I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Moses Lake Schools Special Education teachers and their assistants, and recognize them along with all others at the Excellence Awards given Tuesday evening, April 26th.

I am the daughter, sister, mother and grandmother of family members with special needs, so I know first-hand the challenges and rewards. In addition to the demanding duties a general education teacher faces every day, our SPED teachers and assistants enter their classroom of students diagnosed with physical and/or mental disabilities. They are creative and caring enough to teach skills to face the future, and social and academic skills, while sometimes assisting them with their basic hygiene and bodily functions. Even those of us who do not teach realize that this is no small achievement.

My 11-year-old granddaughter, who is a person with Down Syndrome, has attended our schools since she was a baby, beginning with birth to 3 and preschool. My 35-year-old son, who is a person with autism attended North Elementary and Chief Moses when it was a Junior High. Both have been blessed to have wonderful teachers and aides come be a part of their world at school.

To these men and women, I say, "thank you." You have given of yourselves to make their lives and our lives a better one. In case you have not been reminded lately, you have and do make a difference to the most vulnerable of our society; and even though some of us do not tell you so, we are very grateful!

And to all of our community: Please keep all of our school staff members in your thoughts and prayers. They hold our precious children and our future in their hands.