There are many ways we could have an impact on others but sometimes, it is what we say that can affect them the most. For example, if we are not happy with what is going on in our lives, we can talk it out and that is an effective way to avoid losing control in anger. Sometimes, however, what we forget to do is to say thank you to those who have given us a helping hand in life but those kind words can go a long way to helping us to be happy people.
Sometimes, these difficulties can affect us very early in life. That was the case with one young boy with autism who was in school and having a difficult time getting along with the other students. He was about to experience a change at a new school, however, thanks to the efforts of the students and the teacher. It was also seen clearly in his new best friend, who always had a kind word to say.
Lauren and Dan Dudas had made the decision to send their child, Noah, to a specialized school. His mother didn’t feel that it felt like a good fit and Noah didn’t do well at that school. He ended up being sent to another school.
His parents enrolled him in an Ohio school, Avon East Elementary. It ended up being the right choice and his new teacher, Michelle Szczepanski was one of the reasons why. Noah’s parents told a local news station that she had a special bond with her second-grade students, including Noah.
Michelle has something called a ‘shout-out’ bucket in her class. The students can take one of the cards and give their classmates a compliment. When they were avaliable, Michelle would read them to the class. One was written by Declan Walsh, who became a close friend of Noah.
It read: “For teaching me that being different never matters.”
Noah heard the compliment and looked at Declan. He was shocked because none of his peers had made him feel good like that before. Since he was so happy, he decided to make a dance video to thank Declan and the rest of the class.
Noah dances in the video and then said: “You guys just stole my heart.”
Declan’s sister also has special needs and he knows the struggles that Noah faces. Since that time, the entire class at Avon East Elementary has stepped forward to make Noah feel welcome. He finally feels safe and happy to be around others.
Noah also admits that saying kind words to others is important. They can surely make a big difference in our lives. Sometimes, it just takes a smile and a nice word to make someone’s life much better. Michelle loves what has happened and she can’t help but shed a tear when she thinks about what happened between those two students.
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