When a class of Grade 6 students came to call the pre-holiday hike Operation Leave No One Behind, it was clear this would be no simple winter walk.

Chris Mieskesa国际传媒檚 class at Trafalgar Middle School in Nelson includes Todd St. Pierre, who was born with bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria, a genetic disorder that affects his mobility.

So if they were going to spend a day stomping through snow outside Nelson, they needed a solution for including Todd.

sa国际传媒淏ecause hesa国际传媒檚 our classmate,sa国际传媒� said student Koen de Jong. sa国际传媒淏ringing him helps us learn about empathy.sa国际传媒�

The answer was a sled, designed and built just for Todd. The students solicited local businesses for supplies and took about three weeks to complete the finished product.

Koen said building the sled meant learning all about Toddsa国际传媒檚 needs. Pool noodles, for example, were cut and added to the sides of the sled to pad his legs, which tend to lean out.

sa国际传媒淲hen he gets upset or excited he throws his head back, so we needed to put some cushion on his head,sa国际传媒� said Koen.

sa国际传媒淲e had to think about him going to the bathroom, him being able to have fun at the camp when we get there and we eventually came up with the idea to put people in life jackets, hook them up to the sled and pull it along and then have people in the back pushing or act as a break if yousa国际传媒檙e going downhill.sa国际传媒�

Mieske said he wanted his students to learn that even though Todd cansa国际传媒檛 walk, he is still journeying through school with them.

sa国际传媒淢y big message to these students is Toddsa国际传媒檚 going to be walking across the stage at graduation with them in six years and I want them to feel like hesa国际传媒檚 been part of their education and I want him to feel like hesa国际传媒檚 been part of the bigger group,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淛ust because hesa国际传媒檚 got difficulties with moving around and he has difficulties communicating, hesa国际传媒檚 still one of them and they need to see he is an equal to them in our school.sa国际传媒�

When the class travelled to the Nelson Nordic Ski Clubsa国际传媒檚 Clearwater trail on Dec. 19, four students put on snow shoes and attached themselves to the sled before Todd was carefully, and happily, lowered in.

Some classmates cheered, others high-fived Todd, and when it came time to hike all 27 students marched into the woods together without anyone left behind.

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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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