DHS Newsletter-May 2025
The Beginning of a Worldwide Movement
It all began in the 1950s and early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were treated. She also saw that many children with intellectual disabilities didn’t even have a place to play. She decided to take action. Soon, Eunice Kennedy Shriver's vision began to take shape. She held a summer day camp for young people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in her own backyard. The goal was to learn what these children could do in sports and other activities—and not dwell on what they could not do.
Throughout the 1960s, Eunice Kennedy Shriver continued her pioneering work. She was the driving force behind President John F. Kennedy's White House panel on people with ID. She directed the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation. Her vision and drive for justice grew into the Special Olympics movement.
A few weeks ago, our media partners at WDEF News 12 visited Dalton High School to honor an extraordinary educator — Ms. Deborah Baker — with the Golden Apple Award!
Ms. Baker has dedicated her teaching career to making a lasting impact on the lives of her students. She equips them not only with classroom skills, but with the confidence, compassion, and strength they need to thrive in life. Whether in academics or personal growth, she is truly a guiding light.
“Teaching to me is a ministry,” says Ms. Baker. “It’s not just reading, writing, arithmetic — it’s the whole scope of things that helps [students] grow personally and emotionally.”
Her commitment, kindness, and unwavering support inspire both students and staff every day.
Click the link below to watch the full Channel 12 feature and hear directly from Ms. Baker, her colleagues, and the students she uplifts: https://www.wdef.com/golden-apple-award-deborah-baker.../
Join us in celebrating this incredible honor — thank you, Ms. Baker, for the heart you pour into our school community!