Junior and senior years

uring Joe's junior year, he had to have a tutor for history. That year, instead of my being the tutor, Joe's classmates began to volunteer to tutor him. Joe's year was relatively quiet, marked by the mischievousness often associated with high school juniors.

Joe's senior year was to be the most difficult year he had encountered. Joe often missed school. The senior class leadership organized visitors and tutors to work with him. The class rallied around and was eager and excited to spend time with him, both in and out of the hospital.

Finally, graduation time arrived. True to form, Joe arrived in my office with one more crazy request.

"Mr. Nemmers, I want to sit with the student body during graduation. I don't want to sit on the front row with the handicapped kids."

"Joe, how are you going to walk across the football field? You won't be able to keep up."

Continued...