2012 SEPAC Awards Define Success as Striving for Inclusion, Finding Happiness

When Rhea Smith was growing up in Brazil, children with disabilities were often institutionalized because people did not know how to deal with special needs.

For some time, Smith was only able to do things like hold a doll and eat with her feet, seemingly the end result of deformed hands. Her father even urged her mother to send Smith to an institution.

Then one day, Smith recalled to those gathered for the Braintree Special Education Parent Advisory Council's 2012 Community Inclusion Awards, her mother saw Smith pick up a needle between her hands.

"From that day on, my life has changed," Smith said. "She knew in her heart that I could do it, I could use my hands."

In the years since her Brazilian childhood, Smith moved to the United States, got married, learned to write and perform other tasks with her hands, and is now a bilingual outreach coordinator for The Federation for Children with Special Needs. 

Smith's story, focusing on how she defines success – accomplishing goals despite disability, finding your own happiness – was a powerful kick-off to the 4th annual award ceremony on Thursday night at . Eight members of the community were honored for their contributions to the fight for inclusion of Braintree residents with special needs. 

"Being a parent to a special needs child brings special rewards and special challenges," SEPAC member Kristen Zechello said. The award recipients are "outstanding examples" for the community, she added, especially for young people, who emulate the examples of supportive behavior they see around them.

"These people are models for all youth," Zechello said.

Inclusion, as defined by SEPAC, "means that children with different abilities or special health care needs are actively participating in recreational, social, educational and developmental opportunities along with their typical peers."

On Thursday, those awarded by the council demonstrated the best of inclusion promotion in Braintree across a variety of fields, from martial arts instruction to educational leadership and the every day passion of working with special needs children.

The recipients are as follows:

David Swanton – The headmaster retiring this summer, Swanton began his educational career as far back as his own high school days working with special needs children at a local summer camp, continued as a teacher and later as an administrator with a "vision for inclusion," speaker Lyn McPhail said.

Martial Arts Center for Personal Development – This Hancock Street studio provides training and care for children of all ability levels, and gives extra attention and time to those who need it, presenter Stefanie Brown said. 

"I define success by who I'm with and who I'm around, and tonight I feel truly successful," master instructor and owner Kenneth Proctor said. Regional instructors Jenn Eagan, Jeremy Mazzola and David Ringius were also honored.

Noreen Devlin – A member of the Braintree Special Services Department, Devlin is a "wonderful" prescence who teaches children that they are OK, Barbara Tennison said. Added Jeffrey Rubin, who called Devlin "the sun" who touches everyone around her, "She's selfless on steroids. She's a giver to everyone she has ever met."

Mary Jane Farley and Deanne Sullivan – The "foundation" of Project Prove at Braintree High, Farley and Sullivan are "synonymous" with Braintree, community, special education and inclusion, Zechello said, going above and beyond "at every turn." The educators are not just concerned with how their students succeed, Zechello added, but in how they are perceived and received in the world. 

"Everywhere, they are thinking about inclusion," she said.