to explain.

“For lack of better terms, Samantha falls under the moderate to severe part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder. She does not have exceptionally aggressive behavior, for instance, but she is severely limited in her ability to communicate. Sitting still has also been a challenge and, although she loves to sing snippets of her favorite songs, or just vocalize in a sing-song way, she exhibits very little control of her impromptu vocalizations. Therefore, it is very possible she might belt out ‘I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family’ (Barney theme song) in the middle of a very quiet moment at church. (And she has actually done exactly that before).

“So that day in church, I quietly celebrated a small, well no, actually a big victory. Instead of sitting in what is essentially considered the traditional ‘cry room’ area, where parents bring babies and toddlers, I boldly led Samantha into the sanctuary. Of course, this was not the first time we had tried. On a good day, we might make it through to the homily (about 20 minutes into Mass) and then sneak out—just in time—as she started to get restless and be a little too loud. But today she remained calm and we settled into our pews; her older brother at one side of me, Samantha tucked in close to me on the other side.