About Me: Tiffany Murawski |
Originally from Barrington, Illinois, I am now a senior at Illinois State University studying Human Development and Family Sciences. For the last three years I have enjoyed working with the child care program at my local park district as a summer camp counselor, group leader, and morning program coordinator for 2nd - 6th grade children.
During my first year at this program (2013), I had the opportunity to work with a group of 4th - 6th grade children. While our program is not specifically designed for special needs children, we are an inclusive program and invite children of all different needs and ability levels to join our program. During this specific year, a boy with Down syndrome attended our 10 week summer program. Having the opportunity to work with this individual completely changed my outlook on Down syndrome individuals, their needs, and their abilities. Working with him and his family for those 10 weeks taught me not only what Down syndrome sincerely looks like, but I also learned what true happiness looks like. To this day it is one of the most enjoyable, meaningful, and memorable experiences I have ever had. Overall, that experience is what has sparked my interest in learning about intellectual disabilities, specifically Down syndrome. |