C O N C O R D A C A D E M Y M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 11
Pickle’s basement classroom, during club block, the students’ eyes lit up too. Luke’s walker was off and running. DEMONS, undaunted by their challenge, approached Luke’s Skywalker methodically. First, students analyzed walkers online. They watched a video of Luke using a suspension walker during therapy, and they met with his physical therapist. Zimmerli, on her first visit to a club meeting, was floored when the students were brimming with ideas on how to improve upon the professionally manufactured walker. They analyzed Luke’s every move, and they realized the need for enhanced stability after the more mobile Owen climbed on the project-in-progress. Pickle asked Concord Academy Service Activists (CASA) and the service group MINGA to help with fundraising, and the groups quickly responded. At first, that made Zimmerli a bit uneasy. “The only time I felt uncomfortable was when I realized that my students were going to be fundraising for something for my kid,” she said. She discussed her concerns with Chief Financial Officer Judi Seldin, who assured her the project was educational, and appropriate. Skywalker ambled on. Seston mentioned the project to Scott Slater, father of Gordie ’10, and Scott told Gordie about it. The Slaters decided to donate one of Gordie’s old wheelchairs, which provided most of the materials for Luke’s Skywalker. The elder Slater
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Carly Nartowicz
John Pickle
Luke Seston with his twin brother Owen, and (back row from left) Charlie Seston, Sally Zimmerli, and Tim Seston
Luke Seston with members of DEMONS, CA’s invention club. Club cohead Ebay Vaniyapun ‘11 (behind Luke) called the walker "a really big project . . . you can see the impact on someone’s life."
said the base of the walker was the wheelchair Gordie used during his freshman and sophomore years at CA. Though the project quickly moved forward, one hold-up was the harness; it was difficult to find the right kind. Searching online, Seston stumbled upon an eBay ad for a walker with harness and bought the whole thing. The manufactured walker sits in the Seston-Zimmerli apartment, but Luke typically uses his Skywalker instead because it fits him and suits his needs so much better. For example, Luke’s physical therapist recommended that Luke’s walker not have handles for support, which the manufactured model has. When using Luke’s Skywalker, the pint-sized blond can walk right up to a table to color or play. He can kick a ball on the quad. He can use the angled tray to play or scribble. He can’t do any of those things in the more cumbersome pro model. “Sally and Tim wanted him to walk up to things,” Pickle said. “If he can’t touch things, it takes away his motivation to walk.” To DEMONS, while they’ve loved building trash crushers, compost carriers, and other feats of engineering, this was much better. “This time, it was great to know that we were helping someone who was truly in need, and who could directly benefit from our creation,” said Will Jacobs ’12. DEMONS cohead Ebay Vaniyapun ’11 agreed.
“For me, it was a really big project,” said Ebay, who has been in the club for three years. “With this, you can see the impact on someone’s life.” And the impact has been significant. “When your hands are free and he’s upright, Luke can do very different things,” Seston said. “You can play catch with Luke when he’s standing. He can draw.” The students, anxious to see what Luke could do in his Skywalker, could barely wait for the day when Luke was to test his eponymous walker. In January, he stopped by during club block and Zimmerli strapped him in. At first, Luke took a few steps toward his brother’s stuffed duckie. But there was a lot of excitement in the classroom that day, and Luke was distracted by all the faces and attention. So distracted that he stood mesmerized, unmotivated to take another step. Quick-thinking as usual, DEMONS members grabbed colored flashlights and shone them steps ahead of Luke, enticing him with the multi-hued display. It worked. And so did the DEMONS’ project. Luke’s Skywalker was moving, and with it, Luke. Today, Luke uses the aid every day, exercising his muscles and improving his gait. DEMONS is grateful to have had the chance to build something so meaningful, and the Zimmerli-Seston family is grateful to have a custom-made walker, built without cost, and with love.