Class 7 of HSSP LTI

Hi again. This past Sunday was our 7^th class in the summer session and our theme for the week was obstacles. Obstacles are present in all our lives and can take many forms: physical, social, and mental to name a few. Dealing with these obstacles can often redirect our lives in unpredictable ways. We started the session off with the Disabilities activity. Using tape and splints the four mentors and I gave each student a physical disability. Students became blind, deaf and mute as well as “losing” arms, legs, hands, and fingers. The students worked together to move down the hallway and stairs to get to Lobby 13 where each of the 5 groups came up with a cheer for LTI. We heard some pretty good poetry and enthusiasm. In our discussion afterwards students spoke about how they developed different senses to take the place of ones they had lost. Other students said they were bothered by people who had stared at them as they fumbled down the hallway. Disablities make us diverge from the accepted norm, but not always as obstacles. They make us look at the world differently and just might help solve some of the world’s problems. As we discussed at the end of class, many leaders such as FDR, Beethoven, Steven Hawking, and Christopher Reeve seem to have overcome their physical disabilities to make great changes in their fields, from governing the US to describing elusive black holes. Could it be, however, that having a disability was essential to their ability to provide a fresh view of the world and its potential?

We spent the rest of our session talking about how we as students, ranging from junior high to college, can be agents of change. Our four mentors, all alumnus from the Spring Session of LTI, gave speeches on the progress of the projects they proposed in the spring. Then we discussed with the students projects they may want to do and how they can be successful. To learn more about the Spring Session projects, check out our website: www.mitlti.org.