| BHS project creates wheelchair-friendly area |
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| Wednesday, 14 May 2008 | |
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Staff writer Aaron Downing and Jennifer Muller rolled into Blaine High School as freshmen four years ago. Next month, the wheelchair-bound students will roll out as graduates, leaving behind teachers and textbooks, assignments and exams. Not only that, they’ll leave behind an eye-opening legacy. You see, Downing and Muller were the movers and shakers who got a Plexiglas viewing area installed behind the top row of stadium seats in the BHS fieldhouse. Thanks to Downing and Muller’s hard work and determination, they leave behind a legacy that opens the eyes of the wheelchair-bound to slam dunks and free throws, digs and spikes on the volleyball court and pins and near-falls on the wrestling mat. Oh, and of course, the annual celebration that inspired the project: homecoming. Here’s how it all started: Homecoming coronation ceremonies graced the fieldhouse last fall, as they do every year at the start of the Bengals football season. The spectacular display had spectators oohing and aahing, applauding and cheering at the splendor of the annual crowning of the homecoming royalty. Unfortunately, even with necks craning and chairs tilting, a segment of the viewing crowd missed the climactic moments played out at center court. Those missing the action, eight BHS wheelchair-bound students, struggled to witness the event from their positions behind the top row of stadium seats. There, a wrought iron railing framed by a wooden 2x4 was right at eye level, blocking their view of the activities. “We just couldn’t see. I tried tilting my chair way back and I still couldn’t see,” said Muller, whose cerebral palsy has her confined to a wheelchair. Downing decided to take matters into his own hands, determined to open the eyes of the school’s administration to the visual barrier posed to “wheelies.” “Aaron really started it,” said Cindi Marshall, case manager at BHS. “He talked to Principal (Norm) Hande; he organized taking pictures so he could show the problem.” “Then he typed a letter and wrote e-mails, got some other classmates on board and set up meetings. Aaron really made it happen,” Marshall said. “Now it’s awesome,” said Muller, describing the ease with which she and others in wheelchairs can see the action on the basketball court. “It was not a quick and easy project,” said Mike Broos, assistant principal at BHS. “The welding company was out here four or five times to understand what needed to be done and to get the viewing area designed. Then it had to be installed. So it took almost an entire school year to get the viewing area put in.” Now, thanks to Downing, Muller and company, the Plexiglas viewing area is fit to frame commencement ceremonies and diploma distributions to the class of 2008 – including legacy-leaving graduates Downing and Muller. Sue Austreng is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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