Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 27, 1995 TAG: 9502270027
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Age: 18
School: William Byrd High School, Roanoke
Year: Senior
What she does: Jennifer helps 13-year-old Dustin Chewning, who has cerebral palsy, as an all-around best friend. After she gets a hug - ``that always comes first'' - she helps with his homework, holds books for him, steadies his hand so he can spell with his communications facilitator (a specially designed computer) and writes what he has spelled out.
She even went to summer camp with him.
``He's like a younger brother to me,'' Jennifer said. ``I take him out to McDonald's and to the mall and even brought him to my school for lunch. He'll sit and listen to me when I need to let things out - like a best friend.''
Jennifer will be working with a group of disabled children in a ``time out for kids'' - going to the library, the movies or for ice cream.
``Jennifer doesn't have a problem being with children who have disabilities,'' Dustin's mother, Donna Chewning, said. ``She feels they have just as much right to be out in the community as everyone else.
``If Dustin's having a grumpy time, she'll try to make him feel better,'' Chewning said. ``Jennifer accepts him for him. He's always happy to see her.''
Sandra Renick, who nominated Jennifer, said, ``Jennifer is such a giving and caring person; she always puts other people's problems ahead of her own.
``A lot of people her age go to her as a best friend. She's always doing things for other people and never asks for anything in return.''
Other activities: Jennifer has volunteered at Community Hospital and is active in her youth group at Lynn Haven Baptist Church.
School activities: Jennifer is the statistician for William Byrd's boys' junior varsity and varsity basketball teams, is in the Spanish Club and the Reindeer Club, a senior pep club.
Future plans: Jennifer began studying sign language four years ago, with the hope of using it to communicate with Dustin, but he is not able to control his hands enough to use it.
Her interest in deaf interpretation, though, has continued, and in the fall she will go to New River Community College for American Sign Language classes. After completing her degree and passing certification tests, Jennifer wants to work with hearing-impaired and disabled children in public schools.
``There were two kids who couldn't go to school this year because there was no deaf interpreter for them,'' she said. ``I don't want that to happen again.''
Obstacles: ``Dustin can't control his body movements well and he sometimes gets mad that he can't spell things out fast enough. It's frustrating because I have to keep trying to calm him down.''
What she's learned: ``I feel good about myself because I'm helping someone who needs it,'' she said. ``It takes a lot of patience.
``Sometimes people make comments, and it burns me up. I ask them, `What if you were in that situation?'''
\ Extra Credit nominees must be 12-18 and volunteering of their own choice. If part of a group, the teen must have initiated the activity.
Send in the teen's name, age, phone number, what they're doing, for how long, and how it has helped someone else. Include your name and phone number. Mail nominations to Extra Credit, c/o Features Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010
This twice-monthly column spotlights a teen-ager who is using his or her own initiative to make a difference in our neighborhoods, schools and communities. We think they deserve a public thank-you for helping other people. Nominations are sent in by our readers (see guidelines below).
by CNB