Unlimited Voices, Vol. 2

UNLIMITED VOICES Reflections and Stories from the Members of Envision Unlimited

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHICAGO OPENS UP

By Yolanda, Kasandra, and William H.

Chicago Opens Up

I'm happy that Chicago and Illinois on the northside are opening up. That's a good idea, I believe. They're doing it slowly because if they're doing it too fast, Westtown

Westtown/Kruger

might get shut down. Then everyone would stay at home and it would be boring.

Community Outings

We got to keep out numbers low, not too high.

Rock Your Socks

Restaurants were doing just take-out, but now you can walk in and sit down. You have to eat, then put your mask back on. They got signs saying you got to put on

Westtown Activities

your masks. Some people don't listen and get offended, but it's for their safety.

You can go into McDonalds now, but 50% of people can go in for only 30 minutes.

Lewandowski Journalism Club

Some people are going back to work now, but some are not going back because they're waiting to get their shot, like teachers. Some kids are going back to school.

Charles' TV Show

William says, "I'm an usher/pastor assistant at my church, and I wipe down the

Review

pulpit for free. If people don't have a mask at church, I pass it out to them."

NAAAP Spotlight:

Museums are opening up so we can go on outings and stuff. I'd love to go to the

Nikko

zoo one day.

U N L I M I T E D

V O I C E S

VOL.

2

"I WANT TO GO BACK. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE MUSEUM AND NEVER COME BACK!" -GENEVA OUTING TO THE FIELD MUSEUM

By Geneva B. "It was fun! It was my first time in a museum. I see the animals and the duckies. I love the monkeys! I love me some animals. I saw the flowers and the leaves too. I saw the butterflies." When asked about her favorite part of the museum, Geneva said, "Everything."

By Jamie P. I got there at 8:20, and the doors didn't open until 9:00! First, we walk in. We wait for the other staff to come in. Then afterwards, we walk around. After that, Andi, Aquillia, and Raul asked us to go to the bathroom just in case. Then, we walk around again and look at everything. We see lots of types of animals. Geneva and Geniel are doing great on the field trip with us. We saw a few people, like people from college, different park districts, and small kids. After that, a staff at the Field Museum asked me questions. He told me, "I know you! You've been here before!" He said to have a nice trip and not spend too much money. Then I bought a small ball from the gift shop. It cost $4! After that, we looked around again and got something to eat. Andi bought a coffee at the restaurant. We had fun and enjoyed ourselves. Wow, I loved this field trip!

U N L I M I T E D

V O I C E S

VOL.

2

A SENSORY-FRIENDLY MORNING AT THE MCA

by Ruth and Rosa M. We went to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago. It was good. I saw the pictures, the art on the wall. I saw the people in the art, the animals in the painting. We liked the artwork with the tissue paper. I saw the hats for baseball of the different teams. Andi took us upstairs with Terrill. They had the fruit - the guitar with the avocado. Inside they had the chairs of different colors - orange, green, red, blue, and purple. Andi took us outside and we saw the yellow people.

They had the white spots. We shopped at the store with Andi. We didn't have no money. I want to go on another trip!

TOM & JERRY THE MOVIE

by Marcus W. I wrote an article about the movie called Tom and Jerry. It was fun watching the movie. The movie was very long. I bought flat bread pizza and a soda for dinner on Saturday. It was a lot of fun watching it. It shows on a full wide screen and TV. “The movie was great,” I said. The movie was excellent when I sat down. I gave the lady some money to buy dinner at the restaurant. I look at the movie. The movie was about a girl at a hotel. “I hope you will see the movie in the Fall,” I said. “It’s a very long article”. I stayed home last year because of Covid-19 was March 13, 2020. I stayed home for six months and I need to take a summer vacation through June and finished in September. It was a lot of fun. I hope to see you watch a movie in the Fall. Thank you very much. I hope to see you there in the Fall 2021.

