People with disabilities constitute the world’s largest minority group, and the only group that any of us can become a member of at any time.

Do people with disabilities and special needs have more of an advantage if they live in America rather than other countries? By: Tori Smith

Disabilities Disability: A physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. People with disabilities represent the single largest minority group. 18% of the world’s population is disabled. The number of people with disabilities is increasing every year.

Disabilities in the U.S. More than 20 million U.S. families have at least one family member with a disability. Better laws for equality and more funding for programs. Americans with Disabilities Act The Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons

Disabilities in other countries. The word “disability” is often associated with powerlessness and uselessness. 80% of people with disabilities live in developing countries. 90% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend schoo l.

Because I researched disabilities and special needs, I decided to volunteer with the Miracle League for my product.

The Miracle League There are 250 Miracle League Organizations across the country. It’s a specified program for children with disabilities and special needs. Creates a chance for disabled children to experience joy and community through baseball.

Product First, I researched the Miracle League in Cary. I signed up to join and completed release/emergency contact forms. Then I signed up for dates and specific 3 hour shifts to volunteer. The first time I volunteered I completed a 30-minute training session at the beginning of my shift. Then I was assigned a “buddy”

The “Buddy” System Buddies assist the player according to their needs. Protect the player at all times. Allow the player as much freedom as possible to play. Have fun.

How the Game Works: Each player bats once each inning. All players are safe on the bases. Every player scores a run before the inning is over and the last player up gets a home run. Each team and each player wins every game.

My Mentor My mentor was Kim Pasquarella. She is an exceptional students teacher here at CHS. She helped me find places and get ideas for my product. She made sure I stayed motivated and got all my hours done.

Challenges Successes Finding a product that I could really get involved in. Time management. Interacting with kids who have disabilities. The product I was able to find. The experience I gained from working with these kids. Gained positive relationships within the Miracle League community.

What I Learned I learned a lot about the whole Miracle League community and how dedicated they are to making sure every child, no matter what disability, gets a chance to play baseball. After this experience I feel like I’m more empathetic towards people with special needs and what they go through on a daily basis.

Thank you for your time. Do you have any questions?