MARY KATHRYN FEELEY

I knew early on that I wanted to teach and help special needs children and their families. I was fortunate to have a dad who taught students with special needs. He often brought some of his students home when they met their weekly goals. So, as early as I was in third grade, I found myself intrigued, curious, and happy when I could be around his students and help them.

We adopted a young adult with special needs, Willie, when I was twelve. I grew up with Willie and would often be so in awe of how happy, peaceful, and eager he was to please everyone. So it was very comfortable for me to be around people with special needs, and I often felt motivated to help them learn and grow.

Watching the small wins and progress they made over time made me feel like I had an actual purpose in life. So when I went to PSU to complete my bachelor's program in special education, I was highly motivated to work with challenging students. I left college wanting to head to the peace corps or prison to work with the neediest. Once again, I was influenced by my dad, who encouraged me to gain some life experiences first before I set out to conquer the world. So, I began my life's work teaching high school special needs students who were expelled from their home schools and in trouble with the law. I learned early and often that I needed to persevere and accept my students where they were. Upon reflecting with my core team, the resident psychologist and behavior specialist, I learned that if I held four basic tenets near and dear to my heart when things got really tough in the classroom, I would eventually figure out how to best meet the needs of my students. I found that as long as I maintained the four c's consistency, concern, compassion, and challenging each student to do their personal best each day, every child could become their personal best. Throughout my forty-one years in education,  I always felt a special connection to families with children with special needs. I felt that same call to duty that my dad and my grandmother had- to do what I could to help children and people, young and old, to experience success academically, socially, and emotionally. I feel so blessed to have a calling that allows me to make a difference in the lives of children, as they are our future leaders, politicians, the Dr's, scientists, teachers, mechanics, musicians, and artists of tomorrow.