Just got the call from the admissions office!!!

Debi Jr. is officially a student at the University of Northern Iowa!!! :bounce:

He'll be auditing two art courses this semester!!

++++

Quick back-story - Debi Jr. was born with Spina Bifida and has both physical and mental disabilities. He is not academically eligible to attend a regent university but has been very active in high school speech and drama and other extra curricular activities. It seems a waste to not let him continue in his social growth as well as allowing him to continue to learn as much as he can about a subject he enjoys. With the help of a wonderful Associate Director of Admissions and his high school (and now) college teacher he'll be there (in his words 'just like the other college kids').

:7 I love Debi Jr. and :loveya: UNI!!!




Here's a pic of Debi Jr. welcoming me to his high school grad party :P



On edit:

:banghead: spell check first, post second

:party:

:bounce: We had no idea WHAT we were going to do and then out of the blue comes these two who were willing to work with us! AWESOME!

A stimulating environment is the best environment, IMHO. :thumbsup:

:bounce: Wonderful!

:hug:

He was really bumming the last few weeks of school when everyone else was announcing where they'd be going and all (we'd been told that 'something would be worked out' but didn't quite know what that was). He was able to announce that he'd be attending UNI but kept feeling like it would be different than the other folks attending (plus he didn't go to orientation like the other kids). But today I got the call that he's registered and needs to go get his pic taken for his student ID :woohoo: - so he won't get credit for the courses and he won't earn a degree - he's there and he's a REAL student we're totally staisfied!

i know he'll have a wonderful time :)

He's already been IMing friends to find out about joining the young Dems and where they'll be when on campus :bounce:

Congratulations to him!

:bounce: WHEEEEE!!

It's worth it! Very worth it!

Good for him! :bounce: :hi: :hug: all the best to him!

:hi: He's my pride and joy!

I wish Debi Jr much fun and success in university! :bounce: :toast: :bounce:

And he better have success! :P I'm kidding - as long as he's moving forward I'm proud of him!

:)

Seriously, congrats!

(except he doen't have the...

You should be very proud of him.

and I'm proud of the people who are willing to break down barriers and take a chance on him. He was 4 when the ADA was passed and has grown up with folks trying to make life better for people with special needs. As long as he keeps making the effort I'm gonna fight for him to do whatever he is capable!

News like this gives us all hope, and I am glad to hear of it.

Inspiring!

I hope y'all feel that way when his first art auction goes up on DU!! ;)

I'm very happy for you both!

:)

We're a lucky family & UNI is a great school for working with us!

AWESOME!

Congratulations to your young man and the whole family, who must be rightly thrilled!

:bounce:

:crazy:

I swear that kid was born under a lucky star! I just can't believe that just about every time he needs someone to lend a helping hand..BOOM..there they are :shrug:

I won't complain, though - the kid has worked for where he is and I :loveya: him!

:toast: :hug:

:bounce:

That sounds like a lot of fun and a great chance to be around creative people and make friends!

He'll hopefully make the move from high school friends to college friends (while continuing to learn). We're very lucky that his teacher is willing to make the extra effort to have him in class and that UNI is willing to extend the invitation.

:woohoo:

Best of luck to your son.

He was so excited when we searched his name on the student directory and IT WAS THERE!!!

that is awesome. ask him to make me a mug in pottery class.

I can't wait to see what college pottery will look like! :7

I bet you are proud!

Does UNI have decent accomodations for him?

:woohoo:

The instructor was his art instructor in High School and knows his abilities - I really owe him as he's willing to take all this on!

UNI has served many physical disabled individuals, so I'm sure he'll do fine up at the school.

I'm so happy for both of you...I'm crying. I love stories like this!

he went up yesterday as well :bounce: He can't wait for school to start.

Well deserved news. :thumbsup:

edit: This is Sarah (who forgot to log out "the guy"), but I'm sure sentiments remain nonetheless from us both. :hug:

:7

Fossil?





















:hide:

He'll be living at home for now - don't trust all those college girls with my baby! :P

I saw a lot of cute asses. Man, college girls are fun, let him get an education.

:yoiks:

Train wrecks. I could teach him a lot of things. Man, I am not that bad. Lord, I learned real fast how to meet cute girls. Let them hold the door for you. I taught some of the older guys on my basketball team that when I first got hurt. We were at a tournament in Dallas and the Hotel we were staying at had a bikini convention, I saw some models coming up to the door, and so I acted like I was having problems getting through the door. One of the guys was coming up to show me how to get through a door when these four models got up there and "helped" me through the door. He looked at me with new respect.

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?



:P

Congratulations and good luck to Debi Jr.!

:eyes: If UNI keeps performing the way they have been we'll be logging a lot of hours at the UNIDome :bounce:

It's wonderful that he is going to be afforded the same opportunities as other students.

He looks like a delightful and loving young man. And cute, too!!

Good for him.

Congratulations to you on such an amazing son!

:hug:

and thank you for the compliments. He earned this with his hard work in school and willingness to 'push the envelope' at any time we were ready to let him step back but he kept moving forward. He keeps me going! :cry: I adore him!

Congrats!

:yourock:

I'm gonna need help making a toga that will fit on a person with a wheelchair!! :evilgrin:

I'm the momma of a college man now!

Makes me hot doesn't it :evilgrin:

I'm a diehard Univ of SOuth Carolina Gamecock fan but you have made me a secondary University of Northern Iowa Panther!!!!!!

COngrats on a great thing.