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CNN Live Saturday

STARS Program Benefits Youths With Disabilities

Aired July 28, 2001 - 12:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: It's been 11 years now since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. The law prohibiting discrimination against disabled people was signed by former President George Bush. Well, today, his son, President George W. Bush discussed progress for disabled Americans in his weekly radio address.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, BUSH RADIO ADDRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As people with disabilities find more opportunities to use their gifts and talents, we also become a stronger more productive nation. Some barriers remain, however. And as long as they stand, our work is unfinished.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KELLEY: Many kids with disabilities say all they really want is to be treated like other children.

CNN student bureau reporter Jana Jacobs has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANA JACOBS, CNN STUDENT BUREAU REPORTER (voice-over): When most students meet 10-year-old Samuel Hogle, they don't know what to think or how to act. Samuel has never seen daylight. He was born blind, but insists he is just like any other kid.

SAMUEL HOGLE, AGE 10: I'm just like everybody else. There's nothing different except for my disability. And just because people have disabilities or something like doesn't mean you should treat them differently.

JACOBS: Samuel is part of this Social, Therapeutic and Recreational Services program at the Atlanta Center of the visually impaired, also called STARS. The program teaches blind children life skills and provides social, cultural, educational and therapeutic activities like trips to help expand their horizons and expose them to the world.

The STARS program uses non-disabled students, called buddies, who act as guides for the children.

ERIN SHIMBERG, AGE 13: I get to make lot of new friends. I get to learn new things. UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I get to pleasure to know I help kids.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Because they have disabilities, they have a lot abilities than you might think.

JACOBS: Although it may be unintentional, many children admit they do treat others with disabilities unfairly. Jessica Simpson says she has observed that some children like her, without disabilities, are not comfortable when they are around others with disabilities.

JESSICA SIMPSON, AGE 10: I learned that you should never treat somebody different just because they are different because we're all the same.

JACOBS: 13-year-old buddy Erin Shimberg recognizes this behavior all too well.

SHIMBERG: They talk about how they have problems at school with kids who think they're different and who don't like them.

UNIDENTIFIED YOUTH: Treat me equally or treat me in a different way that -- a positive way.

JACOBS (on camera): These special children say they are tired of being treated differently and believe it is time for change.

Jana Jacobs, CNN student bureau, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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