In recognition of March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, representatives from the Miami County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) are making visits to local elementary schools to read and donate books to their school libraries.
On Friday, March 14, Darren Miller of Piqua, who is an adult served by MCBDD, along with MCBDD Community Awareness and Opportunities Director Melissa Nichols and Communications Coordinator Jenna Gerig, visited all five first-grade classrooms at Milton-Union Elementary School. Miller read “When Charley Met Emma” to the students while Nichols and Gerig held the book for children to see the illustrations. The book is about a young boy who meets a little girl who uses a wheelchair. Through meeting and talking with Emma, Charley learns that despite their physical differences, they have much in common and they become friends. The students participated in a discussion with Miller, Nichols and Gerig after the reading, and a copy of the book was added to the school library.
MCBDD has many more readings scheduled at local elementary schools in Miami County throughout the month. The goal of the reading visits is to help young children think about ways they can be kind to others despite perceived differences and seek ways to find things in common with one another.