As we countdown the final days to graduation, excitement builds and educational studies seem easy at best. Many of us are fortunate to have had the experience of completing the senior year of high school and know the anticipation of graduation. This graduation celebration is very special. It was nearly a year ago when Joshua’s parents were told not to expect him to walk or recover much from his unfortunate injury. By God’s grace and mercy in his life, Joshua is recovering and doing well, ready to WALK with his Class of 2010. Over the past few months, Josh has put in the hard academic work needed to complete his goal of graduating with his class. His school, Valley View High School, is the only high school in the district that requires the completion of a senior project in order to graduate. A senior project consists of an idea, employment, or product, which the student actively participates, researches, and records the experience. Complete with detailed research logs, visual aids, and an oral presentation to tell the story. Josh’s project is titled “My Accident, My Massive Stroke” Physical Therapy Rehabilitation. He tells his story and the road to recovery from his injury. Josh said he felt good about doing the project. He said, “If I had the whole year to prepare and work on this project without an injury would be ok, but getting it done in the last few months of school is difficult.” He started the school year at home with a teacher coming to the house for class, just two months after the stroke. Early in the first semester, Josh knew the project needed to be completed but was unsure of what to do and how to get it done. Once he returned to campus life in January the project details became a little clearer and soon became an overwhelming burden. It was apparent Josh needed assistance and support to complete this venture. One night, Dad and Josh sat home, discussed his stressed feelings, and revisited his overall goals in school. Dad reminded him why he worked so hard to get back to school and the importance of completing this big task. After a few words of encouragement, guidance, and a little help from his friends, Josh soon had a clear vision of what he needed to do and believed he could get it done. He spent extra time before and after school with his teachers and student tutors assisting him with his assignment. Josh put together an 80-page binder complete with pictures and diagrams of what happened during the stroke and his rehabilitation. Josh typed every page, chose all the photos, and formatted the entire binder material himself. The final phase of the project is an oral presentation in front of a panel of judges on May 27. He says, “I have to dress nice and be professional for my final presentation. It’s the last project of my high school days.” Graduation ceremonies are June 9, so grab your calendars and plan to join us for the celebration. We are inviting everyone to join us that night and cheer Josh on his final high school walk. For times, directions, and graduation gifts, contact Dad for details at grayvgary@live.com
Now that we have a handle on school, it is time to return the focus to the business of continued rehabilitation. Insurance woes and a rough economy have caused Joshua’s therapy to become financially difficult to continue. Cash payments for therapy are very expensive and near impossible for the family to support. Our desire is to raise funds, push forward, and keep Josh with the professional assistance he needs. Last year your donations helped the family stay afloat during Joshua’s immediate recovery. Now we are raising funds to get Josh back on track with his rehabilitation work. Financial aid programs are in the works and we hope to begin a program through Loma Linda soon. Until financial assistance is approved, we are trying to raise money and pay cash for therapy to keep Josh in motion. We hope you will join us in our fundraising effort. A simple donation can be made online through this web site on the DONATE page. Thank you for your cheers and your prayers. Stay tuned and we will keep you informed on his success and the therapy your generous donations will bring. Josh and his family look forward to seeing you soon in June!
