Student Makes Homecoming Special for Special-needs Students

by Ronnie Zamora/LFCISD

Karla Valenzuela, a sophomore at Los Fresnos United, has a big heart – especially for students with special needs.

One year ago, she decided to ask a special needs student to be her date to the Homecoming dance. He accepted.

“The way it made him so happy, I wanted to make Homecoming this year even bigger.”

Valenzuela talked to LFU principal Jennifer Stumbaugh and Special Education unit teacher Flora Vasquez about the idea, and both encouraged her to pursue it. She wrote a letter to the parents in the Special Education unit to get their feedback, and 16 students – 12 boys and four girls – got permission to go. All of the planning happened in about a week.

“I wanted to give them an experience any high school student would have, like Homecoming and prom,” she said. “It was amazing to see the reaction from the students and parents … they were so grateful.”

Special NeedsValenzuela recruited friends of hers – 11 other girls and four boys – to be the dates for the special-needs students. She was a date for one of the boys with special needs.

“I mainly wanted to do this to make them happy. Just because they have more needs than we do, doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the experiences we do.”

Next came a Glam Party on the afternoon of Homecoming for the girls with special needs.

“I found people who donated their time to do the hair and makeup for the girls. I wanted the girls to be princesses, and very special to get makeup and hair done. I didn’t want them to worry about that,” Valenzuela said.

The response from parents was positive. One said they would sponsor a pre-Homecoming meal at Denny’s in Brownsville, the location where the students met their dates.

Next came the dance at the LFHS Cafeteria. The students with special needs were on the dance floor the entire evening.

“We thought they would get tired, but we (the dates) got more tired dancing than they did. They were having the time of their lives.”

Student Christian Ingle said that the best part was the evening was that his date “was a pretty girl.”

Student Jazmine Castillo said she had fun. “I want to go another dance.”

Valenzuela said the experience was good for the dates. “Now they have another friend they can talk to in school. It was very emotional for all of us. I was overwhelmed and full of happiness.”

Valenzuela, who is in the medical program at LFU, is not stopping at Homecoming. She plans to get dates for the special-needs students for Prom at the end of the year.

“For Prom, I can organize it better and get more sponsors. I want them to have a very, very good time. It was so amazing to plan this, and seeing their reaction, and how happy it made them.”

She hopes to find a boy and a girl with special needs who want to run for Prom King and Queen.

Karla”I want this to inspire people so that they can get to know the Special Education students better. I’ve always liked to help people. They should have a good experience in high school just like the rest of us.”

For her efforts, Valenzuela was named “Student of the Week” at LFU Monday.

“The joy and elation that these students feel and show is truly heart warming and such a beautiful thing to see,” said LFU health sciences teacher Erika Martinez, who nominated her. “Karla and her peers are leading by example and teaching all of us very valuable lessons about inclusion, compassion, awareness, empathy, and the understanding that people with disabilities all too often get overlooked. She has and will continue to make a tremendous positive impact on the lives of others.”

Valenzuela hopes that her actions will inspire other students to be kinder to students with special needs.

“Many students don’t pay as much attention to those with special needs as they deserve. They deserve as much respect as everybody else. I know there are a lot of Special Education students who get put aside and don’t get as much attention as we do.

“Just saying ‘Hi’ makes them very happy.”