One day in a wheelchair

Briana Fitzpatrick and Natalie Ricci, both 11, spent Tuesday in wheelchairs. As part of Heatherwood Middle School’s Mobility Awareness Week, the two sixth-graders discovered the challenges of opening doors, reaching tall lockers and asking for help.

“It’s hard opening doors, going up hills and braking. It’s also tiring on my arms and my legs ache because I can’t move them,” Ricci said.

Anne Grindy, Heatherwood’s health room assistant, started the program in 2000 after students began asking questions about several kids in the school who use wheelchairs.

During the week of the program, two students from each grade level use the wheelchairs, and can only get out of them to use the bathroom or during an unscheduled fire drill.

“I got lots of questions, and they thought it was fun to be in a wheelchair and wanted to know what it’s like,” Grindy said. “We wanted kids to be more comfortable, more aware, and maybe hold the door if they see someone who needs help.”

After the experience, students are asked to share their feelings and what they’ve learned with friends and teachers.

Several hours after first sitting in the wheelchair, Fitzpatrick said it was interesting to try it out, but that she was looking forward to walking out of school at the end of the day.

“It’s fun because I don’t have to do it every day,” Fitzpatrick said.

But, she said, if she had to be in a wheelchair, “I’d try to have a good attitude. I’ve learned that people have it harder than it looks and you shouldn’t try and do everything for them.”

Ricci had a similar experience.

“I needed help just getting around the school, but it’s fun because lots of people have been helping me,” Ricci said. “But now I know that people in wheelchairs aren’t different from other people. They’re still the same as everyone else. They’re just sitting in something they move with their arms.”

The two wheelchairs used in the program were donated by Wheelchairs Northwest at no cost to the school. Currently, Heatherwood is looking for a donated wheelchair in good condition so the program can continue throughout the year.

“We’d like to have one student a day using the wheelchair all year long. We try to teach that you have more in common than not, and that it’s important to be empathetic” Grind said. “Our overall theme is, ‘don’t dis the ability.’”