“WHAT IF I COULDN’T?”
Cadette/Senior Interest Project Patch
GS of Greater Atlanta (formerly Pine Valley GSC)
Complete 8 requirements including one starred activity.
1. Experience what it would be like if you had a physical challenge, try:
• coloring a picture of writing your name with your feet.
• eating a meal without being able to see.
• identifying objects by touch.
• tie your shoe using only one hand.
• write your name and address using your non-dominant hand.
2. Practice communicating without using words. Learn some basic sign language, hand signing, body language, or try lip reading. Be able to convey a message without using words - spell your name, use manners, ask for a drink of water, etc.
3. Experience the lack of mobility, try:
• getting in and out of a vehicle using crutches.
• climbing up and down stairs with crutches.
• putting on clothes while seated (you may not get out of your chair at all).
• preventing movement of finger joints by taping popsicle sticks to fingers.
• cover both hands with socks and try a few activities.
Record your feelings following these activities according to the instructions in requirement #1.
4. Decipher a “mirror” message. Try to understand the difficulty of comprehension for people with “dyslexia”. Find out what it is, how does it affect daily activities, how can it be overcome?
5. Complete a craft project with one of the following challenges:
• no vision • without use of your dominant hand
• no instructions • instructions in a foreign language
Complete the same project with no disabilities. Compare the similarities and differences.
What aspects were the same? What did you have to modify?
6. Develop a skit, story, poem, or puppet show portraying ways to increase awareness of people with special abilities. Perform for a group of younger children.
7. Visit a rehabilitation center for people or animals. Observe different ways patients are encouraged to overcome their personal challenge. Some possibilities are a spinal clinic, home for the blind, animal rehabilitation center, or a health and fitness center with rehabilitation equipment.
*8. Be able to explain the following terms/conditions:
• paraplegic • cerebral palsy • quadriplegic
• polio • blind or visually impaired
9. Develop a career information brochure. List different careers for people wanting to work with people having special abilities. Include their job responsibilities, education required, salary ranges, different areas of service, job stability, job availability, etc. Check in your community, schools, hospitals, etc. for suggestions. Interview someone in one of these careers.
10. Visit 2 or 3 public buildings/areas. Identify areas that have both positive and negative aspects for persons with physical challenges. For example: Braille signs, wheelchair ramps, parking access, etc. Develop a suggested plan for improvement of the negative aspects. Contact a city/county official and present your plan.
11. Find out about the history of the Paralympics. Display the history on a time line, display, book, comic strip, etc. Host a Paralympic Fun Day for younger children.
12. Design and carry out a service project to benefit a special abilities person/
group.