Dear Next President,

Special needs kids. When people here that name most of them think stupid, retarded, not smart, but their wrong. I have a sister name Alex she has Down’s syndrome. She graduated from high school but was not smart enough to go to college, but she can still do stuff just like you and me. My sister and other adults with Down’s syndrome like her need more life skills programs.

Since my sister, Alex, graduated, she hasn’t done much. If this continues her and other kids like her could lose their knowledge. Programs that I know of for those people with special needs are Agape, bowling leagues, and Enterprises. But these are just for fun; we need something to keep their minds active for at least four hours. The need to continue their education just like a college-bound student would.

My solution to this problem is to get more programs for young adults with special needs that offer knowledge and training and a place to feel safe in Georgia and other states. As of September, the labor force participation rate for people without special needs was 63.2 %, but only 38% of adults with special needs have a job. Plus, only 13% of special needs kids go to college and most struggle so much they drop out.

So let’s start a program where we can feel brains with knowledge and hearts with care and show that special needs kids matter and it’s important to treat them just like us because they are humans just like us.

Sincerely,

Rebeka Leggiero