get involved

slice of life

by Ariel Mann

Jewish youth groups have a blast!

H is for harmony

Staff photo by Angie Bean

1- he
uppercase
H
haunts you wherever
you go. Lurking in
the parking lot or camou-
flaged among words on a
sign, you cannot escape its
presence. It even creeps into
the stalls of bathrooms across
the country.

tions and my way of expressing
myself to others. But, as Jerry
Wolfe, my friend, a victim of
cerebral palsy and a journalist
for the Oakland Press, told me,

"It's how you project your im-
age. If you project confidence,

then you are more likely to
have a positive interaction with

What is this letter? Is it re-
lated to Hawthorne's infamous
scarlet letter? If so, does it label
you for life?

The answer to this question
is complex. America provides a
home for many different people,
including the H or handicapped.
However, what is freedom in
America and do all its inhabit-
ants really have a chance at the
same positive existence?

Many physically and mentally disabled in America
are born free, but do not have the freedom to live a
life of respect or treated with a sense of worth. The
average able-bodied person, for the most part, gets
a friendly hello, a friendly look in the face, a friend-
ly conversation handled in a mature manner and a
friendly recognition as a human being.
Does the label H, however, determine the rubric
for social interaction?

To see firsthand, I conducted a written survey of
50 Birmingham Groves High School students' opin-
ions on the treatment of the disabled. In addition, I
walked the Groves halls with my distinctive gait (due
to my cerebral palsy), observing student interactions
with me.

Research results revealed some new and old facts
that have changed the way I view the so-called un-
challenged majority.

For the most part, students either ignored or stared
at me. The startling realization was that meanness was
not the root of their conduct but ignorance or lack of
comfort. I realized it was my job to alter their percep-
tions of me from a pitiful to a purposeful person.
Therefore, I chose to present the results of my re-
search to my composition class to hopefully change
some misguided mindsets.

Upon completing my presentation, one student
remarked, "You have opened my eyes." I had made
a difference.

Cerebral palsy has affected my movements, my ac-

the people around you."
What clearly has been shown
is that with recognition of inch-
vidual achievement, the plight
of the disabled has improved.
Quite a few people through-
out this country's history have
been recognized as more than
just disabled persons. One was
a signer of the Declaration of
Independence, Stephen Hop-
kins, who had cerebral palsy.

Who's The Star?

Kadima youth group members Molly Singer-Miller, Halite

Averbach and Jaclyn Nagel, all 12 and from Adat Shalom

Synagogue, Farmington Hills, and Jenna Sperling, 12, and

Shane Sperling, 11, both from Congregation B'nai Moshe,

West Bloomfield, participated In the recent "Kadima Idol"

event for grades 6-8. Kadlma Is part of the USY (United

Synagogue Youth) of the Conservative movement.

Acknowledgement of talent, intelligence, humor
and any other human qualities can begin to lift the
veil of mystery and discomfort associated with any
interactions among groups with differences. This cir-

cumstance also could be applied to how high school
students interact.

High school students should be encouraged to talk
to, to meet with and to help those in need. This is
important to set a foundation for a better future.
Kindness toward others is a basic rule of conduct,
along with recognition and acceptance of differences
among individuals. These bedrock values are central
to Judaism,

Every person in this world has a disability; the
physically and mentally disabled have them more
clearly exposed.

BBYO Fall Conclave

Hanging out at the recent BBYO fall conclave are Taylor

Chaness, 16, a Junior at Walled Lake Western; Rachel

Nitzkln, 16, a North Farmington High School Junior; Carly

Gould, 16, a Junior at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West

Bloomfield; and Carrie Subelsky , 17, a North Farmington

senior.

Respect for one's ability — whether handicapped
or not — needs to be a priority in our society. Inclu-
sion must be a legal right for all. Furthermore, when
inclusion proves difficult because of individual issues,
the same society owes its residents the humanitarian
right of help.

The uppercase H seen all over America stands
positively for access for the handicapped, but it must
not stand for that alone. The H must translate into
harmony and humaneness for America to truly keep
its promise of freedom for all — and all means, liter-
ally, all. t

Ariel Mann, 18, is a senior at Birmingham Groves High

School.

Check out JNt2t.com!

This week you'll find:
• Web Exclusive interview with a terrorism expert -
• Request for anecdotes from teen drivers for our -
January car issue
• A poll about teens and recreational reading
for an upcoming story
• Adina Applebaum's winning Jewish Book Fair essay

Upward Climb

Boy Scout Troop 364, chartered to Adat Shalom Syna-

gogue, spent an afternoon recently at Planet Rock in Pon-

tiac honing their climbing and rappelling skills. Pictured

are brothers Josh and Joe Kahn of Oak Park. Josh is a

freshman at the Frankel Jewish Academy and Joe Is in 7th

grade at Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield.

teen2teen December • 2007 3