ROCK YOUR SOCKS! Last Sunday March 21st was World Down Syndrome Day. People wore socks to celebrate Down syndrome.

When I was a kid, I didn't know I had Down syndrome. When I was 8 or 9, I found out I had Down syndrome. The doctor told me, "Jamie, you're smart. Jamie, you are excellent. Jamie, you are a strong person." I got freaked out. I banged my fist. I didn't want to hear it.

Now, I'm glad to be this person. I don't want to be upset about it. I'm a good person and healthy like a horse. I get along with my friends.

Some people say people with Down syndrome are slow, stupid, fat, or ugly. It's not nice.

You have to respect people with Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome have to speak up. We had to learn. We communicate, go on outings, and we're athletes. Be smart, patient, strong, lovable, positive, and be who you are.

by Jamie P.

U N L I M I T E D

V O I C E S

VOL.

2

Archery

by Clonita B. I had a good time! I was nervous. I was scared at first, but then I got used to it. The man showed me 3 times. He showed me how to put it on there, how to hold it. I hold onto the string and then I let it go. The arrow, you have to hold it real steady. You gotta hold it real steady then let it go. The bow is on the right side. Then it went to the target, straight in the middle of the target.

It was fun. I got a good experience out of it. My favorite part was shooting it. I did pretty good! It kept

SHAMROCK SHAKES

by Kasandra M.

going up in the air when it hit the white part. Other than that, I got the hang of it. I hit the middle yellow

I made it for St. Patrick's Day.

part maybe 1 or 2 times. It was fun. I had a ball doing it

I had to practice first. I put 2

- me, Ruth, and Charles. I had a good time and enjoyed

cups of ice cream, 1 cup of

myself. We can't wait to go back again. I wish Aquillia

milk, green food coloring, and

could take us again.

mint extract in the blender.

Put the top on there then turn on the blender. After the blender, I put it in the cup. We put whipped cream, cookies, cherries, and Lucky Charms (the cereal) on top. I like to make it.

Recipe from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/2316 02/shamrock-shakes/

LEWANDOWSKI JOURNALISM CLUB The members of Lewandowski Center collaborate with local journalist Ruth Lopez to collectively write articles about current events.

WOMEN'S HISTORY | MARCH 9, 2021 Yesterday was International Women’s Day. In 1908, women marched in New York and Chicago for equal pay and the right to vote. Since 1911, it has been a week-long celebration. In 1987, Congress proclaimed March as Women’s History Month.

COVID-19 VACCINE | MARCH 9, 2021 Tomorrow, the parking lots of the United Center will open as a mass vaccination site. It will serve 6,000 people a day.

There are enough doses to last 80 days. President Biden said that there will be enough vaccines for everyone by the end of May. There are two ways to register for an appointment: Online: zoc.doc.com/vaccine Call center: (312) 746-4835 Chicagoans 65 and over and those with pre-existing conditions will be served first.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME | MARCH 16, 2021 On Sunday we changed our clocks and set them one hour ahead. “I lost an hour of sleep,” said Tiffany M. Since 1918, the United States has been practicing Daylight Savings Time (DST). It started to conserve energy during World War I. Arizona opted out of DST in 1868. DST is not always popular, but most of us are used to it.

DUKES OF HAZZARD It is about two cousins, Uncle Jesse, and Daisy. The cousins' names are Bo and Luke. They have a farm. They have animals. Daisy's car is the Jeep. Bo and Luke's car is named General Lee. Sherriff Rosco doesn't like this family because they drive around so much. Deputy Enos drives a police car. I like his hat and his police uniform. He chases them. His dog's name is Flash.

They call Davis Hogg "Boss Hogg" and he is Rosco's brother-in-law. He owns his own bank. He's mean because he yells too much.

My favorite episode is when they jump over the bridge and make it to the other side! They found gold under the dashboard of General Lee's car.

