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| Ashley Endicott and Wesley | 1.27 MB |
For the past several weeks Wesley Brailsford, a student at Oakridge School has been enthusiastically anticipating the Spanish Fork Stock Show. On Friday, May 3rd Wesley donned an FFA jacket and showed his lamb in the Senior Showmanship Class with the help of his peer tutor Ashley Endicott, a student at Springville High School.
Wesley is one on 26 students currently enrolled at Oakridge School with severe developmental disabilities. He is eighteen years old and unable to speak, therefore he uses sign language and pictures to communicate. With help from his peer tutor Ashley, he spent weeks preparing his lamb for the stock show. Three weeks prior to the show his lamb died. With a heavy heart Ashley broke the news to a very disappointed Wesley. Only a week before the Stock Show, Monica Giffing, the Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor at Springville High School was able to get another lamb for him to show. So with a happy heart once again, Wesley was out in the pens, helping Ashley wash and prepare his lamb for the stock show.
Once at the stock show Wesley eagerly waited for his class to begin. With assistance from Ashley, he managed to hold his lamb as the judging began. Nic Rowley, Wesley’s teacher says that he wowed the crowd with his genuine and sincere desire to participate in what his peers were doing. Mr. Rowley said, “There was not a dry eye in the barn” in describing the event.
Wesley is a cowboy at heart. He loves wearing his cowboy boots and spurs along with his cowboy hat. As a student of Oakridge, he is in charge of laundry duties and is a big helper in the classroom.
Oakridge School is proud of Wesley and his accomplishments.
Oakridge would like to thank Springville High School Ag teacher and FFA advisor Monica Giffing and the FFA students from Springville High School for helping Wesley make his dream come true. Along with her teaching responsibilities at the high school, Mrs. Giffing has helped integrate her Ag students with the students at Oakridge. She has involved the students of Oakridge in activities that they would not otherwise have the chance to do.