Show Paralyzed Still Teaches Jr High Teaching basketball softball softball softball soft- soft ball gymnastics and other sports from a wheelchair isn't easy BUT FOR Barbara Richards Richards Richards Rich Rich- ards a teacher at West Lake Junior High School its it's a challenge In June of 1963 following her sophomore year as a Physical Education major at BYU Miss Richards was in an auto accident which left her paralyzed from the waist down Where to go from there didn't seem to be much of a problem for her Determined to continue her studies in Physical Education with the help of her parents and the theOffice theOffice theOffice Office of Rehabilitation Services Services Services ices she went on to obtain a Bachelors Bachelor's Degree in her field UNABLE TO obtain a teaching teaching teach teach- ing position following graduation tion she became discouraged Either a school had architectural architectural architectural tural barriers and was thus unfeasible or people just seemed seemed seem seem- ed afraid of taking a chance with me I guess they figured I couldn't teach sports from froma a wheelchair Rather than remain idle Barbara re-enrolled re at BYU in a Masters Master's program which she completed last June THE FACT that she is teaching teaching teach teach- ing at West Lake Junior High School today is a coincidence My Mv roommate and I were looking for a house to rent The one we rented turned out outto outto outto to be owned by a Mr Edwards Edwards Edwards Ed Ed- wards who was also Principal Principal Prin Prin- cipal of West Lake Junior High School I had a job teaching Physical Education Health and General Science several days later Miss Richards speaks with enthusiasm about her lob job Its exciting to teach sports because be cause each new sport presents its own challenges I have to discover how best to convey methods to my students without without without with with- out necessarily using myself as an example WITH TWO VO months of teaching teaching teaching teach teach- ing experience behind her Miss Richards finds teaching extremely rewarding Everyone Every one at the school has been so wonderful Mr Edwards even had a ramp built for me so soI soI soI I could get in and out of the thes hoo b l s ing by myself The greatest thing was just having someone give me methe methe methe the chance to prove that I could do the job as well as anyone else Miss Richards stated I might still be unemployed unemployed unemployed un un- employed today if someone hadn't given me that chance I TOOK her on beca because se seI I was so impressed with her determination said Mr Edwards Edwards Edwards Ed Ed- wards her Principal Her enthusiasm has spread to both students and faculty to the point where we no longer think of her as being in a wheelchair With student as- as to be her legs for her I would say she has certainly overcome her handi handi- cap |