I laugh and tease. Ronald is a 16 year old student at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines who was born with autism. His father, James A. Autry, wrote an article that was published in the June 4 Des Moines Register describing, in very graphic language, Ronald's experience in running a 400 meter race at school. Of special note is the support he received from his teammates and from the spectators in the stand. In addition, 4-H encourages mainstreaming so that youth with and without disabilities interact and help each other.
Leaders plan activities so that kids with different types of disabilities can take part.
No project is off limits for students with disabilities. Leah is blind but, through the FFA program, showed lambs and was involved in competitive public speaking and parliamentary procedure. The audience, and more often than not the judge, never realized she had a visual disability. Jennifer was born with a rare disfiguring and crippling disease that has required many surgeries. At 10 years of age, she wanted to show sheep and had to learn how to brace her animal because she lacked strength.