Fontainebleau High students know the sercret to living
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Special-need students are usually the most content and happiest of
the student body at any high school. The teachers responsible for their education are also special attending to their needs with love. Most
students, on the other hand, don’t pay much attention to them, only casually acknowledging their
presence.
That wasn’t the case last year for Katie Brewster, the 2009 Fontainebleau High School Homecoming Queen. Katie, a 21-year-old special-needs student, suffers from cerebral palsy. When she was voted queen by the 1,942 students, she couldn’t tell them thanks because she can’t speak, but her smile said it all.
The idea of Katie becoming the homecoming queen was initiated by her Bulldog Buddies Annie Kurtz, Sarah Liuzza, and Casey Adams.
The Bulldog Buddies program was started a few years ago with 10 to 12 students. The group, now 150 strong, spends time with their classmates who
have special needs, including helping to coordinate events, such as their own Special Olympics in the spring.
The process for Katie to become queen began with her being nominated by her senior class homeroom. From there, she became a finalist, which guaranteed her to be named either maid or queen.
Johnny Vitrano, the principal of the school, said he wasn’t surprised that Katie won. He also shared that he had a tear or two in his eyes when he heard the results. He was proud of how the whole student body got involved and excited about doing something special for a special person.
Life for Katie hadn’t been easy. She was unable to walk until she was 7 years old and has undergone 16 surgeries in her young life.
The 2010 football season is now in full swing. Soon all high schools will have a homecoming game with a homecoming court. As usual, one of the most popular and prettiest young girls will be chosen queen.
In a few short years, most of the students and fans in attendance will forget who the queen was or who won the game. I guarantee that the faculty and student body at Fontainebleau High School will always remember Katie Brewster, their 2009 queen.
If the secret to living is giving, the community of Mandeville was blessed by the unselfish action of the students at Fontainebleau High School.
If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70094, call (985) 652-8477, or e-mail: hkeller@comcast.net.