Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2017

32 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestofMP.com and character is built. “The Citadel Foundation supplied $500 worth of books for my third grade classroom, and all of the text sets featured main characters with a varying ability,” said Shealy. “After the great success of the program last year, which started as reading with and educating students, stemmed into a buddy program that changed us all, we were eager to continue Project O.N.E.E., especially now that Miss O’Brien and myself were now under the same roof at Carolina Park.” By shining a light on those in our society often deemed disabled and bringing to the forefront their special qualities, Shealy has kick-started a necessary dialogue DIFFERENT – NOT LESS THAN Stories on bullying often dominate the headlines. While we may not all agree on the source of these less than ideal situations, one thing we can all support is more compassion and acceptance within the school system. Third-grade teacher Samantha Shealy is fostering empathy and understanding in her Carolina Park Elementary classroom. Last school year, after reading the New York Times bestseller “Wonder” with her students, she was inspired to form Project O.N.E.E., an acronym for Open minds + New knowledge + Empathy = Extraordinary change. In the R.J. Palacio novel, the protagonist of 10-year-old Auggie, who is singled out for his facial deformities, learns to find his voice, make lifelong friends and overcome obstacles. Impressed with her students’ curiosity with this unlikely hero at the center of a story of resilience, Shealy made an effort to introduce more stories about unique individuals and even created a partnership in which special education students and her own could interact. The end result is a mutually beneficial venture in which hearts are touched, minds are expanded