Limitless: Breaking the bounds of disability

In the United States, one out of every five adults lives with a disability and 6.5 million students receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, equal access to education, jobs and public spaces continue to be ongoing challenges for individuals living with disabilities.

As the final project of the school year, SRL challenged students to find stories that showcase how people with disabilities overcome limits placed on them by doctors, teachers, family and society.

The result is Limitless: Breaking the bounds of disability.

In Clinton, Michigan, student reporters at Frederick V. Pankow Center profiled the nation’s first blind judge elected to high court and his work protecting people with disabilities. From Kahului, Hawaii, journalists at Maui Waena Intermediate School told the story of a student athlete with spina bifida achieving ambitious goals. In San Antonio, Texas, a boy’s journey to overcome his speech impediment has made him a leader and communicator who volunteers to work with other students with special needs.  Students in Gastonia, North Carolina, captured the impact of organ donation in the aftermath of a tragic accident.

These stories and many others honor the human spirit — its resilience, perseverance and courage through life’s obstacles.

“We are aware of what we can accomplish. We are aware of what we can achieve. We simply need for people who are not disabled to understand and appreciate what we can offer and what we can do, and to simply give us a chance,” explains Justice Richard Bernstein.

Visit Student Reporting Labs on YouTube for closed captioning.