Nathan Ballard Public Address
The Curry School of Education
invites you to a public address by
Nathan Ballard
Monday, September 15 at 4:00pm
Ruffner Hall Auditorium (Basement Level)
405 Emmet Street South
Parking available in the Central Grounds Garage
On this map: Ruffner Hall #44, parking garage #8
A reading has been put on reserve in the Education Library (top floor of Ruffner Hall) for Mr. Ballard's address. It is Part I, "The Early Years," of his book Nathan.
“His doctors told him he would never walk, but they forgot to tell him he couldn’t fly.”
This statement from Keith Thomas, CEO for Nathan Ballard Collaborative Charities, epitomizes the life of Nathan Ballard, internationally known advocate for special education and the rights of individuals with disabilities. Due to severe cerebral palsy, Nathan has been wheelchair bound for most of his 53 years. However, because of self-determination and support from individuals and organizations, he has inspired people all around the globe and has made significant contributions to the special education field.
On September 15, 2008 from 4:00 to 5:30 PM in the Ruffner Hall auditorium (G004a &b), the Curry School of Education will proudly sponsor a very special presentation by this phenomenal and inspirational speaker.
Nathan is no stranger to the Curry School and the state of Virginia. For several years he has shared his compelling life story with students enrolled in EDIS 302/500: The Exceptional Learner, taught by Stan Trent, associate professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Equity in Curry. Nathan has also presented several times at schools in Nelson County and the Helen A. Keller Institute of Special Education at George Mason University. “After hearing Nathan speak in my class and seeing the tremendous impact he has had on my students, I realized that it was time to convey his message to a larger audience,” Trent said. “There are so many aspects of diversity woven together throughout his story including race, disabilities, and social class, and his narrative illuminates the sociocultural factors that must be addressed in order to better meet the needs of all learners in this age of standards, accountability, and reform.”
In 1996, Nathan, along with co-author Michael Rogers, a special education teacher at Project Heights Middle School in Nelson County, VA, published his first book entitled Nathan: He Would Be Somebody…It Was Just A Matter Of Time. The book chronicles the struggles Nathan encountered growing up in rural Tuscaloosa, AL during the 1950s and 60s, just after the Brown decision and prior to the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. He was wrongly labeled mentally retarded and his family was told that he would never learn to talk, read or walk. Despite this devastating prognosis, Nathan had family members like Uncle Nora who believed that he was intelligent and capable. “He taught me to believe in myself and to become self-reliant . . . even when nobody else believed in me,” Nathan reported. “He always encouraged me to do the best I can—beyond my limitations.” Nathan far exceeded the low expectations of many people. At 22 he learned to read, took and passed his GED, and shortly thereafter entered the University of Alabama. “I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’ll never be able to walk,” he shared, “but I walk in other ways, like my mind, and that is a lot more powerful than physical walking.”
We invite you to attend this auspicious event. Whether you are an educator, administrator, teacher educator, parent, student, language clinician, physical therapist, counselor, psychologist, or a policy maker, your life will be enriched as a result of the experience.
Copies of Nathan and Michael’s book will be available for purchase in the rear of the auditorium after the presentation. The cost of the book is $24.95. We look forward to seeing you there!