Janice Andrick Against All Odds
I n the 1950s, public school systems in the
United States were not designed to meet the needs of children with even minor physical disabilities, let alone a child who was a quadriplegic.
Janice Andrick was born with cerebral palsy and was unable to use her arms or legs. At the age of one, she was a perfect candidate to attend the Capper Foundation for Crippled Children in Topeka, Kansas, on an outpatient basis.
Founded by former Kansas Governor and U.S. Senator Arthur Capper in 1920, the Capper Foundation provides physical, speech, and occupational therapy as well as educational training for students in kindergarten through high school.
As a young girl, Janice developed an early love for reading and as she grew older, it became apparent at Capper that she was a quick learner. This early education, psychological support, and training gave Janice the hope that, in spite of physical limitations, she would one day be able to work a regular job and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow workers. More than anything she wanted the same fulfillment her sister and brothers were experiencing in their jobs.
Following the completion of her basic educational training, Janice went to work in the sheltered workshop at Capper. In order to work elsewhere, Janice and others with physical disabilities had to overcome great roadblocks. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensuring that children with disabilities receive public education wasn’t enacted until 1975 and even after the law passed, those ready
to enter the workforce found it was difficult convincing employers to give them a chance.
Janice was in her early 30s when the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was signed into law. She continued to learn and persevere, paving the way for a better future, not only for herself, but for others with disabilities as well.
Through Express Employment Professionals, she found a position doing clerical work for the State of Kansas Department of Disability Services. With the advancement in computer technology, Janice saw her opportunities increase and became a computer data entry specialist with the assistance of ongoing training offered by Express. She became very skilled in the use of a tool known as a head stick, and a master of a communication board, allowing her to speak out about her ideas to supervisors and co-workers regarding how the jobs they performed could be improved.
With the aid of these technologies, the inclusion that Janice sought for so long had at last been achieved.
Now Janice uses her communication board to visit with the many friends she made during her career that spanned more than 20 years. Though much of her life has been a struggle, she has loved every minute of the time she has spent working and being considered “just one of the gang.” And if pressed, she might confide the only thing she enjoys more than her former career, or listening to an old recording of Elvis, is cheering on “her” Kansas Jayhawks.
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