I give this 4/5 stars because they're funny. I want other people to watch. They could do better at putting more stars in the show.

CHARLES' ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW HOGAN'S HEROES It's about a camp for prisoners of war (POWs) called Stalag 13. Colonel Robert E. Hogan is played by Bob Crane. He's my favorite. I like his coat and the hat. He's an airplane pilot. He's the main character. He goes through the escape tunnels. He's smart and a good planner who plans ideas of how to escape. Colonel Klink is played

by Werner Klemperer. I like his coat, his stick, and his monocle. He wears a big ol' jacket. His monocle is like glasses for one eye. I like Klink's staff car. The enemies bugged Klink's office. The bug is a microphone. They can hear anything they say in the office, but you don't see where it is. Sergeant Schultz is played by John Banner. I like his helmet, and he carries a gun. He pulls it but doesn't even shoot it. There's no bullets in it. He likes eating strudel. He always says "I don't know nothing!" Corporal Louis LeBeau is played by Robert Clay. He's the cook for the prisoners. I like his voice.

He has a French accent. Klink calls him "cockroach." He's funny. Corporal Peter Newkirk is played by Richard Dawson. He was also in the movie Munster, Go Home! and did Family Feud. He's really funny and has different voices to try to trick other people. Sergeant Kinchloe is played by Ivan Dixon. He does the radio and the tunnels.

I like his jacket, his hat, and his mustache. Sergeant Andrew Carter is played Larry Hovis. He was also on The Andy Griffith Show. He drives an old car and wants to sell it. Carter's funny and always says, "I don't want to hear that!" Hilda is played by Sigrid Valdis. She is the secretary for Bob and for Klink. She does the telephone and typing.

I like her dresses - she wears nice dresses on the show. She's beautiful and her makeup is nice. Valdis and Crane were married in real life. I like General Burkhalter.

He's a tough man. He wears different jackets and a hat. He's always on a diet, but he drinks Schnapps. Gertrude Linkmeyer is Burkhalter's sister. She wears different clothes. She tried to marry Klink, but he doesn't want to.

They come up with ideas to escape. They have a coffee pot that actually receives messages. I like the episode when it's Bob's birthday. The men were trying to think of a birthday gift for him. They made a cake for him.

I recommend this show with 5/5 stars because it's funny. I like the laughter and the script.

NAAAP SPOTLIGHT: NIKKO! The National Association of Asian American Professionals highlights Westtown member Nikko during Developmental Disability Awareness month.

Nikko was born in the Philippines in May of 1983 and emigrated to the United States to join his big family. He is the youngest of 7 children. He is a graduate of Northside Learning Special Education and soon after transferred to Envision Unlimited Westtown Center. Westtown Center is an adult day program for adults with disabilities, where many neurodiverse individuals like Nikko find independence, opportunities for choice, community inclusion, and employment. He has been an active and enthusiastic member of Westtown Center for several years.

Nikko is also talented artist; a passion that has blossomed with the support of his day program staff and family. He gravitates towards abstract art, and his work often features bright, bold colors, geometric shapes, and patterns. He has sold several pieces of his work to community members and has also designed murals at Westtown Center. Some of his work has been exhibited at the Bridgeport Gallery in Chicago.

Nikko is the life of the party wherever he goes. He loves to sing and dance. He attends Ballroom Dancing events and gets a kick line dancing with his dancing group called “The Dance Lovers of Chicago.” Nikko is an excellent karaoke singer who can belt anything from classic songs to pop songs and never misses a beat. Throughout the pandemic, Nikko enjoys his daily virtual programming groups with his Envision Unlimited peers, including art and exercise groups. He also enjoys doing puzzles at home in his free time.

"Nikko is a very happy, sweet, and lovable person that loves his family more than anything in the world. He is the most important thing to his family as well." -Nikko's family

Nikko's spotlight can be found on The NAAAP's Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn platforms. For more information, visit http://www.naaapchicago.org.