Blog Post: What Richard Lavoie Started in 1989 With FAT City, Gila Brook Keeps Alive at Lindero Canyon Middle School.

In 1989 Richard Lavoie introduced us to a workshop that allowed typical people to experience different learning differences once referred to as disabilities. This workshop manipulated simple activities in ways that people with special needs have to deal with on a daily basis. 

At , Gila Brook has brought the Ability Awareness Fair to the 7^th grade. For two complete school days, the entire 7^th grade has the opportunity to experience a variety of challenges that people with special needs have to contend with. 

This year Ms. Brook had a fine motor station that had the students work with simple Lego-like pieces, button shirts, open ‘paychecks’ and it culminated with opening a Starburst candy while wearing ski gloves. They had to do these tasks within a certain amount of time. 

A person with a fine motor struggle may have difficulty tying their shoes, opening a locker combination or taking class notes.  Students were put to these tasks with the ski gloves impeding their fine motor ability. 

Gila Brook’s own son, Benjamin, spearheaded a station that taught students what it was like to live with Diabetes. Students randomly selected a card with a blood sugar number written on it. If the number was high they were disappointed not to be given a piece of chocolate.   

There was a station on Autism that included role playing situations as well as a station about Dyslexia, where students participated in visual perception activities and had to read directions with included letter reversals.

In addition to the four stations Ms. Brook had set up, she brought in speakers from United Cerebral Palsy and Autism Ambassadors. April is Autism Awareness month and Gila is the teacher-sponsor of the new Autism Ambassadors’ Club on the middle school campus. Clearly Gila Brook is bridging the gap and clarifying the perception that people with differences are disabled. 

When Ms. Brook is not working with her Autism Ambassadors or raising money for childhood Diabetes, she is a special educator at LCMS, a loving wife and mother of three beautiful children.