World Impact

Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity Award winners commit to expand special education resources globally

The 2007 Heartspring Innovation and Creativity Award winners (from left to right): Ana Jimenez, Janet Baughman, Merry Barua Sue Woods, Kholiwe Mkandawire, and Jay Cherry.

Innovation. Results. Risk-takers. This is what Heartspring believes will impact the future of special education. Six people from around the world who fully embody these characteristics were selected as the 2007 recipients of the Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education.

Formerly the Shaklee Teacher Award, the Heartspring Award has evolved to recognize those professionals in special education who leverage best practice in innovative and creative ways to generate even better outcomes for their students. “The 2007 Heartspring Award winners are an awesome group of creative spirits who truly care for children with special needs,” said Gary Singleton, Heartspring President and CEO.

Coming from as close as central Kansas and as far away as Malawi and India, six extraordinary individuals formed one collective identity over the weekend of July 6-9 during the Heartspring Summer Session. Each winner shared with the group their program, every one varying from the next. Although each program differed, the vision of the group was united– to provide a better understanding of children with special needs to the world and ensure that resources are available to help children become more independent.

Lorraine Mhango, Tiro Modisa and Kholiwe Mkandawire pose together for a picture. Kholiwe was honored for her support of children with special needs.

“My expectation coming into the session was to continue adding to our rich legacy, and to explore ways and means to accelerate our progress, by enlarging our human network, and through the empowerment that technology brings,” said Jim Wong, Heartspring Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

As a result of the work extolled during the summer session, www.heartspring.org/innovation was created. This new webpage and blog was established in an effort to share information, expanding special education practices and resources globally through technology.

“For the first time, technology is enabling us to transcend geographic boundaries and to reach millions of people cost-efficiently,” said Wong. “However, misunderstanding, malnutrition and maldistribution of wealth act as our biggest cultural inhibitors to progress. In our global outreach, we’ll need to work synergistically with other agencies that can help us remove these barriers. Working collaboratively with these other agencies and philanthropic organizations, our group can work as a nucleus to transform the world.” Throughout the session the award winners expressed their unique ideas on how they have achieved success in their classrooms, programs and countries and how they can help bring about awareness and resources to those who struggle to help children with special needs. “(Being a part of the summer session) reaffirmed my commitment to strive for excellence in special education,” said Janet Baughman. “(It also) reemphasized the need to act as both an advocate for the needs of students and a trainer and mentor to classroom teachers to meet student needs.”

Members of the Atterberry family gather with Merry Barua after receiving their Lifetime Achievement Award for their care of 14 foster children with special needs.

On the other side of the world, Merry Barua gained perspective about her work with children living with autism in India after participating in the session. “Listening to the other awardees helped vindicate what we do at Open Door and Action for Autism, “she said. “It was interesting, though perhaps not surprising, how much similarity there is in the way all of us view our work. I am committed to what I do, for life, and that can never change.”

Jay Cherry wasn’t sure what to expect upon his arrival at Heartspring, but came in with the mindset of learning. “The experience was wonderful and exceeded my expectations,” he said. “We went 12 hours a day and then another 2 hours as a group at the hotel recapping what we learned. During our time together participants respected opinions and were willing to share their thoughts.”

Although Kholiwe Mkandawire is not specifically involved in special education in her home country of Malawi, she and her sister Gertrude have worked diligently to increase the quality of life for children who face starvation and the AIDS epidemic each day. “My participation in the sessions and (my) view (on) special education has widely gained expansion seeing what others are able to do, which I can also do or influence others to do,” she said. “At my village level, I will always include autistic children (as I talk) to the chiefs and schools for awareness. (I will) share my Heartspring experience to emphasize that even in the USA the disability exists as they generally believe that it is in Africa only and only in cursed families.”

Heartspring’s work was not new to Sue Woods, who has attended several seminars hosted on campus. “I shared during our meetings what an impact Heartspring has had on my valuable ‘bag of tricks’ that I can draw on each day,” she said.

Following a tour of Heartspring and the weekend’s activities, Sue was ready to head back to her classroom. “The professionalism of (Heartspring) staff gave me such excitement for my own challenges with my special needs children that I am energized to go back to this school year with added meaning and desire to make a bigger impact than I had originally dreamed of.” Her experience at Heartspring has forever changed her. “Sometimes in our lives we receive an opportunity that we could never predict could have so much impact on the rest of our lives. My award from Heartspring was indeed one of these!”

The annual recognition banquet was July 9, where Singleton and Wong presented each winner with a bronze sculpture and a check for $1,000. In addition to recognizing the Heartspring Award winners, several other individuals were honored for their contributions to Heartspring and the world of special education. David Calisay, a 13 year old from Mulvane, KS received the Works of Wonder award for raising money by selling candy canes and donating his earnings to Lights on the Lake last winter. His donation of $58.50 turned into $500 after matching gifts from AXA Advisors, Inc. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Phil and Kay Atterberry for their dedication to fostering children with special needs. Of their 17 foster children, they adopted seven. Two Heartspring staff members, Steve Stoffregen and Deb Harr, received standing ovations as they were acknowledged for their 25 years of service to Heartspring.