Whiz Kid: Future Looks Kind for Morgan Anderson

Morgan Anderson

Age: 17

School:

Accomplishments: Morgan Anderson, a senior, plans to pursue a career in special education and recently won recognition from Berkley-Huntington Woods Youth Assistance, the and local dignitaries for her work with Lance Vardon, a fellow Berkley High School student who is blind and has autism. Anderson also attended the Special Olympics in Traverse City in February as a chaperone.

Key to awesomeness: Berkley High School social worker Nancy Urban says Anderson is always looking for opportunities to help others and doesn't back out of challenges. “In high school,” she said, “it is a time that may be easy to not invest time in helping others. Morgan invests.”

Kindness is her calling: Urban is proud of the school's Links program, which pairs students in general education with students who have special needs. Of the more than 60 Links students helping their peers, Anderson's work with Vardon stands out, she said.

“She has taken it to such a level of nurturing, caring and support,” Urban said beaming. She described a recent incident in which Vardon became disorientated and started heading the wrong way in the halls. Anderson was quick to care for him and help him get to his class. “She just had this look of motherly care,” Urban said.

Anderson recalls feeling this need to help Vardon before becoming his Link. “I met Lance in 2009 when he was in my English class and sat next to me,” she said. “I started to ask his paraprofessional, Sheri (Sienkiewicz), how I could help him. That summer I helped him at summer school where we taught him how to shave, use the paper shredder and went to a restaurant to learn social skills.”

Soon after, Anderson joined the Links program “because I wanted to have more time to help Lance.”

Now, Anderson can be seen helping Vardon in the weight training room, which Urban said is pretty remarkable because the noise level is very high and the equipment is difficult.

It was a calling Anderson had at the start of high school. In fall of 2007, she was a freshman and began volunteering at FAR Conservatory, teaching children and adults with autism how to figure skate. Every Sunday, Anderson made up routines and taught the program participants skills on the ice. Today, she is a certified Special Olympic coach and went to the Special Olympic Winter Games this year in Traverse City as a chaperone. She is the captain of the high school skate team, which placed fourth this year at state championships, and skates at the New Edge Figure Skating Club in Royal Oak and the theatrical skating group at the Troy Sports Center.

Anderson is skating toward a career in special education. It was something she decided to do back in 10^th grade, she said, a plan solidified by her relationship with Vardon.

“My favorite thing about working with Lance is when he says things without being prompted and when he laughs,” she said.

And she means it, Urban said. “Her intentions are genuine and her care for him is genuine,” she said.

Urban said Anderson came up with a good plan for the commencement ceremony. “She said, 'When we walk across the stage my name will be called early, so why don't I  join Lance and make sure he gets across the stage safely?'”

With her last name, Anderson, putting her at the beginning of the list, she will have plenty of time to sit with Vardon. Chances are, he won't be the last child with special needs Anderson helps across the stage.

Anderson plans to major in English and minor in math at Oakland University this fall. She said she would like to study to become a primary school teacher and get her special education certification.