Abilene student, 7, wins trip to to accessible theme park
Brenden Baker is going to Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, which is designed for special needs children
An Abilene student with a rare condition has received an uncommon opportunity — the chance to visit an amusement park designed for people with special needs.
Marsha Stewart, a special-education teacher at Bassetti Elementary, nominated 7-year-old Brenden Baker for a contest, winning him a trip to Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, which bills itself as “the world’s first ultra accessible family fun park.”
The contest was for children with special needs, and Brenden is special, indeed.
Stewart said Brenden, a Children’s Miracle Network child, has a rare form of dwarfism.
“Only about 40 people in the whole world have been diagnosed with this,” she said.
At almost 8 years old, Brenden weighs just 18 pounds and is 26 inches tall.
Stewart said that when she received an e-mail at the start of the school year asking for special education teachers to nominate someone for the contest — sponsored by Morgan’s Wonderland, PCI Education and WeAreTeachers — she immediately thought of Brenden.
“He’s a very inspiring person,” she said, adding that Brenden is the center of attention everywhere he goes.
She said she also thought the trip would be a fun opportunity for Brenden. Because of his extremely small size, he is unable to participate in many physical activities that other children can, Stewart said.
“He’s so restricted on the fun stuff he can do,” she said.
In addition, with his medical expenses, making a trip to an amusement park would be difficult for most parents of a child with such needs, Stewart noted.
About 250 students were nominated for the contest. Their stories then were posted online for voting. The grand prize winner was chosen from the top 10 vote-getters, with Brenden coming out on top.
The prize package includes two nights’ hotel accommodations and two days at the park.
Stewart also received $2,800 worth of supplies for her classroom.
Similar Posts:
- 11-year-old wins Woodland Park festival’s T-shirt design contest
- Learning in the Age of Distraction
- SCOE Honors Teachers of the Year 2012 Nominees
- SCOE Announces Operation Recognition Essay Scholarship Program
- Alpha-Score LSAT Winners Announced~
